Beryl Kane and Alice Gerard
New Jersey’s Delaware Bayshore
The Bayshore Center at Bivalve’s Oral History program is dedicated to preserving the oral history and culture of New Jersey’s Bayshore region by saving for posterity the oral histories and material culture connected with the Bayshore region, by creating a repository of recordings and data that can be used for research, by preserving, treasuring and celebrating the environment, history and culture of the Bayshore region and by sharing the heritage of the Bayshore region today and with future generations through program related activities serving visitors, students and scholars.
Patricia A. Moore
Beryl Kane was born and raised in Port Norris, New Jersey. Her mother, Stella Glover Roth, was originally from Camden and Collingswood and was born on July 16, 1896. Beryl recalls her mother as a strict disciplinarian who ensured that her children were always present for dinner when it was ready. Before getting married, Stella worked at the telephone company and later at a corporation where she handled delicate mantels in gas lights. Beryl has a son who is now retired. Alice Gerard, like Beryl, was also born and raised in Port Norris, New Jersey. She was born across from Berry’s on Brown Street. Alice worked for her father in his machine shop while she was in high school, operating the milling machine. She later worked in a department that was initially male-dominated but eventually opened up to women. Alice did not have a college background and was company-trained. She got married in 1947 and moved to Rosenhayne, then to Vineland, and finally settled in Millville. Alice has two sons, one of whom is 60 and the other 56.
Scope and Content Note
This interview with Beryl Kane and Alice Gerard provides a rich and detailed account of their lives growing up in Port Norris, New Jersey. The interview covers a range of topics, including their family backgrounds, their parents' occupations, and their own work experiences. Beryl and Alice share memories of their mother's work experiences before and after marriage and Alice's work in her father's machine shop. They also discuss their own careers, with Alice recalling her time working in a department that was initially male-dominated. The interview also touches on the broader social and economic context of their lives, including the impact of the oyster industry on their community. They discuss the decline of the oyster industry due to a parasite and share anecdotes about people they knew who were still involved in the industry. Overall, the interview provides valuable insights into the personal histories of Beryl and Alice, as well as the broader social and economic history of Port Norris, New Jersey.
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