Nanaimo Historical Society Fonds: Series 2 Sound Recordings
Tape 9, (November 29, 1963)
Interview conducted by William Barraclough with His Worship, Mr. Peter Maffeo.
The following recorded interview was made this 29th day of November, 1963, between William Barraclough and His Worship, Mr. Peter Maffeo at his City Hill office, as living memory for the Nanaimo Historical Society.
William Barraclough: Good afternoon Your Worship. May we first ask where were you born?
Peter Maffeo: William Barraclough, I was born in the City of Nanaimo in the year 1897.
William Barraclough: And, about your family?
Peter Maffeo: Well, there were 6 of us in the family. There were 4 girls and 2 boys. The 2 girls were, and the boys, my brother died at a very tender age – the girls were twins and my young brother died at the age of 3. My sisters are, one in Turin, Italy, one in South Wellington, Mrs. Kavarti [?] and I are the only ones left. My sister who’s in Italy, is speaking English at the airport, and as I stated, we were all born in the city of Nanaimo.
William Barraclough: Where did you first go to school?
Peter Maffeo: The first school that I attended was the old North Ward School that is now torn down, and replaced by the Pauline Haarer School. I only went to school a short time because my mother had died at a very tender age, when I was 7 years old, when she died. I then went to Ladysmith with my Dad and my 2 sisters and attended school in Ladysmith. And when I was 9 years old, my Dad died so I had 2 years of schooling in Ladysmith, and then finished my schooling at Extension, when I was taken over by my auntie and uncle, Mr. And Mrs. Fontana, when we were left orphans.
William Barraclough: And, where did you first work?
Peter Maffeo: Well, that is quite a long story. Why in those days, we just didn’t take holidays, so at the age of 11, I attended the mines with my uncle, during the holidays, when I was 11, and 12, and then when I was 13, I felt that we were a burden, with Mr. Fontana having a family of his own, and I then went to work in the mines, steady as a miner, at the age of 13.
William Barraclough: Where would this be?
Peter Maffeo: This would be at Extension, at the Extension coal mine.
William Barraclough: And, what type of work did you follow after that?
Peter Maffeo: Well, Mr. Barraclough, you can understand that from that time to today, I had many, many jobs. I had to go out and get my experience out in the world by doing various jobs, doing various work, meeting various people. I can just think back now and try to record off memory as to the sequence of work that I attended. Went to Vancouver and worked in a sawmill. From the sawmill I think I went to a drug store to see if I could learn the drug business. I felt that wasn’t my line. I went then to learn the plumbing trade, which I did learn. In fact, the only trade I really did learn was the plumbing trade. Then I went into brick laying, waited tables in the old Vancouver Hotel; went working on a donkey, then I went and traveled in through the States, doing various jobs. I even worked in the ore mines in the States; worked at plumbing, and at that time, I was working in the ore mines in Butte, Montana, when the war broke out.
William Barraclough: About your war services, Mr. Maffeo. . . ?
Peter Maffeo: In the States when the war broke out, I felt that I would like to go overseas with the Canadian Forces, so I left Butte, Montana, where I was at the time, I came back to British Columbia. So I joined the Six Field Canadian Engineers, and went overseas with that unit.
William Barraclough: And, how long were you overseas?
Peter Maffeo: About, a little over 2 years, and on my return, I decided to come back to Nanaimo. It was quite a decision to make, as I’d traveled in many, many places that I liked, but I felt that Nanaimo was the place that I would like to settle, so I came back to Nanaimo.
William Barraclough: And then you were married? And a family?
Peter Maffeo: Yes, I married Vera Akenhead and we had 1 daughter, Joyce. Joyce now lives in Toronto, married, and has 2 boys.
William Barraclough: Your part and activities in sports in Nanaimo are so well known. Just give us a brief outline of some of them.
Peter Maffeo: Well, that could be quite a long tape, and I’m very proud of my athletic and sporting connections, and I participated in athletics myself. I just found out what good it was for a youth, so I thought I would continue and carry on my experiences in athletics, and pass that knowledge onto other boys and girls, which I’ve done. Before I came to Nanaimo, in fact, I participated as an athletic instructor in the army, and I carried on that work when I came back to Nanaimo, up to this date. I feel that I have given a lot of boys and girls an opportunity to get the experience that I had in athletics, and that could go on for a long, long period.
