7:00 pm
In his new book Oceans of Rum, David Mossman draws on family, community, and Canadian history to bring the story of rum-running in Atlantic Canada to vivid, pulsing life through his uncle’s actual experiences. Mossman’s book is a three-cornered chronicle involving Spindlers, Ritceys, and Romkeys – all South Shore families. It is an account tinged with tragedy and intrigue and shows how seemingly ordinary folk can find themselves thrust into the most extraordinary activities.
Prohibition, legislated in the U.S. in 1921, banned the manufacture, transport and sale of intoxicating liquor. However, it soon became obvious that successfully policing the entire coastline of the Pacific, Atlantic, and the Great Lakes was impossible. In eastern Canada the door was suddenly wide open for fishermen willing to make the switch to smuggling. Even with the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, rum-running remained a profitable venture in Atlantic Canada up until World War II.
Excitement, camaraderie, drama on the high seas, love affairs, big payoffs, and fast cars – these were the returns for a life of smuggling in Atlantic Canada during Prohibition for those who dared. And David Mossman’s Uncle Teddy, Captain Winfred “Spinny” Spindler, certainly dared. The former deep sea fisherman seized the opportunity to use his sea-going skills for rum-running between the years 1923 to 1938.
David Mossman, a seventh-generation Canadian, was born in Rose Bay, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. As a geologist, he was professor emeritus at Mount Alison University, New Brunswick. He is also the author of Going Over: A Nova Scotian Soldier in World War I.
As an extra special treat, our partners from the Halifax Distilling Company would like to invite everyone over to their new facilities at 1668 Lower Water Street for a reception following David’s talk. Building on the tradition of four generations we're an independent distillery using a small-batch copper still to make a selection of fine spirits, right here on the Halifax waterfront!
This event is co-sponsored by the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and our colleagues at Nimbus Publishing.
For additional information:
Richard MacMichael
902-424-8897
richard.macmichael@novascotia.ca