Great article about the new children’s book, Let’s Go: Animal Tracks in the Snow! by Diane Polley illustrated by Marion Hall, an award winning entry in the Cape Ann Reads contest.
Deborah French, Director of Essex’s TOHP Burnham Library says Diane Polley “is an excellent example of a hidden children’s writer that was brought together with Marion Hall, the illustrator, through the Cape Ann Reads initiative to create a wonderful picture book. I’m sure she has more to come for us all to enjoy.”
BOOK LAUNCH CELEBRATION: Saturday, Sept 8 11:30-1:30, Cape Ann Cinema & Stage, 21 Main Street, Gloucester. “This is a free family drop-in event with children’s activities. Meet Diane Polley of Essex, the author and Marion Hall of Manchester, the illustrator, who will be signing copies of their book.”
Visually stunning and original, Let’s Go Animal Tracks in the Snow, is a gentle and clever story and non-fiction picture book that engenders shared experiences. Vivid wintery scenes are intimate and expansive, and beautiful watercolors match and extend the text. Expressions of color notes pop from the pages like finding fresh tracks in new snow. This children’s book is an irresistible inside outside story: snuggle up for a good read and wondrous exploration.
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Gloucester Rotary Club Announces Photography Contest
The Gloucester Rotary Club will publish a 12-month Cape Ann photo calendar for 2019 as a fundraiser. All profits will go to the Gloucester Rotary Club’s efforts to raise money that supports the many community and international activities in which the club is involved.
In Order to publish a beautiful calendar, the Club is requesting high quality digital photos that show the unique beauty of Cape Ann throughout the year– landscapes, seascapes, harbor scenes, sunrises/sunsets, boats, wildlife, etc. As we will be featuring one photo per month, we need images from each season: winter, spring, summer and fall. Photographs from Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester will be accepted.
Full contest rules and requirements are available online at http://www.gloucesterrotary.org. All entries must be received by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, September 21, 2018.
More information about the Rotary Club of Gloucester is available online at http://www.gloucesterrotary.org and http://www.facebook.com/RotaryGloucesterMA .profits will go to the Gloucester Rotary Club’s efforts to raise money that supports the many community and international activities in which the club is involved.
In Order to publish a beautiful calendar, the Club is requesting high quality digital photos that show the unique beauty of Cape Ann throughout the year– landscapes, seascapes, harbor scenes, sunrises/sunsets, boats, wildlife, etc. As we will be featuring one photo per month, we need images from each season: winter, spring, summer and fall. Photographs from Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester will be accepted.
Full contest rules and requirements are available online at www.gloucesterrotary.org. All entries must be received by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, September 21, 2018.
Announcement from the Massachusetts Cultural Council:
“Some good news to share: As the Mass Cultural Council (MCC) allocation was increased this year we are able to provide financial support to all the designated cultural districts for Fiscal Year 2019. Each district is eligible to receive a grant of up to $5,000 based on the submission of a plan of action and budget outlining the use of funds. The use of funds must be in line with the goals of the cultural district initiative…(such as) fees for professional consultants; hiring staff to manage or coordinate district activities; marketing and promotion of district activities and events; and fees connected to new cultural programs. Grant funds cannot be used for capital improvement projects or non-arts related activities…We are very delighted to be able to offer this small investment to support your work.”
Gloucester is eligible to apply for up to $10,000 because the city features two cultural districts: Rocky Neck and downtown. The application will be LIVE this week, due October, and awarded December.
