TRANSCRIPT

WM - Wilma (Miller) Morrison, interviewee / NP - Natalie Pryzbyl, interviewer

NP: So going back to London - How long did you live in London?

WM: I lived in London 10 years and then, because we had gotten used to eating, uh, my mother was unable, it was during the depression, so, uh, my mother was unable to find employment. And so her sister lived in Hamilton and so she asked us if we wanted to come and we would all live together for a time and probably my mother would be able to find employment. In the meantime, the war began and, and it, you know... opportunities opened. Uh, my mom, uh, she worked in service all the years of her life, and I don't know if you understand what service is, but it's working in, in, you know, she worked in people's kitchens and people's homes, uh, in many instances and then later on she worked as a chamber maid, um, in some of the hotels in Hamilton and so I attended school for the most part in Hamilton. I lived there for 20 years - till I met cute guy [referencing Lorne Morrison].

NP: What was it like in London - What area was it?

WM: In London I lived, actually, right behind the, the British Methodist Episcopal [BME] Church. Uh, my mum was the caretaker there and, and, and... I was the caretaker-ee [laughs] No, uh, we lived there... actually, the Minister was away. He worked, he worked as a railway porter. Our ministers have always had to work because our churches, congregations have never been large. But anyway, uh, we... I lived in a general community, sort of as Marjorie [(Bell) Dawson] describes. Uh, our communities were like that, uh, we all, we... In Canada, as opposed to United States, we sort of didn't live in enclaves? Uh, we just lived out in the community wherever we could find, um, accommodations. Sometimes it was difficult - there are some places... We never had any difficulty in, in, uh, London, uh, finding accommodation; that I recall, mind you, I was pretty young then too, but, that I can recall. Hamilton was a little different; um, uh, later on. And it's funny, but, because I don't remember having problems in the beginning when we moved there in [19]39. Uh, but later on we had a funny little incident and really, it was from a man that I knew. Uh, actually I looked after his wife for many years and every Christmas he brought me a gift. But, uh, anyway we, I saw that he had, in 1 of the apartment buildings that, he was, he was a real estate agent, and 1 of the apartment buildings, uh, there was an apartment and I thought I would, you know, sort of be able to, once I was working, I'd be able to put my mom in little better accommodation. So anyway, I called and he told me to meet him there, at the, that the apartment was, was vacant and I could come and meet him. And then my mum said, you know, 'Does he know you're black?' and I said, 'Well, I didn't tell him who I was.' And so she said, 'Did you ask him if, if he rented to black people?' and I said, 'No. Why would I have to do that?' She said, 'Well, call him back.' And I said, 'I'm not callin' him back; he has to rent the apartment to me!' She said, 'I'm not going unless you call him and ask him.' And so, anyway, I called him and I asked him, I said, 'Would you rent the apartment to black people?' He said, 'I should say not!' and slammed the receiver down. [chuckles]

NP: Wow!

WM: So my ma was right! [laughs] And I, you know, next day I went to work; saw the man; he greeted me royally, and... and I never, I never, ever did, uh, mention to him during the time, 'cause his, his wife was still in hospital, even when I left there. But, uh, yeah... That was the 1 and only time.