BLACK TICKLE - THEN AND NOW

BLACK TICKLE - THEN AND NOW

The first people that come to Black Tickle came from Ireland, like come to fish, then they got married and had their kids and they stayed here. But before that they says that Indians was here and the new people killed the Indians. They're buried over there on back of the hill, that's what the Dysons tells. Bern and them tells, and Grandfather. They used to know all about it, but we don't in our day.

I was born at Black Tickle, my parents were Kathleen and Edward Roberts. Mom's parents was from Conception Bay, Newfoundland. Grandmother Joanna Skanes married John Keefe. O'Keefe it should be because they come from Ireland but somehow they dropped the O and now it's Keefe. Mom's sisters was Aunt Bride and Aunt Madeline Hudson, Aunt Theresa and Aunt Mary Rose, and there was Uncle Pat and poor old Gert and Walter - seven of 'um. And me father's parents was Alfred and Jane Roberts. Mom's grandfather was from Ireland. Father's people was from around Seal Islands, I believe it was, that's where we lived with Frank Roberts and them. I don't know how we were related but it must be on Dad's side. I only got one sister and one brother. I had two brothers but I don't know anything about the other feller, he was born dead before I was born. I heard Mommy say there was another brother, Herbert was his name, so there was only me and Walter and Madeline.

I lived all my life in Black Tickle, we lived there all summer and all winter. I can remember when the houses used to be right old and cold, just little old fashioned shacks. A couple of rooms in 'um and a pantry. No living room, nothing like that. We had a little tiny school and I got Grade Six. The highest grade you could get was Grade Nine. I can remember, when I was a young girl, we used to have a priest every seven years - imagine! Now we sees a priest every day...

MARY THERESA KEEFE
1993-BLACK TICKLE

THEM DAYS VOL. 23.3