Pedlars

An assortment of pedlars to our home and community was an interesting part of life in days when automobiles were scarce and trips to the larger centres infrequent or nonexistent. Charlie McGuigan was perhaps the best known meat pedlar of my early memory. For a while in the 30s he made the weekly rounds in his Model T Ford, a vehicle that was bound to leave a lasting impression on a youngster’s memory. This antique affair had the appearance then of an enormous and complicated machine - with its high square cab, spacious two-tier windshield and over-all noisy bearing. Lacking a starter, it had to be cranked each time to get going which somehow only added to its mys- ti‘he. When it started up again and got on its way the whole yard appeared to tremble. Charlie delivered meat in a number of later-model motor vehicles as well as by horse, but the Model T was without question the attraction of its day.

Other meat pedlars in the 40s and early 50s included Mert Gillis of Point Prim who was punctual and very neat in every way, especially in his white apron. He didn’t delay long at a house and, unlike others, he kept his money in an attractive round can inside the meat box. Another was Maynard McGuigan fI‘Om St. Mary’s Road, a real Irish wit with lots of time to chat and laugh. Because of this, his list of customers was probably ShOI‘ter than that of others. Perhaps the longest serving and best k110Wn meat pedlars in the wider community were the Fergu- SOns from Murray River, Mert and son Ellsworth. These were eXtremely business-like men and one could practically set the