A History of Elmsdale , West, and Brockton , Prince Edward Island 1 Head Stave Bung Hole #*a \\ol / JJ Lillian Adams sketch Parts of a barrel Lillian Adams Coll. William T. Matthews , cooper Ralph Woolner Coll. Aulay Matthews Jr. , cooper, son of Aulay Matthews Sr. Eventually Aulay Jr. moved to California . cles which fit into grooves near the ends of the staves. Barrels that hold liquids such as molasses, have a bunghole in one end or in the side. Eileen Oulton interviewed Merritt Ramsay of Campbellton , a cooper, July 14,1974 and he said: I started making barrels around 1915.1 cut the spruce wood for the staves myself - then you split them and shave them. If some were too dry, you'd have to put them in the brook to soak - so they'd be soft. The staves were curved with a jointer, a machine with two plane irons. They (staves) were tapered on the ends and that al- 399