Tag: Franklyn Hamilton

Gloucester Classic- The Cupboard

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Gloucester Classic- The Cupboard, originally uploaded by captjoe06.

Here are Grover and Cindy, long time owners of The Cupboard at Stage Fort Park.   My grandparents Joe and Felicia Ciaramitaro (The Captain Joe) lived up the hill from The Cupboard on Tolman Ave.

Both of my grandfather’s names were Joe Ciaramitaro.  One, Captain Joe who started Captain Joe and Sons with my father and uncle and the other- Joe Popcorn who owned Pat’s Center Grocery which started in the location where Sclafani’s is and then moved across the street to the location where the plaza housing Tedesci’s Market and Yama Wok are currently.

Grandma Felicia (although I never called her Grandma Felicia, it was always Grandma with the wharf) would go down to Stage Fort Park and knit with her sisters under one of the trees.  She’d walk down the bottom of the hill behind The Cupboard with her knitting bag and they would kabbitz and knit.

I remember way back then what a treat it was to go down to The Cupboard after ball games or when we would all go down as a family and eat on the benches outside, always finishing up with ice cream.  Some things are traditions and even though Cindy and Grover are not from Gloucester, you’d be hard pressed to say that there are  many more people woven into the fabric of  Gloucester memories over the years.

An imprint in my mind from yesteryear is the mural of Mother Hubbard hanging on the wall behind the counter.   It’s been there as long as I can remember and I wanted to be sure to take a picture of it.  The signature in the bottom right reads “Franklyn Hamilton”

Franklyn Hamilton- Gloucester Artist 1918-2008

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Gloucester Classic- The Cupboard, originally uploaded by captjoe06.

When I took a picture of the mural of Mother Hubbard at the Cupboard I made sure to snap one of the name of the artist.- “Franklyn Hamilton” spelled with a y
Last night I googled Franklyn Hamilton and found his obituary on the Gloucester Daily  Times website-

Franklyn E. Hamilton

Gloucester Daily Times
GLOUCESTER – The family of Franklyn E. Hamilton are saddened by the passing of their father after a courageous battle with cancer on Monday, Jan. 28, 2008.

Franklyn was born in Gloucester on June 10, 1918, the son of Frank and Esther (Wilkie) Hamilton.

It was a simple 316 word obituary with no mention of any of his artistic achievements. I wonder just how many people have enjoyed his work or have that same image  of Mother Hubbard etched into their memories like I did.  So then after a little more digging I discovered that Franklyn was revered as an acclaimed Pulp Fiction artist who drew many covers including this one-
click picture for a list of Franklyns Other Pulp Fiction Work
click picture for a list of Franklyn's Other Pulp Fiction Work
This came up in a deeper search about the man–
Pulp fandom lost its greatest artist Monday, the incomparable Frank Hamilton. I talked to Frank just before Christmas, after he had just moved into a nursing home and though his situation was critical at that point he was still very positive, though resigned. His talent was truly a thing of wonder and I am lucky enough to own one of his originals. I know Golden Perils personally owes a great debt to him. Some of the early covers he did for the magazine, most notably The Green Hornet, Dark Shadows, Doc Savage and The Phantom, were masterpieces of fan art and GP was so much richer for his contributions. I am saddened and heart heavy, and my sympathies go out to his family and legion of fans. The pulp community owes him a great deal and he will be missed.
— Howard
Self Portrait Of Frank Hamilton
Self Portrait Of Frank Hamilton-Done in 1982
There is also an extensive tribute to Franklyn Hamilton here with a lot of backround story of how Franklyn became a Pulp Fiction artist