My View of Life on the Dock
marvelous photojournalist, Leslie Jones, Boston Public Library collection (date of this Labor Day photo featuring female telephone operators is unknown-circa 1917-34. Any guesses? Amazing despite WWI and the Spanish Flu epidemic that they would need to strike–and won–in 1919.)
Per reader request, over the next few days I’ll be reposting mini chapter excerpts — primarily illustrations– from a longer read about the evolution of outhouses and public utilities specific to Gloucester, Massachusetts, Privy to Privy History, on Good Morning Gloucester June 6, 2021.
Catherine Ryan, Aug. 2021
Gloucester housing stock (and hotels) included luxury homes with bathrooms and water closets as well as modest solutions. Rough outhouses were common, too. Can you spot the outhouses downtown and in East Gloucester?
(Reminder about the photographs: you can pinch and zoom to enlarge and right click for descriptions. Some media offer the option to “increase file size”.)
photographs outhouses across America – Library of Congress
photographs Indoor bathrooms residential and public – New York Public Library
Columbia was designed by Starling Burgess. Shown here under construction at the Essex boat yard (Arthur Dana Story ship yard), launched, and sailing to Gloucester 1923. Leslie Jones photographs, from glass negatives Boston Public Library collection. It sank in 1946.
The new Columbia is participating in the Gloucester Schooner Festival 2018 – download the fantastic program here- handy information about each boat and all the special events
2018 Gloucester Schooner Festival Parade of Sails – Columbia
Heidi Dallin shares the following –
On Wednesday, June 13th, Lindsay Crouse and Jennie Israel, stars of the Gloucester Stage Company’s current production “Dancing with Lughnasa” were guests of the Margery Eagan and Jared Bowen BPR show, recorded at the WGBH Boston Public Library studio. “We had a great time on BPR on Wednesday! The interview is in the 1pm-2pm hour of the show. Lindsay’s husband Rick took some terrific behind the scenes photos. The link to the broadcast is below.”
Enjoy!
Here is the link to the show: https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2018/06/13/bpr-full-show-6-13-2018
Direct and zoomable link to the “New Libraries of Massachusetts” excellent poster (PDF), created by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) and covering projects completed up to 2012. Many are historic combos and a few bypass parking compliance (Boston Public Library).
Late last night, Ray Lamont filed a story for the Gloucester Daily Times about January 11 library building meeting.
I’ll add links to the Q&A from last week and last night if they’re available. Identifying an architect of the preliminary plans and building architect are part of filing intent. And the FAQ spells out: Eligibility: …Applicants must have local approval to apply for, accept, and expend grant funds as well as approval for the proposed preliminary design.
See more information about the Massachusetts Public Library Building Program in the video they produced, and Sawyer Free showed last week at the corporators meeting.
Sawyer Free Building Committee is meeting at 4pm January 11, 2017 to discuss schematic design, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC grant opportunities), and ready another presentation. At 6:30pm they’ll give a second public presentation with the building team. (Today’s Gloucester Daily Times article by Ray Lamont has more information: Commish Questions: Library board presenting proposal at community forum Wednesday night) Below are photographs from the January 4th meeting for coporators and other invited guests. The library’s building committee and the new building team gave a presentation and fielded comments and questions. Attendees expressed both support and dismay. Like the schools, it’s a big topic. There are similarities: seeking a matching state grant, steep building compliance requirements, same project manager as West Parish and architects as West Parish. Questions and concerns can be directed to a communications consultant engaged by the library who will help to connect you with answers. There was a scrumptious catering spread from Willow Rest. I liked the artisan flatbread school of fish display. Melissa and the Willow Rest team are so creative.
The current North Shore Magazine gives a shout out to Beverly Library for being rather library-ish, “unlike a lot of libraries, it’s quiet.” Plus more interior photographs of the Boston Public Library.
Balancing and balance
Prior post: Proposed building plans. Plus universal access, consolidated archives and digitization
There were also large ice works of a lighthouse, clipper ship and sea serpent (live sculpting work in progress while we were there)
Across the street a favorite spot with more public art and large crowds– the ever stunning Boston Public Library. An art post for another day: for now some interior details. Here are a Kitson marble bust of Longfellow and a tease detail from the Sargent murals. (My sons said they like the Sawyer Free teen room more but this Boston Library was something to be proud of, too.)
You see the building that says Fish Market? That is the building where the fire was last week that the Gloucester Fire department quickly snuffed out. Look at Jay Albert’s pictures here from the scene His pictures are from the back of the building which is now a wood furniture maker.
Look at the stern of the the big schooner in the middle of the photo. off the stern is The Phyllis A. The oldest gillnetter in Gloucester and undergoing a major restoration project.
Read about and look at pictures of the restoration here in these Phyllis A posts
Thank you to Adam Gaffin at www.universalhub.com for the link to the picture.
File name: 08_06_023528
Title: Mass Views: Fishing schooner and fish market, Gloucester Harbor
Creator/Contributor: Jones, Leslie, 1886-1967 (photographer)
Date created: 1940 (approximate)
Physical description: 1 negative : film, black & white ; 4 x 5 in.
Genre: Film negatives
Subject: Fishing industry; Fishing boats; Piers & wharves
Notes: Title and date from information provided by Leslie Jones or the Boston Public Library on the negative or negative sleeve.
Collection: Leslie Jones Collection
Location: Boston Public Library, Print Department
Rights: Copyright Leslie Jones.
Preferred credit: Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection.
Thanks To www.universalhub.com for forwarding the link to GMG
Click the photo for the complete slide show
File name: 08_06_007003
Title: Gloucester fishing schooner getting ready to sail for mackerel
Creator/Contributor: Jones, Leslie, 1886-1967 (photographer)
Date created: 1930 (approximate)
Physical description: 1 negative : glass, black & white ; 4 x 5 in.
Genre: Glass negatives
Subjects: Fishing industry; Piers & wharves; Fishermen; Fishing boats
Notes: Title and date from information provided by Leslie Jones or the Boston Public Library on the negative or negative sleeve.
Collection: Leslie Jones Collection
Location: Boston Public Library, Print Department
Rights: Copyright © Leslie Jones.
Preferred citation: Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection.
Good Morning Gloucester 