Collection Tape R-5155 to Tape R-5229 - Le Patrimoine Fransaskois Oral History Project

Sound recordings of oral history interviews conducted in the French language by Claudette Gendron as part of a project conducted for the Société historique de la Saskatchewan. The 71 informants speak about the maintenance of French language and culture in Saskatchewan and describe aspects of their lives, including why they came to Saskatchewan, where they settled, the development of many French-Canadian communities, individuals who have been influential such as Father Bérubé and the Gravel family, pioneering practices, life during the Depression, illnesses such as the Spanish flu, and their educations. Visitation reports and summaries are included.

Interviewees are as follows:

Elisabeth Beauchemin, Regina (Tape R-5177). Speaks of her parents' arrival in Saskatchewan, her father's farm and her French education in Grand Clarière, Manitoba. 15 minutes.

Paul Alphège Beauchemin, Regina (Tape R-5184). Speaks of his life in Montmartre running a barber shop, billiard room and movie theatre, and L'Abbé Thériault. Comments on natives and their way of life. 40 minutes.

Fernande Bastien Beaudin, Montmartre (Tape R-5158). Speaks of her parents' life at Marguerite Lake, the Spanish flu, life during the Depression and her relationship with natives during her marriage. 30 minutes.

Jeanne Beauregard, Gravelbourg (Tape R-5226). 24 minutes.

René Omer Bechard, Regina (Tape R-5179). Speaks of the foundation of the town Bechard, plumbing facilities, financial concerns of Catholic parishes and his work for the Association Culturelle Franco-Canadiennes. 50 minutes.

Henri Begrand, St. Louis (Tape R-5202). Speaks of the history of St. Louis and Duck Lake, his father's career in provincial and federal politics and the issue of centralization of schools. 1 hour.

Rose Alma Jean Bernard, Prince Albert (Tape R-5193). Describes coming to Saskatchewan from Quebec with about fifty other families, homesteading near Prince Albert and then near Debden and people's feelings towards Father Bérubé. 50 minutes.

Albert and Marietta Blerot, Redvers (Tape R-5208). Speak of the work of Father Gaire. 30 minutes.

Pierre Boissiere, St. Brieux (Tape R-5213). Speaks of the foundation of St. Brieux, his work on the railroad and his farm. 45 minutes.

Ernest J.E. Bourassa, Radville (Tape R-5164). Relates his experiences as a farm labourer. 24 minutes.

Laura Bourassa, Radville (Tape R-5163). Describes the Depression and its effects on her family. Speaks of the bishop's permission to allow her to marry her cousin. 36 minutes.

Anne-Marie Brassard, Prince Albert (Tape R-5201). Speaks of her life in various places in central Saskatchewan with comments about her sister's wedding during the depression and her father's influence in the communities of Ormeaux and Bérubé. 1 hour.

Alma Brisebois, Gravelbourg (Tape R-5170). Speaks of family's emigration to Saskatchewan, retention of the French language, Toman Catholic faith and their haunted house in Quebec. 1 hour.

Yvonne Casgrain, Prince Albert (Tape R-5210). Speaks of her father's fur trading store in Meadow Lake and relates several anecdotes about Father L. Cochin. 35 minutes.

Léophile Chabot, Willow Bunch (Tape R-5191; Tape R-5192). Speaks of her work in a doctor's home, her marriage, methods of food preservation, entertainment with family and friends and funeral arrangements. 110 minutes.

Roberte M. Chagnon, Regina (Tape R-5195). Speaks of coming to Saskatchewan and life on a farm. 1 hour.

Hilda Charlebois, Laflèche (Tape R-5187). Speaks of her family's life in Laflèche, education and marriage. 1 hour.

Beatrice Coots, Gravelbourg (Tape R-5175). Describes the first families that settled in the Gravelbourg area, the Gravel family, doctors and medical care for pregnant women. 30 minutes.

Madeleine Dumélie Coupal, Regina (Tape R-5215). Speaks of her mother's courage on the farm, childhood experiences, homestead life and interest in the survival of the French language. 1 hour.

Beatrice Coursol, Prince Albert (Tape R-5200). Relates her experiences as a housekeeper in the Jackfish presbytery and later as cook in a boys' school in Prince Albert. Speaks of Monseigneur Baudoux and his sister. 66 minutes.

Jean Baptiste Couture, Gravelbourg (Tape R-5167). Describes early Ferland, his father's farm, the Depression and the relationship between the French and the English groups. 1 hour.

Joseph Donat Couture, Regina (Tape R-5181). Speaks of life on a farm near Ferland, entertainment and road construction. 30 minutes.

