Roland Gosselin, the oldest of nine children, worked as a weaver in the Bates Mill for 48 years and as a business agent for the union office. He shares stories about his family, his time in the mill and union, as well as his involvement in his community, the Richelieu...
Gerard worked as a Loom Fixer Supervisor for the Bates Manufacturing Company. He discusses how he got his diploma from the International Correspondence School and went from a fill-in to supervisor, his experience in service, his family history, and the particular...
Conrad Duchette was born in Lewiston, ME to a family with 24 siblings and moved to Turner, ME at 10 years old. He later returned to Lewiston at 18 to work in the shoe shops. He talked about the scariness of the shoe industry shutting down and how he managed to hold...
Constance was born and raised in Lewiston, ME. She shares how her family came from Canada to Maine, growing up in Lewiston in the 30s and 40s, what the community was like, and her time as a clerk in the Bates Division of the Bates Manufacturing Company.
In his interview, Charles Poliquin, describes growing up in a big family in Lewiston and the changes in the community. He shares his experience working in the Lown and Falcon shoe shop and trying to support his family after dropping out of school at 15. Poliquin...
