Giovanni Brenciaglia Interview by Adele Wick, evening of July 10, 2010
Giovanni Brenciaglia has decades of connection with the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, the town of Pugwash, and responsibility for the Thinkers Lodge Historical Site as a long-time Pugwash Park Commissioner. Additionally, Giovanni was physics major at McGill University and helped tape record meetings at the conferences with Lissy Jones Gulick, daughter of Anne Eaton. As a young man, Giovanni was advised not to go into physics, “because it’s 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration.” But he chose to pursue that field anyway.
Giovanni’s grandmother, Eva Eaton Webb, was one of three younger sisters of Cyrus Eaton. She lived in Pugwash for much of her life, ran a sheep farm with the help of Leo Jamieson, and lived in the yellow house across from The Lobster Factory. Her grandsons, Giovanni and Paolo, were frequent visitors. After Cyrus Eaton bought Thinkers Lodge (AKA as Pineo or Pineo-Wilson Lodge) in 1929 and the Frank Allen Lobster Factory (AKA Pagweak Tea Room), Eva Webb ran the Lodge as a B & B where she hired and supervised the staff for a period of time.
Adele Wick, who interviewed Giovanni, wrote that he has a marvelous sense of humor, a quiet voice, and a sincere dedication to the mission of Thinkers Lodge to continue its conferences and remind us of the need to stop nuclear disasters. He wears a hearing aid as did his Uncle Cyrus. He and wife Susie swam with Adele and Cathy Eaton in the Northumberland Straits. Adele described the couple’s relationship as being very supportive and gentle. He and Susan visited Donnie Jamieson and always had great fondness for her.
Giovanni described the staff at Thinkers Lodge as being very loyal. He believes that many of them were affected by the ideals behind the conferences. For example, he mentioned that John Swan, who cut the grass on the property and now lives in San Francisco, believed the conferences broadened his outlook.
He described Anne Eaton’s role at Thinkers Lodge as being very significant. He was impressed with how well she prepared herself on any topic. “One morning, when Cyrus was quizzing her and me, she said, ‘Just because you’ve just been reading about this topic doesn’t mean you should be quizzing us and acting superior right now!’” “Anne and Cyrus energized each other, especially at conferences, where she counteracted his deafness. Politically, they were probably at opposite ends – she a Liberal, he a Conservative.” Giovanni remembers Yuri Gagarin saying, “I hear you’re a Communist.” And Cyrus Eaton just laughed, saying, “The defense industry is more Communist than I am!’” “I shouldn’t say Cyrus was ‘Republican’ – rather, he was pragmatic in politics. He supported Eisenhower economically, but Ike’s opponent was an enemy.”
Giovanni remembers Anne and Cyrus frequently teasing each other. In the last month of his life, Cyrus’s mind was very disoriented and vague, but always Anne and Raymond Bourque were very kind and attentive to him. Even in his final months, Cyrus could finish poems, though – ones that they started.
“Cyrus was the original chair of the Park Commission, on whose board Anne and I also served. Later, Anne became the chair. So short on money were the Park Commission that they had to sell one house.
Giovanni mentioned that writing a book on Cyrus’s ideas would be a good idea.
He described that some conference attendees were angry at Cyrus for his “PR” announcements. Others felt the conferences were elitist and private. But even Joseph Rotblat came around – agreeing the conferences should have been more open to the public. “They’d then lose some prestige, but they’d gain something. A fine balance.” Giovanni wondered if there was too much “openness” or too much isolation. For example, his wife’s dad couldn’t have participated.
Giovanni recalls walking and riding with his granduncle Cyrus at Acadia Farms in Northfield, Ohio, and visiting him at Deep Cove where his brother Paolo conned him and their other brother to plunging into the icy warm by pretending it was warm. He remembers that Raoul Castro visited Deep Cove. He also mentioned that Charles Eaton helped gain support for the Marshall Plan.
Adele Wick asked him “Where would you like to see the Pugwash Conferences go in the future?” Giovanni responded that the “Pugwash Conferences should study ethnic conflict. But so far it seems near impossible to get different ethnic groups to talk and try to reconcile.”
Giovanni’s grandmother, Eva Eaton Webb, was one of three younger sisters of Cyrus Eaton. She lived in Pugwash for much of her life, ran a sheep farm with the help of Leo Jamieson, and lived in the yellow house across from The Lobster Factory. Her grandsons, Giovanni and Paolo, were frequent visitors. After Cyrus Eaton bought Thinkers Lodge (AKA as Pineo or Pineo-Wilson Lodge) in 1929 and the Frank Allen Lobster Factory (AKA Pagweak Tea Room), Eva Webb ran the Lodge as a B & B where she hired and supervised the staff for a period of time.
Adele Wick, who interviewed Giovanni, wrote that he has a marvelous sense of humor, a quiet voice, and a sincere dedication to the mission of Thinkers Lodge to continue its conferences and remind us of the need to stop nuclear disasters. He wears a hearing aid as did his Uncle Cyrus. He and wife Susie swam with Adele and Cathy Eaton in the Northumberland Straits. Adele described the couple’s relationship as being very supportive and gentle. He and Susan visited Donnie Jamieson and always had great fondness for her.
Giovanni described the staff at Thinkers Lodge as being very loyal. He believes that many of them were affected by the ideals behind the conferences. For example, he mentioned that John Swan, who cut the grass on the property and now lives in San Francisco, believed the conferences broadened his outlook.
He described Anne Eaton’s role at Thinkers Lodge as being very significant. He was impressed with how well she prepared herself on any topic. “One morning, when Cyrus was quizzing her and me, she said, ‘Just because you’ve just been reading about this topic doesn’t mean you should be quizzing us and acting superior right now!’” “Anne and Cyrus energized each other, especially at conferences, where she counteracted his deafness. Politically, they were probably at opposite ends – she a Liberal, he a Conservative.” Giovanni remembers Yuri Gagarin saying, “I hear you’re a Communist.” And Cyrus Eaton just laughed, saying, “The defense industry is more Communist than I am!’” “I shouldn’t say Cyrus was ‘Republican’ – rather, he was pragmatic in politics. He supported Eisenhower economically, but Ike’s opponent was an enemy.”
Giovanni remembers Anne and Cyrus frequently teasing each other. In the last month of his life, Cyrus’s mind was very disoriented and vague, but always Anne and Raymond Bourque were very kind and attentive to him. Even in his final months, Cyrus could finish poems, though – ones that they started.
“Cyrus was the original chair of the Park Commission, on whose board Anne and I also served. Later, Anne became the chair. So short on money were the Park Commission that they had to sell one house.
Giovanni mentioned that writing a book on Cyrus’s ideas would be a good idea.
He described that some conference attendees were angry at Cyrus for his “PR” announcements. Others felt the conferences were elitist and private. But even Joseph Rotblat came around – agreeing the conferences should have been more open to the public. “They’d then lose some prestige, but they’d gain something. A fine balance.” Giovanni wondered if there was too much “openness” or too much isolation. For example, his wife’s dad couldn’t have participated.
Giovanni recalls walking and riding with his granduncle Cyrus at Acadia Farms in Northfield, Ohio, and visiting him at Deep Cove where his brother Paolo conned him and their other brother to plunging into the icy warm by pretending it was warm. He remembers that Raoul Castro visited Deep Cove. He also mentioned that Charles Eaton helped gain support for the Marshall Plan.
Adele Wick asked him “Where would you like to see the Pugwash Conferences go in the future?” Giovanni responded that the “Pugwash Conferences should study ethnic conflict. But so far it seems near impossible to get different ethnic groups to talk and try to reconcile.”