William Barraclough: So true, so true, for I have never seen an athletic event in Nanaimo without yourself being right up front. What club did you belong to, Mr. Maffeo?
Peter Maffeo: I belong to the Gyro Club – I’ve been a member of the Gyro Club since 1922. I belong to Masonic Lodge, Doric #18, and I’m awful proud to be a member of Post #3 Native Sons.
William Barraclough: I recall you being Director of Civil Defense during the war.
Peter Maffeo: Yes, I took over the responsibility of Civil Defense Director during the Second World War, and I feel that that was a task that certainly gave me a lot of experience. And I feel that I did not serve in the forces during the Second World War, but I did serve in the defense at home.
William Barraclough: I remember the headquarters you had. Could you tell us where they were?
Peter Maffeo: We had the only Civil Defense Headquarters underground in Canada. That was down on Machleary Street, and it was certainly a credit to the Civil Defense organization that I was a part of, and many, many others were. And we have a man in the office here now that played an important part in that Civil Defense organization. The man that I refer to that’s sitting in the office, making this recording, is Alan Burdock. Alan Burdock was one of my key captains. He was in charge of the most responsible portion of the city at that time, Section B, and I’m proud to think that a man like Alan Burdock is assisting now to make this historic recording, and being a part of a team with me and many, many others in the work of Civil Defense.
William Barraclough: And the Declaration you received for that, Mr. Maffeo?
Peter Maffeo: Yes, I was honoured from his Majesty, the Order of the British Empire, known as the O.B.E.
William Barraclough: And you were also awarded another honour with the City of Nanaimo?
Peter Maffeo: Yes, I was quite proud of that honour – the school children at that time put on a display in 1944, October 4, in the Civic Arena. Unknown to me, I was ushered in by jeep and that evening before a capacity crowd in the arena, I was made the Good Citizen of Nanaimo, that I certainly feel the children at that time gave me probably one of the highest honours that I could hope to receive.
William Barraclough: We know, Mr. Maffeo, that you have headed so many of the campaigns for the benefit of Nanaimo and civil projects. Would you just run through a few of them, please?
Peter Maffeo: Yes, that will be a pleasure and it’s not going to be too easy to refresh my memory, but I think back to when I chaired the campaign for the Franklyn Street gym. I can think of the Gyro playgrounds that I fathered and Chaired for many, many years. I can think of the Civic Arena. The first school bylaw, there was 3 schools and the City Hall that I campaigned. The 2nd bylaw for schools was $1,700,000 worth of schools. At that time, that was a lot of money. I could think of the Health Centre that I was very, very proud of. I can think of the Senior Citizen Housing that’s in use today. Then, of course, I can think of campaigns such as the War Saving Certificates, Red Cross Drives, Red Shield Drives, Empire Days. One of the things I will wind up with in my campaigns is the concert series during the war when I campaigned bringing in such singers such as Paul Robeston, Mona Pauley and various artists of that type. That is something that was supposed to be out of my line, yet I got a tremendous amount of enjoyment out of making that possible for those that enjoyed it.
William Barraclough: Tell me, Mr. Mayor, what, how did you find time to do all these things, besides your business?
Peter Maffeo: Well, I do operate a factory on the property where I was born, as I mentioned before, adjacent to where I live now, being in the manufacturing of ice cream and ice.
William Barraclough: And well I remember when they constructed the playground on Machleary Street how you came there in the hot sun, with gallon after gallon of ice cream for the men working and the children so interested in watching it.
Peter Maffeo: That was all volunteer work, Mr. Barraclough. I was proud of it.
William Barraclough: Looking through the guest book in your home here, we have many notables, would you kindly refer to some of them
Peter Maffeo: Yes, in 1951, when the City Hall was built, that first year, the Lord Mayor of London, and in 1951, that same year, Her Majesty at that time with Prince Philip, as Princess, signed the guest book. In 1955, Princess Mary signed it, the guest book. In 1958, Princess Margaret, the year that she cut with a sword that largest cake in the world. In 1958, the Lord Mayor of London at that time, Sir Dennis Lowson, signed the guest book and in 1959, Her Majesty and Prince Philip, as Her Majesty, signed our guest book. We are tremendously proud of our guest book in this City Hall, Mr. Barraclough, and Mr. Burdock.
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