Marie-Jeanne Couture, Gravelbourg (Tape R-5168). Personal reminiscences of life in early Western Canada. 50 minutes.

Jules Delanoy, Radville (Tape R-5165). Speaks of why his family came to Saskatchewan, horse trading, the Depression and reactions in Radville to the Second World War. 1 hour.

Rachel Périgny Desmarais, Assiniboia (Tape R-5188). Describes life on her father's farm and sings two traditional songs. 1 hour.

Blanche Dumaine, Assiniboia (Tape R-5189). Relates her experiences in early Western Canada. 45 minutes.

Cléas Duperreault, Saskatoon (Tape R-5219; Tape R-5220). Speaks of the foundation of Willow Bunch, the native and métis population in the area and the relationship between Sitting Bull and Jean-Louis Légaré. 90 minutes.

Clara Dupuis, Prince Albert (Tape R-5211). Speaks of her family's journey to Saskatchewan and life during the Depression. 1 hour.

Yvonne Ecarnot, Montmartre (Tape R-5214). Describes life on family farm, her various occupations and family background. 1 hour.

Lucienne A. Faubert, Regina (Tape R-5176). Describes her experiences as a teacher in various francophone communities in Saskatchewan and the Association Culturelle Franco-Canadiennes' French programme. 34 minutes.

Victoria Joséphine, Regina (Tape R-5180). Reminisces about father's homestead and early days in Saskatchewan. 55 minutes.

Sabin Faurit, St. Brieux (Tape R-5206). Speaks of his emigration to Saskatchewan, occupations, homestead, Father Le Floch and the prohibition era. 55 minutes.

Agnès Bourassa Fradette, Radville (Tape R-5166). Describes the arrival of her parents in Saskatchewan, early years on the farm, the Depression and outbreak of scarlet fever. 50 minutes.

Marie Yvonne Gallays, St. Brieux (Tape R-5205). Recalls voyage from France to Canada, the first winters she spent in Saskatchewan and anecdotes about the clergy in St. Brieux. 50 minutes.

Anita Laure Gatin, Regina (Tape R-5183). Personal reminiscences of life on a farm and working in Regina. 35 minutes.

Ernest Emile Gatin, Regina (Tape R-5178). Speaks of homesteading in a predominantly French area and Francophones who moved back to Quebec during the Depression. 30 minutes.

Marie Antoinette Gérard-Guillon, Val Marie (Tape R-5198; Tape R-5199). Describes events of her childhood, racial discrimination she endured during her adult life and difficulties encountered as a single parent of two sons. 160 minutes.

Denise Bergot Gillies, Saskatoon (Tape R-5217). Speaks of her family's journey to Saskatchewan organized by Father Bérubé, their life during the Depression and how they retained their French heritage. 40 minutes.

Anonymous interviewee, Gravelbourg (Tape R-5226). Speaks of the distribution of land in the area, site of Gravelbourg and the influence of the Gravel family. 30 minutes.

Marie Ange Hamel, St. Isidore de Belevue (Tape R-5212). Speaks of her grandfather who was present during the rebellion of 1885 and was an employee of Monsieur Batoche. Describes work on her husband's farm. 50 minutes.

Raoul Hamelin, Montmartre (Tape R-5159). Speaks of farming in the Lajord area, life during the Depression, entertainment, his secret marriage to a girl who was not Roman Catholic or French Canadian and the era of prohibition. 40 minutes.

Anne Marie Hawryluk, Prince Albert (Tape R-5204). Speaks of French-English relations in St. Denis, attempts to retain the French language in education, Father Bérubé and the Denis family. 1 hour.

Arthur Jalbert, Laflèche (Tape R-5186). Speaks of his journey to Saskatchewan, the Spanish flu, the Depression and his work as a mail carrier. 50 minutes.

Adélard Jeanneau, Prud'homme (Tape R-5227; Tape R-5228; Tape R-5229). Speaks of racial discrimination and his experience at Collège Mathieu. Interviewer: Madeleine Jeanneau Marchildon. 1976. 165 minutes.

Wilfred Jospeh LaBelle, Radville (Tape R-5168). Describes life in a predominantly English area, education at Collège Mathieu, the Depression and work as a farm labourer. 1 hour.

Léonie Louise Labrèche, Montmartre (Tape R-5158). Speaks of the development of Montmartre, time in a convent at Wolseley, her mother's life and the leisure activities of pioneers. 30 minutes.

