Emile Frechette

Emile Frechette has worked as a weaver for a very long time. Born in 1915, he grew up in Lewiston and was working in the Libby Mill during the start of World War Two until he was drafted during 1944-45. Afterwards, he began to work at the Bates Mill which he did for over 25 years. He started as a weaver, then a loom-fixer, then as a supervisor. He shares a lot of stories about his life with the Bates Mill, starting by talking about his wife who also worked there, along with the hockey team and the events they ran. Emile also mentions the shoe strike held in 1937, talking about the CIO’s union attempts.