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Mystery musicians and tenor soared through melodies on the West End by Caffe Sicilila and Short and Main, Gloucester, Massachusetts, for the downtown block party. I hope to add their names so I can credit the beautiful impromptu arias! Snippets of and ‘O sole mio
*post updated September 4th thanks to Good Morning Gloucester readers! Giovanni Formisano is the mystery tenor — remember that name!- and an excerpt from New England Tenors Weekly:
“A native of Torre del Greco (Naples) Italy, Tenor Giovanni Formisano, began his vocal studies in the United States. After joining the Opera Workshop at the Longy School of music in Cambridge Massachusetts, Mr. Formisano participated in various Opera programs such as the “Key West Summer Opera program” under the direction of Soprano Donna Role, the “Richard Crittenden Opera workshop” and the “New York Summer Opera Scenes” under the direction of Metropolitan Opera Conductor Joshua Greene. Mr. Formisano quickly gained recognition for his Italianate, legato and full lyric sound and was featured in roles such as Rodolfo in G.Puccini’s “La Boheme”, Alfredo in G. Verdi’s “la Traviata” , Ruggero in G.Puccini’s “La Rondine” and Cavaradossi in G. Puccini’s “Tosca”. Because of his upbringing in the Naples area of Italy, Mr. Formisano also specializes in the Neapolitan song style and has participated in various concerts highliting this very quality…” as highlighted in the New England Tenors Weekly
street ‘o sole mio
Poster annotated TBD (quite the smokescreen)
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On Friday, September 14th at 7:30 at the Rocky Neck Cultural Center the Gloucester Writer’s Center will present an evening of their wildly popular live storytelling series, Fish Tales, with the theme “I Am More.” Join storytellers Rob Newton, Anita Pandolfe Ruchman, Ramani Rangan, Hattie Mae Rich, John Graham, Karen Pischke, Annie Marshall and more, along with guest host Nicole Richon-Schoel. Feel free to spread the word on social media with the attached flyer.
See you there!!
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Calling all artists!! The Magnolia Pier Commitee is actively seeking immediate donations of YOUR ART of the beautiful Magnolia pier! Portraits, sketches, etchings, photographs, framed work, printed work, paintings, sculptures, metal prints OF THE PIER … you name it, we’ll take it. The MAGNOLIA PIER COMMITTEE was formed to raise funds for the necessary rebuild of Magnolia Pier and we are presently collecting these art donations to organize an art auction, backed by the Gloucester Fund, to directly benefit the reconstruction of our beloved landmark. Please contact Alana Horne for more details. Alana.horne4541@gmail.com
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Reception Sunday August 26, 2018 from 12PM – 9PM – Clam-Digging Mermen, four-piece group (banjo, guitar, fiddle and stand-up bass) will be playing folks, blues and jug from 4-7PM
photos and more information about the series from the artist’s press release:
“Stephen has completed a dozen paintings of the Neck, this past spring and summer…trying to capture the dwindling historic architecture.. still remaining along the Neck’s lanes and shore, as well as capturing current day village and harbor views”
Mayor Romeo Theken shares Mass Cultural Council’s invitation to upcoming arts showcase in Rockport: The Mass Cultural Council presents Saturday, September 8, 7:30 PM
“The Mass Cultural Council is sponsoring our second annual Traditional Arts Showcase at the Shalin Liu on September 8. We would love for you to join us! Please share this invitation with your networks (via your newsletters, social media, online calendars, etc.) See details below regarding performers and ticket info. $20 general admission”
Event will celebrate music and dance: Gund Kwok Asian Lion and Dragon Dance Troupe; recent immigrants from Nepal will perform music of the Gandharvas; indigenous music of Greece led by Vasilis Kostas; salsa lesson from Eli Lady Pabon; and music from Latin Logic (photo above).
I wonder if Carlos Menenzes (Cape Ann Big Band;Jambalaya horns, O’Maley), Zach Gorrell, Docksiders, and other area artists and musicians know these groups and vice versa?
