veteran of two World Wars. After World War I he went to Boston where he learned his trade from Gordon Bernard. Upon his return he set up a business of his own. He built a shop between Elton Gillcash’s and the railroad on land rented from Robert Ellis for twelve or fifteen dollars a month.

Section of Main Street showing Claude Ielley’s barber shop (circa 1940).

Jack was single when he came to O’Leary but soon met and mar- ried Mary Tredenick, a local school teacher. There were no hair- dressers or beauty salons in O’Leary at that time so Jack cut hair for both men and women. His charge, from $0.25 to $1.50 per cut. Jack worked hard, seldom took a vacation, and never neglected his work; consequently he built up a lucrative business. When World War II broke out, Jack once again enlisted in the services - the Home Guard. During his absence Elton Gillcash took over his business. Upon his return in 1945, he resumed his trade which he continued until just before his death in 1976 at the age of seventy-eight years. His shop was sold to Russell Gallant who hauled it to Tignish.

When Joseph R. Gallant became a full-fledged barber in 1923, he opened a barber shop in the old "Snake House” on the present site of the Credit Union. This building had previously been Philip Evan’s harness shop. In 1926 Joe moved to a back room in the same build- ing where he continued to ply his trade until he retired in 1928.

Early in the twentieth century anyone wishing to obtain an offi- cial Barber’s Certificate was required to take a course at Molar’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This six month course was regarded

219