Bible Hill man is gifted with terrific mind for local history
You may have driven by Truro Auto Parts on King Street in Truro recently and taken a glance at the local business. Or you possibly may be a regular customer.
It comes to mind that Charlie Boyce once played quite a part in Truro Auto Parts, a significant story as far as local history goes. When visiting Charlie and Della Boyce recently, the auto parts store became was one of the main topics.
“Ken Macdonald and I opened the business in partnership Nov. 1, 1971,” Boyce, 92, of Bible Hill, said. “We had worked together previously at Halifax Ignition, so we knew each other quite well. I remember the first sale we made, it was a Fram air-filter, number CA one-thirty-six for a Cadillac. Al Roland was the customer.”
The business was first located at eight Havelock Street, but that was short-lived.
“We bought a lot on King Street and built a new store in 1975,” Boyce said. “There have been additions built onto the building at twelve King Street on two occasions over the years.”
Boyce has held onto a copy of a Truro Daily News dated Nov. 17, 1971. Inside the paper, which is just over 50 years old and sold at the time for 15 cents, is an advertisement describing the business carrying a wide range of automotive supplies including brake parts, exhaust systems, garage equipment, electrical parts, hoses, and filters.
At the bottom of the advertisement, it read “30,000 Parts – As Close As Your Telephone.”
Boyce bought Macdonald out some 10 years later. As part of the arrangement, Macdonald took over ownership of a Parrsboro store the two men had previously owned together.
Boyce said that his son Kevin began working with him at the store in the early 1980s. It was in the mid 1990s that Charlie sold the store to Kevin. During 2021, Kevin Boyce sold the store to new owners.
Over the years it has been an enjoyment for Charlie and me to go in many directions when discussing Truro history. The Truro native, one of 13 children (nine brothers and three sisters) has a terrific mind for local history and dates.
So somehow during my last visit - we focused on an incident which took place in Truro during the Second World War, involving the Lord’s Day Alliance Act.
“I think it was in late 1944,” Charlie began. “I was fifteen and worked nearly full time at the bowling alley my father (Charlie senior) ran. The alley was the Truro Bowling Academy owned by a Tom Castis of Halifax. It was upstairs over S.E. Purdy Motors, the Chrysler dealership, on Commercial Street. Dad managed the business from 1943 until 1946.
“There was no Sunday sports played in Truro to speak of, other than a bit of golf or some tennis-by-tennis club members. It all started when 20,000 or so troops were stationed at Debert with very little to do and no recreation. Under the Lord’s Day Alliance Act, Sunday sports were pretty well forbidden. That is when the commanding Canadian Army officer, Brigadier Calhoun, and the head guy with the RCAF at Debert, approached my father.”
Boyce said his father was asked if he would open up the bowling allies on Sundays – to allow servicemen to bowl and enjoy some recreation. Somewhat reluctant, Charlie’s father was asked if he was given proper permission, would he allow Sunday bowling?
“It was a few days later that Dad received a telegram from the Department of National Defence in Ottawa, declaring the bowling alley in Truro a strategic area under control of the Canadian Army. Dad allowed the Sunday bowling and I (still) think of the flack he received the following Monday morning.
“Mayor Slackford and town officials, people from the Lord’s Day Alliance organization and a few others showed up and they were all fired up. But Dad showed them the telegram and the instruction he had received, and they realized then that there was nothing he could do, and there was nothing they could do.”
Many of the records, stories and pieces of history preserved by Boyce, are neatly typed up. Photos are sometimes nearby or in file folders. I find it all amazing.
Remarkable job Charlie Boyce, keep up the good work…
Worth Repeating is a weekly column touching on stories from the past, life experiences, and events from the present day. If you have a column idea, contact Lyle at 902 673-2857.