Continue below to see more information about the upcoming event and videos of the performers from MCC Press release:
House History then and now for two former ‘old age homes’:
136 Eastern Avenue (Rt 127) 1911 and today- was a retirement home for fishermen
1911, Gloucester, Mass. “WILL OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY Several Old Sea Toilers Will Eat Christmas Dinner There Monday: Everything is in readiness for the opening of the Fishermen’s Home, formerly the Colby House, on Eastern avenue, and on Christmas day, a gathering of aged and disabled fishermen who have toiled their best days on the banks, but are no longer able to follow this hazardous occupation, will spend one of the happiest days of their lives and eat their first dinner in the new home…It would be a rather difficult undertaking to find a happier man today than Judge York. Two years ago after a conference with Dr. John Dixwell of Boston, who becoming interested in the work raised a fund among his friends for the relief of this class of men, who without friends or home were obliged to seek shelter in the house of coreection. Judge York went to Ipswich and secured the release of eight old fishermen, who were brought to this city and cared for at boarding houses during the winter months. Last winter the work was continued through the efforts of Dr. Dixwell and Judge York, and lately, their efforts were further crowned by the splendid gift of Mr. Hammond, who presented the home. The seven men who will become inmates of the home on Christmas Day are John Ryan, Joseph Alcott, John Nichools, Harris Atwood, James Halley, Robert Fraser and Henry Gormley.” article in the Gloucester Daily Times
The prior year “J. Hammond deeded lots for indigent fishermen at Beechbrook Cemetery.”- 1910 Gloucester Archives
After writing about his friendship with Captain Blackburn, “one of the most undaunted sailors America has ever had…I was proud to be one of the honorary pallbearers at his funeral…” John Hammond Sr. concluded his autobiography with more about Gloucester:
“I look back with the greatest pleasure on the hours I have spent with other old Gloucester fishermen. In the winter of 1910 several of these old fellow appeared before the district court and pleaded guilty to vagrancy. Without other means of gaining food or shelter, they were seeking some sort of sustenance in the poorhouse for the winter. In Washington, I read about this in the papers and got in touch with Judge York, Dr. Dickswell, Fred Shackelford, and others who were interested. We established a home to provide for these old fishermen. I learned to appreciate the fine traits of these men who were given refuge there. Often it was exceedingly difficult to persuade them that they were too old to stand the hardships of deep-sea fishing. Their truck garden faced the sea, and from there they could watch with their telescopes for the fishing vessels as they left and entered the harbor. Sailors, like miners, are notoriously spendthrifts and these of Gloucester were no exception. They would arrive at the Home in a destitute condition. Because they no longer went to sea, and there was no chance of their reaching the traditional sailors’ grave, they had a great dread of potter’s field. For that reason I provided a cemetery where all could be assured of decent burial. Above the gate is inscribed:
And here rest, brave toiler of the sea, sleep undistrubed, God’s peace be with thee.
Many of the inmates were choosey about the location of their graves. There were two in particular, bunkies since boyhood, who quarreled daily and, I fear, nightly, but who exacted from me a promise that they might be buried side by side.”
110 Prospect Street ca 1900 and today – was a former retirement home for senior women
Gloucester bought 110 Prospect Street in 1887 for $12,000 to establish the “Huntress Home for Old Ladies of Native Birth.” I’ll write more about this one later.
Here’s how both senior housing options were described in the 1913 Gloucester Directory (from Gloucester Archives):
photos & research – C. Ryan
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Article describes some Gloucester highlights: Cape Ann Museum and Harrison Cady exhibition, Gloucester Beaches, Stage Fort Park, Half Moon Beach, Gloucester Shuttle, Cape Ann Cinema, Gloucester Stage, Schooner Thomas E. Lannon, Hammond Castle Museum, Perfect Storm, Wicked Tuna, Rocky Neck, Latitude 43, Lobsta Land, Zeke’s Place, Willow Rest, Beauport Hotel, Ocean Hotel at Bass Rocks, Beth Williams, and (couldn’t get a reservation at) Duckworth’s Bistro.
Look for New Information about artist Byron Brooks and images of his work added herehttps://goo.gl/WPv1XT and on Good Morning Gloucester (GMG). Byron Brooks Homeward Bound, found displayed Addison Gilbert Hospital spring 2018:
Good Morning Gloucester readers shared comments and images of Byron Brooks paintings to help rediscover the artist and the man.
Arist Byron Brooks, untitled painting, ca.1961-65, private collection, New York
Artist Byron Brooks (untitled winter pastoral) oil on canvas, private collection D. Wolcott
In response to Searching for artist Byron Brooks (Part 1) and (Part 2), David Collins, a Good Morning Gloucester reader and amateur geneologist, was inspired to act. First he emailed a PDF family tree for artist, Byron Lloyd Brooks, and then shared vivid remembrances and vintage photographs in response to the artist’s timeline in Gloucester, Massachusetts. These are wonderful additions to filling out Brooks story and a peek into Gloucester and Stage Fort Park history. Thanks so much, David!
For a time, Brooks lived in 12 Stage Fort Avenue. Collins’ family lived in 7 Stage Fort Avenue 1940s-1960s. Does anyone know the neighbors Collins mentions or have more photographs of long gone homes and Barrett’s Camp at Stage Fort Park? I’m looking forward to scouting for that boulder.
