Clow, Roy

This interview with Roy Clow begins with the second half of a conversation about seal hunting. Roy then goes on to discuss lobster fishing, his father's sailboat, and "killocks" (homemade anchors). Roy then talks about different types of engines used on fishing boats in P.E.I. Clow also talks about doreys and the lobster factory in Murray Harbour. In the second half of the interview, Roy tells about the tough times in the 1930s, Gaelic speakers in the area, and raising sheep. He then talks about the starch and cheese factories, and his mother's homemade butter.

The last of Roy Clows interviews continues talking about Joe Condon's love of lobster and never getting three of his trucks registered. He goes on to talk about Ralph Condon and their school days, his career in the Fisheries, becoming a second mate of the Seakness and getting the untrained captain fired, Reg Macdonald the bootlegger and transporting rum, and Clear Springs Lobster Factory owned by the Johnson who was also involved in liquor. He also goes on about his mother working at the Pictou Island Factory, working for 25 cents a day, and Donald Ross's massive bull.

Roy Clow tells stories of the Georgetown Exhibition, showing cattle and the brawls that broke out between Gerogetown and Lower Montague. He then goes on to speak of metal working and repairs of cast iron goods and how he arrived in the fishing business. Roy Talks about how he paid $72 for his boat, and made his own gear, along with prices pre and post WWII. Mr. Clow then tells tales of prohibition and the bootleggers of his youth, stories of rum runners avoiding the federal officers with the help of the locals, and drinking at an early age.

Roy speaks about the entrepreneur Albert Griffin and his many adventures. Most notably his time spent as a rum runner and bootlegger. Mr. Griffin travels to St. Pierre Miquelon several times for "hand brand" alcohol and other forms of drink. On one occasion his boat is impounded by the French authorities, and he rescues it from their docks. Mr. Clow then speaks of his own rum running adventures, nick names, his good friend Jack Westaway, and Jack's massive dog.

Roy Clow begins by discussing the preparation of chickens by his neighbour Tompkins. He then goes on to talk about thrashing grain and black "smut" from the grain. Clow talks about his father's surgery in Boston for colorectal cancer, and how he took over the work at age nine while his father was ill. He then talks about mixing kelp with manure for farming, as well as the planting and sale of potatoes and turnips. Clow tells about Island and Newfoundland schooners and their transport of coal, shovelling trains out of the snow on the Montague Line, and stolen coal in Georgetown. He discusses working at a lumber camp near Monestary, N.S. and the Garden of Eden sawmill in Stellarton. Throughout the interview Clow makes reference to wages and work load at the time.

Roy speaks of some of his firsts: buying his first boat, making his first moonshine and his first near death experience. He also talks of his neighbor Ben Miller and how he once stole a keg of rum from his brother Stanley. Roy also talks about work fishing when he was only 12, and about the time he and his good friend George once traded a few glasses of rum for all the supplies, and all the wood a man could ask for in Belle River.

This interview begins with Roy telling of his mother's chickens (and "clucking hens") and how she was able to pick out which eggs would be roosters using a candle. They then go one to talk about selling chickens and different breeds. Roy tells a story of a poorly cooked chicken in Halifax, and then continues to discuss his mother's hens and killing chickens. The topic changes to foxes, then to Clow's store, and then on to stories about making moonshine from molasses. The interview continues with more stories about stolen moonshine, and then moves on to the topic of cars. Roy tells all about different makes and models, and tells some stories about different people and their cars. The discussion moves on to the fire at Clow's store and how they lost everything, and ends with a story about Ben Clow making his own blueberry wine.

Stories as told by Roy Clow of Murray Harbour North that also include Sturgeon, Montague and the Arctic Sea. Tales of traveling doctors, Sealing, farm living, pack salesmen, earthquakes, horses, ice cream and a near death experience while welding in the Atlantic Ocean. Stories take place from 1920s-1950s.

This interview with Roy Clow begins with a story of a horse that chewed tobacco. Roy then goes on to tell about a stolen keg of rum, and the first time he saw a skunk. The interview then moves on to the topic of capelin fishing. From there, Roy tells about trading rum for lumber at Compton's store, putting turnips in smoke stacks, and the hardworking Ada MacKenzie. The discussion then moves on to the tough times of the 1930s and how people made clothing from flour bags. Clow then talks about marsh hay, erosion, and Paris Green pesticide. Roy goes on to tell about firewood and his family's house, blacksmiths, and Gaelic. The tape concludes with stories about Joe French, moonshine, Nellie J., and home remedies for eczema.

This conversation with Roy Clow with a discussion about Willie Dunn, continued on from tape fifteen. Roy then tells about Jake Gillam, a ship pilot from Souris. Roy begins to tell another story about piloting ships, but the topic changes to Island accents before being interrupted again. Roy then tells about Freeman Reynold's ferry boat in Murray Harbour, Athol Mackinnon and his boats, and then lobster and gas prices in the 1930s. Next Roy talks about shipping and trucking in Murray Harbour, Ben Clow's homemade blueberry wine, and ends with more discussion about Freeman and Athol's boats. On Side B, Roy starts with a story about Jim Finlayson's aluminum touring car, and then tells of an accident at Finlayson's mill involving his stepson Jack Leeco. Roy then goes on to talk more about cars, with a brief mention of the blacksmith Gordon Ross. A discussion about John Wesley Jenkins comes next, followed by the topics of moonshine and bootlegging, finishing with stories of Roy stealing his brother's car.