Interview with Malcolm Odgers

Audio recording and transcript of Malcolm Odgers's 1979 interview with Bernard McNicholl for the Coal Tyee History Project. Odgers recalls his memories of the coal mining industry on Vancouver Island, including his father's death due to an explosion in the Wakesiah Mine and his own experience during a flooding accident in the Northfield Mine. Odgers explains how after his father died, the family struggled, but they were supported by the community and relatives. He talks about going to school in Nanaimo and getting his first job at the Protection Island Mine. Odgers shares details about what jobs he had in the mines, his wages, and what it was like to work with mules. He reflects on what it was like for miners during the Depression, and he also talks about various aspects of living in Nanaimo, including sports, transportation, entertainment, church life, and social divisions in the community. He also shares his opinions about Nanaimo's red-light district.