Part 3 Searching for artist Byron Brooks – David Collins responds:
ca. 1950, courtesy photograph to assist with Byron Brooks research from David Collins (his sister with her friend by side entrance 12 Stage Fort Ave, Gloucester, Massachusetts )
“Hello, Catherine, Here is a little more information on the artist Byron L. Brooks, in case you are still interested. I have attached a family tree for him. It does also have some information on his two wives that I know of. I am not a professional genealogist, so don’t take the information as gospel. I grew up at what was then 7 Stage Fort Avenue (no “Park” in the address) in the late 1940s, 50s and early 60s in the house that is now 1 Anchor Lane, I believe. We moved to Connecticut in 1961 the week I turned 16. The house Byron lived in, 12 Stage Fort Avenue, was, back when I lived there, a 2-family house. Most of the other houses in that part of the neighborhood were, or had been, summer camps. Stage Fort Avenue Y-ed at our house and both parts, one going on to one of the Park’s parking lots and the other going past us to Barrett’s Camps, were named Stage Fort Avenue. The house in front of Byron’s, the address was 10 Stage Fort Avenue back then and is now 7 Stage Fort Avenue, didn’t exist – at least not in the large form it is in now. Sam and Marion (Kerr) Johnson lived there. I think the house burned down in about 1975.
Ralph and Evelyn (DeCoste) Bradstreet lived in the downstairs part of 12 Stage Fort Avenue and several families lived upstairs over the years. Byron must have lived in the neighborhood a while before my family did. I think my folks moved to #7 about 1939 or so. I don’t know when the Bradstreets moved into #12. That said, Byron Brooks was my mother’s 2nd cousin. They share Ephraim Brooks [1818-1905] and Ruth Ward [1816-1892] of Nova Scotia as great-grandparents.
However, I had never heard of Byron until your 2nd GoodMorningGloucester article. I even collect art by people who called Cape Ann home – Charles Movalli was my best friend growing up*. I also have an extensive family tree that I have worked on for many years. Still, I had no idea Byron existed! Of course, I had his parents in my mother’s part of our tree. I have now added information on him and his many siblings because of your articles. Thank-you! Hope this helps you, in return.” David Brooks 7/1/18
photo credit: 12 Stage Fort Avenue, Gloucester, MA. ca.1947 photo courtesy David Collins
photo credit below (click to enlarge): 7 Stage Fort Avenue ca.1947-57 (L), and Stage Coach Inn vintage postcard, both images courtesy David Collins
about the photo with the girls on the rock and Stage Fort Avenue homes THEN (now gone):
“This one is of my sister and the girl (and her dog) who lived upstairs at 12 Stage Fort Avenue for several years while we lived on Stage Fort Avenue and then moved to School Street in Manchester. Her father, originally from Rockport, was a 7th cousin of Byron Brooks but I doubt he knew. The girls are sitting on a rock outside the side entrance to downstairs #12, the one the people we called Auntie Evelyn and Uncle Emerson (Ralph Emerson) Bradstreet (both cousins of each of my parents) probably used most often. It led into their kitchen. The doorway at the stairs in front (in the other picture I sent you) led into a hall, with stairs running up to the 2nd floor apartment and also a door at the left into the downstairs apartment.
The building behind the girls and to the left was, at least at one time, a Barrett camp. I think sometimes people bought them and made them more permanent homes even if they didn’t live in them year-round. The family’s name sounded like Brown-eyes but I don’t remember how it was actually spelled. Oh, I do remember: William and Irene (Douglas) Brauneis. Irene Douglas’ brother (a close friend and fishing buddy of my uncle) and his wife and family and his parents lived in the large house at the top of the hill behind the camps that was not a camp. I think the Brauneis family lived in theirs, maybe even full time eventually, long after we had moved.
The next home which looks altogether different was rented out in the summer, too, but I have no idea who lived in it. In the next camp to that one, not in the picture, a Mrs. Morrison spent the summer and her daughter and family, the Kilroys, would join her for a few weeks. Mrs. Kilroy had grown up in Gloucester. I hung around with daughter Carol and brother Robert the part of the summer when they were in town…Henry and Pauline (Osmond) Garvey and family lived in the Barrett camp that abutted our property on (what was then) Stage Fort Avenue. Great family. They would summer there from Tuckahoe, New York, but both had been brought up in Gloucester. ”- David Collins
Good Morning Gloucester 