| Summary: | Interview with Mrs. Bessie Stuckless (nee Cooper). Bessie Stuckless was born in Brighton near Notre Dame Bay also lived in Dryden before moving to Twillingate when she was 18 years old; mother-in-law was very sick, which preventd Bessie Stuckless from going home to Brighton; Husband's family was from Middle Harbour; Stuckless worked for a family and earned a few dollars a month; cooked and cleaned the house; mother taught her to cook; worked for a family in Trighton; reminices about the little girl she used to look after who was recently married and living in Corner Brook; shared stories about the difficult life; father was a fisherman and worked in the mine in Pelisse Island; father was wounded in an accident in the mine; father worked as a fisherman after the accident in the mine; Bessie Stuckless describes the change of life moving to the 'big town' of Twillingate; married Thomas Stuckless, who was considerably older than Bessie; married in Twillingate in the Southside United Church; describes her wedding as 'boring' and consisted of a small ceremony at the church and having a drop of tea afterwards; Bessie had four sons; shares the story of the name of her son, Botsford; Botsford was the name of her mother's sister's huband; travelled to Twillingate for services like grocery stores and the hosptal; settled in Little Harbour on a small farm; spun and knitted from her own sheep's wool; hooked rugs when the children went to bed; rugs were made of rags; still quilting at the age of 92 years old; Bessie has never attended a dance, and explains that she does not regret not attending; Explains a weekly menu to feed her family, which depended on what was available; the main meal was at 5pm in the evening; Thursday was Jiggs Dinner and Saturday was pea soup; husband trapped lobster and, fished; during the winter Thomas Stuckless was a carpenter; describes the secret to aging well; drop of brandy when she is feeling sick (two teaspoons of brandy); shares memories of Christmas in Little Harbour, Triton and Twillingate. ...
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