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   Romano Tedesco & Mrs. Irma Giacobbo > Oral History Transcript 

   Romano Tedesco and Mrs. Irma Giacobbo 

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Romano Tedesco &
Mrs. Irma Giacobbo

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The first part of the interview, with Romano Tedesco,  is conducted in Italian and is not transcribed here. 

The following is a written transcript of the second part:  the oral record of an interview conducted with Mrs. Irma Giacobbo, the daughter of Romano Tedesco, in Edmonton, Alberta in 1973, by Sabatino Roncucci, and transcribed by Cindy Ewanus. 

Part 1:   Romano Tedesco speaks in Italian (to be translated)

Part 2:   Sab Roncucci  interviews daughter of Mr. Tedesco, Mrs. Irma Giacobbo 

Mr. R:  Mr. Sab Roncucci       
Mrs. G:  Mrs. Irma Giacobbo

 

Mr. R:

Now, we are continuing our conversation, this time in English, with the daughter of Mr. Tedesco, Mrs. Irma Giacobbo. Mrs. Giacobbo, your father said that life in Venice, of course, was made up entirely of hard work, and I can believe that. But really, there was no chance for recreation, say, to have a little bit, you know, good time? You were, I imagine, a young girl and so you must have had some good times, sometimes.

Mrs. G:

Well, once in a while we used get together and have it, but not, say, too much. There was no shows, we had no radios, in those days, you know. It was just between ourselves, neighbours, and there wasn't too many young people, really. And I got married very young, I was seventeen, so.. 

Mr. R:

Oh, well then, there was not much time to go around, eh?

Mrs. G:

And I went up north with my husband and I stayed up north for a few years and then I came back. Well it's a little bit better after that. After the war, actually, it was better.

Mr. R:

Would you say, Mrs. Giacobbo, that for a young couple ...by the way, when you say north, what do you mean? What place?

Mrs. G:

Close to Fort McMurray. Up north, up there.

Mr. R:

Oh, really now. So, you had been there, what, three years, you said?

Mrs. G:

I been there about, yeah, three years.

Mr. R:

So that actually, I imagine, that this was to accumulate a little cash, probably, because I don't think there was very much to do.

Mrs. G:

No, there was nothing. My husband was working on the railroad. It was just the railroad people.

Mr. R:

So, then, you would say that it was very, very,...the recreational activities were very, very limited there.

Mrs. G:

Oh yeah.

Mr. R:

The only thing, I guess, you might have was a record player, perhaps, to make music?

Mrs. G:

That's right. Some of the young boys had accordions, guitars and violins, you know, they used to get together and put up a party. Young and old.

Mr. R:

Yes, yes. At somebody's house? Where?

Mrs. G:

At somebody's house. We had no hall. At somebody's house. We had a church, but we had no hall.

Mr. R:

And I guess there was no wine or liquor...


 

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