Lester-Garland House
Trinity, Newfoundland and Labrador

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The Art of Wooden Boat Building - A Dying Skill - The Vokey Family

 

 

TRANSCRIPT

Excerpt of an interview with Henry Vokey that was completed by a Student Researcher, Hazel Janes. Henry's wife (Carrie) and daughter (Bonnie) were also present for the interview.

Hazel: Was it a family tradition?

Henry: I spose you would call it way back because me grandfather he build boats and they built their own schooners and they fished in Labrador.

Hazel: Ok.

Henry: You know ahh they never done it not ahh for a living. They only just build their own boats.

Hazel: Ok. Who taught you how to build boats?

Henry: No one

Hazel: You use to learn on your own did yah?

Henry: Yeah fellow asked me that in St. John's one time, I said no one never taught me I just started it just come to me I spose and I just started on my own and he said you never had to learn from, you never learned from someone I said no, no I spose he said you never had to learn how to walk. [ laughter ]

Hazel: So your father and grandfather never built boats either?

Henry: Oh yes.

Hazel: Oh they built them too.

Bonnie: Not for a living.

Hazel: Not for a living.

Henry: Not for a livin. No.

Bonnie: What was the first one your ever built? You were how old when you built the very first one, like ahh model or

Henry: Oh ahh I was, I was only about, about 12 I spose when I build the first small boat.

Hazel: Was it built for anyone?

Henry: No, no.

Hazel: Just for yourself.

Henry: Yeah.

Hazel: How big was it, it was a model?

Henry: Yeah, about 6 feet long.

Hazel: Ok. So you built boats before you moved to Trinity?

Henry: Yeah.

 

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