- Ottawa Jewish Archives
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Interview with John Holzman
Interview with John Holzman
Description only — contact the archive8
- Held by
- Ottawa Jewish Archives via Canadian Jewish Heritage Network (incl. Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives)
- Dates
- May 25, 2005 (indexed as 2005)
- Level
- item
- Scope & content
- Subject: John Holzman Interviewer: Ruth Kahane Goldberg Date recorded: May 26th, 2005 Interview location: Ottawa, ON Length: 1:08:18 - Parents: William Holzman, born in New York moved to Ottawa in early 1900s, Sarah Avaramson grew up in Kingston moved to Ottawa for marriage - John was adopted - Father had Gainsboro ladies wear store on 202 Sparks St. from 1920, bought 200 Sparks St. in 1948, John sold business 1972, William died 1958, John started working there 1952 - Both prominent in community; mother in Hadassah, knitting clubs during war - Lived on Daly ave. until 1936/7, when moved to Rockcliffe from 1937-1958 - were first Jews in neighbourhood - Went to Rockcliffe Public school, then Lisgar Collegiate but maintained friendships with other Jewish kids in community - Was tutored privately by Mr. Clodman, khazan from Murray St. Shul - Main landowners on Sparks St.: included Murphy-Gamble, Bryce and Graham, the Citizen, the Journal - Most Jewish retail stores were on Sparks St., not Bank, and were mainly renting - Recalls wartime shortages and rationing on hosiery; most merchandise made in Montreal shmata industry - Wholesale buying would take place in Chateau Laurier from salesmen from merchandisers - Active competition between different ladieswear stores, most businesses did well - Also had Nanette Corsetiere in Hull until 1960s and Gainsborough’s on Rideau St. - Decline of Sparks St. Jewish owned businesses: rise of malls, consolidation - Went to King Edward St. Shul or Rideau St. Shul (later Beth Shalom), socialized with other Jewish merchants and wives played cards together, got married in 1954 at King Edward St. - Had son Mark 1957 - Jewish businesses prominent on Bank St. in 1940s/1950s, similar to those on Spark - Sold Sparks St. building in 1975, then taught at Algonquin until 1990s in marketing/management, in retirement played golf
- Location
- rue Murray · street · confidence 50% · street · found as “Murray St.”
- rue Rideau · street · confidence 50% · street · found as “Rideau St.”
- avenue King-Edward · street · confidence 50% · street · found as “King Edward St.”
Where
More details
- Genre / form
- sound recording
- Format
- Audio
- Language
- English
- Harvested
- 2026-10-17T20:12:50Z · source datestamp n/a · cjhn