Hockey and Brighton's Economy

There was a lot of good times. I played hockey in Brighton, you know. I used to be a hockey player and I used to play a lot of hockey back in Canada and then had a chance to play there in Brighton, England, and I played hockey. They liked it. They enjoyed it. As a matter of fact, when I went, we went back in 1948 I went to Brighton and where I was playing hockey was closed. The place was closed. There was a pub in the front, the Sherry, used to call the Sherry, and I went in there. I ordered a beer and the waitress said, "Are you Canadian?" I said, "Yes, I'm Canadian." "Ah" she says, "I thought I could detect your accent." She said, "Do we ever miss you," because the pub used to be full of Canadians when we were there. "Yes," she said, "We do miss you," and she gave me a free drink.

Mr. Clavel describes playing hockey in Brighton and how it was enjoyed by the locals. He describes returning to the local pub a few years later and hearing that the Canadians had been valued customers and were missed.

Roger Clavel

Roger Clavel was born in Sainte-Scholastique, Quebec on February 15, 1919. He was the sixth of eight children. After finishing grade eight, he sold donuts door-to-door. Mr. Clavel enlisted three days after the war started, on September 13, 1939. He went overseas as a Fusilier de Montreal, and while in England he was married. Mr. Clavel then joined the Royal 22nd Regiment in North Africa. During the Italian campaign, Mr. Clavel eventually ended up driving a medical supply truck. The Royal 22nd Regiment then rejoined the Canadian army in Belgium, but Mr. Clavel saw limited action. After returning to Canada, Mr. Clavel had to wait exactly one year for the arrival of his war bride.