Ida Lafontaine, Montmartre (Tape R-5221). Speaks of settlers who returned to France, the Spanish flu, life during the Depression and entertainment. 50 minutes.

Marie Catherine Lapierre, Montmartre (Tape R-5223). Speaks of Monseigneur Thériault and his work among the early settlers, the Depression and funeral traditions. 50 minutes.

Jeanne Laporte, St. Brieux (Tape R-5216). Speaks of her family's emigration to Saskatchewan from France. 1 hour.

Antonio Lecomte, Stoughton (Tape R-5224). Speaks of farming and the activities of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. 1 hour.

Marie Louise Le-gall, Ponteix (Tape R-5156). Describes family life on a Montana farm and work as a nurse during the Depression. 11 minutes.

Oscar Legault, Ponteix (Tape R-5155). Speaks of his parents' arrival in Saskatchewan, life on a homestead and as a farm labourer. 1 hour.

Lilianne Leray, St. Brieux (Tape R-5218). Speaks of her childhood and the history of the Bergot and Leray families. 1 hour.

Violette Lerminaux, Montmartre (Tape R-5222). Speaks of her nurse's training and experiences working with early settlers in Saskatchewan. 41 minutes.

Blanche Letendre, Regina (Tape R-5185). Speaks of the development of Forget with details about life during the Depression, the Anderson Government and French nuns who could not understand French-Canadians. 25 minutes.

Joseph Wilfred Liboiron, Ponteix (Tape R-5162). Describes the foundation of Ponteix, his blacksmith's shop, horse trading and the era of prohibition. 50 minutes.

Antoinette Longtin, Ponteix (Tape R-5161). Speaks of homestead life, prairie fires and reasons for emigrating to Saskatchewan. 40 minutes.

Adalbert Marchand, Stoughton (Tape R-5225). Speaks of his life and work in the United States and as Mayor of Forget. 1 hour.

Louis Edouard Martin, Regina (Tape R-5194). Describes his grandparents' homesteads, experiences as a railway engineer and the Association Culturelle Franco-Canadiennes for French education. 45 minutes.

Alice Marie Liefooghe Minne, Laflèche (Tape R-5171). Describes life in Laflèche, her father's hotel and her mother's laundromat. 1 hour.

Maurice Minne, Assiniboia (Tape R-5190). Speaks of his father's farm, life at Collège Mathieu and his concern for the survival of the French Canadian culture. 50 minutes.

Marcel Moor, Gravelbourg (Tape R-5174). Speaks of his immigration to Quebec and later to Saskatchewan, work as news editor for CFRG Radio and involvement in the foundation of L'Eau Vive. 1 hour.

Antoine Morin, Laflèche (Tape R-5172). Speaks of his family coming to Saskatchewan with a group led by Father Bérubé, his work as a cook for the CNR and experiences in Siberia as a Canadian soldier. 1 hour.

Marie-Louise Mullie, Arborfield (Tape R-5203). Speaks of farm life, contact with European relatives and activities in the Liques des Femmes Catholiques. 1 hour.

Jean Claude Porte, Radville (Tape R-5173). Describes the propaganda that attracted his father to the Canadian West, his work as a ranch and farm labourer, the land arrangement of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Depression and the social life of farmers. 45 minutes.

Irma Privé, Ponteix (Tape R-5157). Speaks of difficulties during the early years of her family's life in Auvergre, the development of Auvergre and Ponteix and the clash between French Canadians and the Klu Klux Klan. Jokes about the lack of sexual education during her childhood. 1 hour.

Rolland Avila Pinsonneault, Regina (Tape R-5182) speaks of his family's immigration to Saskatchewan from Quebec; homesteading and involvement in the Association Culturelle Franco-Canadiennes; the co-operative movement; the Caisse Populaire; and the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. 55 minutes.

Marie Thérèse Quennelle, Val Marie (Tape R-5197). Speaks of her father who followed Father Gaire to western Canada and his life in Wauchope. 50 minutes.

Lucienne Roberge, Ponteix (Tape R-5160). Speaks of her father's homestead, the Depression and the assimilation of Francophone in Saskatchewan. 41 minutes.

Marie Madeleine Tournier, St. Louis (Tape R-5196). Sings a folksong and a song composed by Louis Riel. 7 minutes.

Irene Trudeau, Prince Albert (Tape R-5209). Speaks of the journey by train from Quebec to Saskatchewan, the times of the Spanish Flu, life during the Depression and the family business. 1 hour.

Aline Vinck, Redvers (Tape R-5207). Describes her education at a country school in Redvers and the convent in Wauchope. 50 minutes.