MEMOIRS OF SCHOOL STREET VILLAGE

Thanks so much for the great response to this blog!
A special thank you to those who have passed it on to others. We are heading quickly to amazing page visits to this blog! Welcome to folks from all over the country and other countries as well, including Lisbon!!

The "Village", as it was called, is located in the northwest corner of the city of Taunton, Massachusetts U.S.A. It covers about 1 square mile with the center being School Street. A large portion of the Village population was Portuguese when I was growing up.

This blog covers a lot of the history of the Village, much to do with my years as a child there: 1940 through the late 1950's. I do have many wonderful photos and information prior to that that and will share those as well. Always looking for MORE PHOTOS AND MORE STORIES TO TELL.

If you would like to send photos or share a memory of growing up in the Village
e-mail me at spinoart@comcast.net
feel free to comment on the posts. Directions are on the right side of the blog posts. Jump in, the water is fine and it is easy!!!


I will be posting photographs but not identifying individuals unless I have permission or they are a matter of public record. It you wish to give me permission, please let me know.

I am looking for any and all photos of the Village...

Please note: the way blogs work is that the latest post is first. It you would like to start from the beginning of the blog, check out the post labels on the right of the blog and go from there. Thanks.


Monday, May 13, 2013

A Tribute to Found Cousins

In the Portuguese language women cousins are called Prima, men: Primo.  Growing up I recall that my paternal Grandmother Delphina had a special Prima from New Bedford.  Can you believe that I never knew her name, though I remember her so well in my mind ?  When they came to visit, or we went to visit them, she was simply 'Prima from New Bedford'....and we know who it meant!

Some years ago while doing extensive research for my maternal Grandmother Isobel's life story (Searching for Isobel) I was connected with her nephew, a Primo in Canada I had never known.  Another cousin of my Mom's from whom I was trying to elicit information all of a sudden said, "Call Primo Gilbert in Canada, he has done a lot of family research! "  Imagine, we had never known of each other's existence!

I love this photo of Gilbert, informal and laughing.  He has since passed on but it is a great blessing that we - he and his wonderful wife Claire - were able to connect families.  Through Gilbert I learned of Aqua d'Alto in Sao Miguel in the Azores where my Grandmother Isobel and her family were from, and also of her siblings some of whom settled in Bermuda.  I will never forget when we had our first teary phone call and all the emails and phone calls that followed.

Ask me again why researching one's family is so important!  Finding Primo Gilbert and his wonderful family was a very special gift I will always treasure.

Gilbert and his wife, Claire, went to Aqua d'Alto and met more of our family there.
What better and more fitting way to introduce 
the Azores than to introduce you to my Primo Gilbert.









2 comments:

  1. My husband Leo met long lost first cousins because they came to the New Bedford Fiesta from California and looked him up. We then journeyed to the Sacramento California area to attend their Fiesta in July. It was so important to Leo to find a common ground with these people. The treasured his relationship until he passed away. I still communicate with them. Also his last name Campanirio should be spelled Campanario, which is a small village n Madeira. When we last visited for his birthday everyone would comment that his name was spelled incorrectly. Blame it on the customs folks that changed many names because they were different. He had uncles with the name Campanirio and Abreu. Same parents but the two last names were too much trouble for the agents in Boston and Ellis island to understand.
    Kathy

    ReplyDelete
  2. I absolutely love your blog and find nearly all of your post's to be just what I'm looking for.
    can you offer guest writers to write content for you personally?
    I wouldn't mind writing a post or elaborating on a lot of the subjects you write with regards to here. Again, awesome web log!

    My webpage; workouts to improve vertical jump

    ReplyDelete