backs, and sending it to the mill to be brought home to be knitted into the warm clothing for the winter. Not only did the ladies make good use of the wool, but the knitting bees got them together for a kalie and a cup of tea, while the menfolk talked shop. Mr. Collett operated this mill until 1900 when it was sold to Arthur French. He operated it until his retirement in 1952. It was primarily a carding mill, but the French brothers, Arthur and Russel, also sawed shingles and crushed buckwheat for flour.

It is interesting to note, in this day and age of rising prices, that it cost only 3 or 4 cents a pound to card the wool, and it wasn’t till near the end of the operation that it went up to 10 cents a pound, with a cent off if the wool was oiled before it came to the mill. On a good day, and it had to be a good day with no breakdowns or too many interruptions, the mill could handle two hundred pounds of wool. The mill operated from the first of June until sometime in the fall when the water would

freeze over.

STORES

The first store in Kelly’s Cross was opened by John Bradley, about 1865, and was located on the same site as the present store. Mr. Bradley had settled here in 1845, and saw the need of a place where the people could buy their provisions, and sell their produce. His motto was, “We’ll buy anything you can trade, and sell anything you produce”. And that was pretty much the story of his business. He would allow the customers credit, when cash was scarce, and buy their produce, and credit it against their store bill. It was a long haul to get the supplies either from North Wiltshire or Victoria if it came in by boat, and many a cold and tough trip had to be made in winter and the spring of the year.

In 1903 or 1904, he sold his business to a nephew, John P. Bradley (Bob’s father), who operated it until it was destroyed by fire in 1921. A customer could find almost anything he needed. Most of the groceries came from Jenkin’s Bros. wholesalers in Charlottetown. Hickey and Nicholson’s twist was the favorite chewing tobacco. Many a mouthful hit the old pot bellied stove, as the people stood around waiting for the order, or just to “chew the fat”. It was always a big event when the team would arrive with the supplies because the driver would be full of news he picked up in his journey.

John P. also was the agent for the caskets that Phillip Monaghan, Kinkora, had on hand for local needs.

After the store burnt, there was a time, until 1930, when there was no store. But men like Mickey McDonald, Jimmy McAvinn, and Mrs. John William McKenna kept “vittals” as they were called—the necessi- ties—flour, oil, molasses, etc. In 1928, Mathias Malone hauled a small building out from his home, and set up shop, but after two years he closed the business.

In 1930 John P. Carragher bought John P. Bradley’s property, and built a store. John P. as he was fondly called, carried on a business until

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