Cape Breton's Magazine

Gwennie Bennett Pottie of West Tarbot From Conversations with Mary Ann Wilson and Cape Breton's Magazine (Mary Ann Wilson: Gwen? nie, what was your full name?) Gwennie Pottie: Gwendolyn Rose Bennett. I was Bennett until I was married. I wouldn't change my name for them. Well, I mean, I wasn't going to change my name to Smith. Maybe if they'd have been married or anything I might have. But, no. I left England on the 17th of May, 1924. And I came here on the 27th of May, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, that I landed on West Tarbot. And what a surprise. (How old were you?) Ten and a half. We left Liverpool. We landed in Halifax, by boat. And came by train from Hal? ifax to lona. And then I came from lona to Baddeck on the little mail boat that they used to run back and forth to Baddeck. And I came from Baddeck here with a horse and wagon. That was my travels. I had no idea where I was headed for. There was about a hundred of us (children) altogether. I have a picture of us on the boat.,., When I came, the people that got me here-- they wanted someone older. They wanted a girl, but they wanted someone older. Be? cause the old lady was a cripple. And she had to have somebody to look after her, and do the housework besides. When I came there, they had to keep me in school until I was 16, And during the school months, they had to have a maid. Then when school would close, I would take it over until school would start again, I was 16 in Jan? uary, and I had to quit that year at East? er. I couldn't even keep up the term; I had to quit. (The family back in West Tarbot...?) Two brothers and a sister. They were Smiths. (Did they adopt you?) Not really. I was just a foster child. No, I didn't want to be adopted. I didn't want to change my name--I never changed my own name. I was always Gwennie Bennett until I got married. story continues on the next page Gwennie Bennett and Mary Smith. Many readers will remember Mary Smith from the story "How We Cured Ourselves" in Issue 7 of Cape Breton's Magazine. Cape Breton's MAGAZINE • Number Sixty-Seven Wreck Cove, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia BOC IHO Publications MaU Registration Number 3014