Pigeon Inlet is the setting for Ted Russell's stories, written for radio between 1953 and 1961. Here you will meet not only Uncle Mose, but other characters whose names have become synonymous with traditional outport life: Grampa and Grandma Walcott, Skipper Joe, Aunt Sophy, Jethro Noddy, and—of course—King David. Told with a combination of humour and respect and in a manner that captures the essence of folk narrative, these stories stand as a monument to the dignity of the outport Newfoundlander. Edited by Ted's daughter, Elizabeth Miller, this book is a fine companion for Miller's biography, Uncle Mose: The Life of Ted Russell.?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Edward “Ted” Russell was born in Coley’s Point, Conception Bay, in 1904. At sixteen, he undertook his first teaching assignment at Pass Island. For the next twenty-three years, he worked in outport communities as a teacher and later a magistrate. In 1943 he moved to St. John’s to accept the position of Director of Co-operatives for the Commission of Government.After a brief stint in politics (a member of the first Smallwood cabinet), Ted returned to teaching. But he also found a new opportunity to give expression to the more creative side of his nature. In 1953 he was offered a spot on CBC Radio’s Fishermen’s Broadcast as Uncle Mose. The highly successful “The Chronicles of Uncle Mose” continued until 1962. During this period Ted also wrote several radio plays, all of which were broadcast by CBC. The last years of his working life were spent on the faculty of Memorial University (English department) from which he retired in 1973. He died four years later.Ted married Dora Oake (of Change Islands) in 1934. They had five children: Rhona, Elizabeth “Betty,” June, Margaret “Peggy,” and Kelly.

Ted Russell's profile page

Daughter of Ted and Dora Russell, Dr Elizabeth Miller spent all of her working life in the field of education. From 1958-68, she served as a high school teacher and principal in Joe Batt's Arm on Fogo Island. She left Joe Batt's Arm with her husband George Miller in 1968. After two years spent as Director of Communications with the Newfoundland Teachers' Association, in 1970 she joined the faculty (Department of English) of Memorial University. At MUN, Elizabeth taught courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels for the next thirty-two years. She received three significant awards: the Dean of Graduate Studies Award for Thesis Excellence (1988); the President's Award for Distinguished Teaching (1992); and the designation "Emeritus" (2004).Elizabeth found her scholarly niche first of all in the field of Newfoundland Literature. She published two biographies (of Norman Duncan and Ted Russell) and edited several anthologies of short stories and poetry. In the early 1990s her research interests took a new direction: the novel Dracula (1897), its author (Bram Stoker) and its influence. Elizabeth is recognized internationally as one of the leading scholars. Even though she retired in 2002, she continues to make productive contributions through her publications, participates in radio/television documentaries and lectures at international venues. Her research shows no signs of abating. Indeed, Elizabeth has re-embraced Newfoundland Studies with the publication of a collection of her mother's writing.Elizabeth currently lives in Toronto. Her main non-academic interests include travel and baseball.

Elizabeth Miller's profile page