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   Mr. and Mrs. Enrico Butti:  Oral History Excerpts

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Raffaele Albi

Mr. and Mrs.
Enrico Butti

Mr. & Mrs.
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 Attilio & Stella Gatto

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Giovanni Paron

Louie Protti

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Sam Scrivano

Silvio Tona

Paolo Veltri

Year of the Coal Miner September 2003 - 2004

1 2 |  Page 3


Mrs. Butti (nee Canterra) talks about her family's emigration history beginning with emigration to Wilmington, Delaware, USA and work in construction before emigration to Edmonton. She notes that her Father (Lorenzo Canterra), in the old country, was an artist who painted cathedrals but here he worked at the post office. Her Mother died in 1917 and her Father remarried and returned to the U.S. leaving his children in Edmonton. Mrs. Butti's brother Raymond [Renaldo] also worked in the post office until his retirement when the Postmaster General came from Ottawa to give him a medal. 

Butti Family Emigration History
Real Audio

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Italian Worker's Rally during May Day Parade, 1937, in City Market Square.  Photo Courtesy of City of Edmonton Archives.Mr. Butti talks about Communism in Edmonton and a rally at the City Market Square in the 1930s.

Communism in Edmonton
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Luigi Biamonte and Florenzo Comin set up a barbershop.  Photo from Italians Settle in Edmonton booklet.Mr. Butti talks about various barbers: Florenzo (Florindo) Comin, had a barbershop on 97th Street with Luigi Biamonte and, then, and Peppi Ciochetti

Various Barbers
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He speaks of boardinghouses: his Father bought a house in Edmonton on 106th Avenue between 97th and 97th Streets; he bought it from a Ukrainian; the house was big but as taxes started to go up, he couldn't pay for them and started to rent out rooms; Boyle Street was fine area but has deteriorated; built his shop on 95th Street.

Boarding Houses
Real Audio

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Mr. and Mrs. Butti talk about pasta making in the home and the cost of Italian cheeses and cheese making in Alberta.

Pasta Making in the Home
Real Audio

Entrance to coal mine in Edmonton's river valley.  Photo courtesy of City of Edmonton Archives.Mr. and Mrs. Butti talk about the coal mines in the City of Edmonton and, then, the conversion to gas; perceived dangerous initially but, after the war, when thermostats were introduced, it gained acceptance; remembers in 1927 New Year's Day when Edmonton was getting gas from Viking; something went wrong with the pipeline and the gas blew and it had to be cut off to houses.

Edmonton Coal Mines
Real Audio

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Talks of early emigration - at the time when Edmonton became the provincial capital there was much work: two railroads, the Canadian Northern and the Grand Trunk started lines; provides short history of the companies.

Edmonton becomes a Capital
Real Audio

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