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.


Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Goodbye to Madeira


The charms of Madeira brought interesting people to Madeira.  Winston Churchill loved the Island and took his rest there.  It inspired him to take up watercolors. You can see that this would have been in the late 40's and perhaps later.  The development which has recently 
exploded on the Island was not yet prevelant.

George Bernard Shaw learned to tango in Madiera....



Sir Winston at his easel.


Madeira folk in the Village were very close.  When I did my genealogical research, I found out that they were rather a minority versus Azoreans in New England.  Yet, somehow they found their way to Taunton and their closeness did not diminish.  The New Bedford Madeira festival of the Blessed Sacrament is the largests festa in the world!!    Often Madeira folk from 
New Bedford would come to visit and vice versa.  Sadly we have not kept up with them.

This website will tell you more about the New Bedford festa which takes place annually in August, upcoming will be its 99th year.




Madeira today is a cosmopolitan resort spot for Europeans and Americans as well.  It is to be hoped that the charms of my home island are not lost.....





I leave you with a YouTube video of the New Year's firework's display: the largest in the world
taking place each year in the Funchal harbor. It was recognized in 2006 by the Guiness World Records. There are usually many cruise ships in the harbor
for just this event.  Another dream on my bucket list....
Anyone know the history of these fireworks?  When they first began?




Enjoy this astounding display!



and one  more video...this music is somehow already imbedded in my memories.

shared on You Tube by somehow from Bristol, RI.  Thank you whoever you are.



Next: The Azores.....

I am hoping that more viewers will share their photos.  
Several readers have just returned from there.
 I will gladly pop them in as we go.








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