Pike, Colin. Oral history interview about his life and work.

• Main Authors: Jarvis, Dale Gilbert, Barrett, Terra
• Other Authors: Pike, Colin
• Format: Audio
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Work; Personal experience narratives; Pike; Alfred; Aurora; King; Rina; Wallace; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/ich_oral/id/689

Oral history interview with Colin Pike, conducted by Dale Jarvis and Terra Barrett, with his son Wayne Pike present. Colin talks about growing up, the different jobs he had, including working on the railway, as a logger, and with Newfoundland Power as a lineman. He also talks about his father, including his service during the First World War, and his life as a trapper. Recorded at the office of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, 1 Springdale Street, St. John's. 0:00 Colin Pike was born in Charleston, NL on January 31st, 1929; 0:30 Colin names his parents, Alfred and Aurora Pike. Mother’s maiden name was Quinton – possibly a distant relative to the Red Cliff Quintons. The Pikes came from Carbonear. Colin is related to the pirate. 01:20 Colin’s grandfather came to Jamestown from Carbonear. His father moved to Charleston after he got married.01:38 Colin comes from a family of 10 children. Remembers playing games as a child – games that they would make up. Also remembers swimming in a pool in the brook near the harbour – swimming early in the season (May). Would make things to pass the time. They would go sliding in the winter time. 03:00 Colin describes what school was like. He was late going to school – attended the Anglican school because that was all that was available. Went there for a couple of years, around 1938-1939. Described arguments and “scattered fights” between the United and Anglican kids (because Anglicans went to school and the United kids didn’t). Colin’s parents took them out of school after it got to the point that the kids no longer wanted to go. Finally, the minister at the time wanted to have a place for the children to go to school that wasn’t the Anglican school. Colin’s grandmother was living alone and had a house with a living room that wasn’t used, so she offered up her living room to be used as a classroom. The minister found a teacher and the children attended school in Colin’s grandmother’s living room. Doesn’t remember the name of the minister, but the teacher was ...