Olive Wilcox, Bay Roberts
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Olive Wilcox, 2004 |
Olive (Myers) Wilcox was born on June 9, 1918 in Bay Roberts,
Newfoundland, the daughter of Helena (Calpin) and Roy Myers, an employee
with the Western Union Cable Company. She was educated at the
Church of England School and was later employed with the Child Welfare
Department of the Newfoundland Government. In 1939, she married Wilfred
Wilcox. They had no children.
Olive was a founding member of the Bay Roberts
Roverines, a women’s hockey team established in the 1930s. There
were no formal try-outs for the teams; the coach simply asked the better
players to join. Other players were always welcome to practice with the
team. The Roverines wore red and black sweaters, short black skirts and
knitted leggings. Their uniform colours were the same as the Bay Roberts
Rovers.
The Roverines played in the town’s covered
arena, on natural ice. They were part of an organized league, playing
teams from Carbonear, Brigus, Harbour Grace, St. John’s and Bell
Island. Although the communities of Carbonear and Harbour Grace were situated
close to Bay Roberts, games between these teams were played in St. John’s.
Winter travel was difficult between the towns, so the teams would all
travel by train to St. John’s.
In 1937, the Roverines won their first championship.
Hockey didn’t necessarily end for the Roverines once the players
left school or were married; Olive herself played after she was married,
alongside her two sisters-in-law. The Bay Roberts community was very supportive
of the women’s team. Olive also enjoyed playing tennis on the Bay Roberts
clay court after school. Matches also involved teams from St. John’s,
Carbonear and Harbour Grace. Harbour Grace was an especially popular venue
for tennis, hosting large summer tournaments.
Interviews
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Olive Wilcox, Bay Roberts |
Vera Taylor, Grand Falls-Windsor |
Lillian Howse , Grand Falls-Windsor |
Edith Dean, Grand Falls-Windsor |
Janet Story, St. John’s |
Evelyn Gibbons, St. John’s (formerly Bell Island) |
Frances Godden, St. John’s |
Hilda Green, St. John’s |
Emma Wells, St. John’s (formerly Carbonear) |
Jean Taylor, St. John’s (formerly Carbonear) |
Elizabeth Baird Eaton, St. John’s |
Mary Kelsey, St. John’s |
Ruth Guzzwell, St. John’s |
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