Here are two notes that my mother wrote about the pictures that were in her scrapbook:
We've seen the pictures of the Fidelis Club Communion Breakfast and the May Procession. Let's go ahead and look at the pictures from Hannie's graduation from St Patrick's High School in June 1941. I'm not sure why these pictures came out a bit crooked but they did!
Hannie in her cap and gown
Hannie looks like she is trying not to smile! That is the corner of the garage on Green Street on the left.
Is this Madeline with Hannie?
Three sisters - Hannie, my mother, and Peggy - where was Rita?
In front are Mae Keohane and my mother - in back are Frances Keohane and Hannie.
Hannie, my mother with their first cousins Mae Keohane and Peggy
Two sisters - Mae and Frances Keohane - Mae had stayed with the Keohanes in Belmont after their mother died - Frances stayed with her mother's friend - Mrs Mahoney.
Also in June 1941 Adolph Hitler banned all Catholic publications.
I also found these pictures of Hannie - no dates with them:
How many of Hannie's grandchildren look like her!
There are some pictures of my mother in a photo booth as well - again no dates.
On June 22, 1941 Nazi Germany and its allies invade the Soviet Union - the largest Military operation in history.
I was showing my cousin the next group of pictures back in 2009. We didn't know what Fieldston was so my cousin asked her father. Joe said that it is near Marshfield, the Green Harbor area - he said his father - our grandfather - owned a piece of land in Green Harbor.
According to the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, Fieldston is a public beach at 110 Old Beach Road in Marshfield. There is no public parking nearby.
The website -
reports that in 1920 in Green Harbor Park, "10,000 square foot lots (were) selling for $ 25.00 per lot ...
"In 1925 'Fieldston on the Atlantic' ballroom was opened ... it was built in 1925 by Joseph P. Spang as a large entertainment complex located by the ocean. The complex consisted of a large main building and the " Bavarian Village" ... The Bavarian Village at Fieldston "was built by Leo Bencordo and Russell. The waitresses wore authentic German outfits and served beer in a pitcher for 50 cents. 120 ( 50 gallon ) barrels of beer were sold each week-end."
"St. Anne's Church in (nearby) Ocean Bluff was built in 1923 as there were nearly 100 houses and most of the residents were Catholic. In the 1920s there was an influx of Irish Catholics from Boston and the South Shore, prompting many to call this area the " Irish Riviera. "
The original Church burned in the 1941 Great Fire. Mass was held in the Fieldston Ballroom in the summer months, and was held in the Fire Station in the winter months. In 1946 there was a temporary Church moved there from Framingham which was an old Army Chapel, and in 1957 a New Church was built." Sounds like Fieldston, Green Harbor, Ocean Bluff were up and coming Irish conclaves - no wonder Jack Manning bought property in Green Harbor.
In 1927 Ocean Street was widened. "The buildings on the Green Harbor side of Ocean St had to be moved back into the marshlands. When this was completed it was called The Esplanade."
In 1929 the population of Brant Rock, Ocean Bluff, and Green Harbor was 329 houses, 4 hotels, and there were 61 fishermen / lobstermen year round.
In 1932 "concrete Sea Walls were built ( Brant Rock to Fieldston ). Cost of $200,000.00. 1/6th paid by abutters ( $15.00 ) per foot, 1/6th paid by the town of Marshfield, 1/6th paid by County and the balance paid by the State of Massachusetts. Built by the ( WPA ) Workers Progress Administration. Hourly wages were .35 cents per hour. Waterfront owners built their own stairs to the beach with all other homes paying $10.00 each toward the expense."
At Fieldston "behind the soda fountain was a building with eight bowling alleys ... During the 1920s - 1940s, ( 25 ) to ( 30 ) busloads of people arrived every day of the week for daylong outings. Fieldston-on-the-Atlantic was famous for its salt water swimming pool."
April 21,1941
"At precisely 1:40 p.m. a fire broke out at the corner of Ocean Street and Plymouth Ave., at Fieldston. It swept through the high, dry grass with winds exceeding thirty miles per hour. Such high winds, coupled with extreme dryness caused by a rainless Spring, set in motion an explosive fire that shot flames one hundred feet high. Smoke could be seen from as far away at Provincetown and Nantucket.
The Ocean Bluff conflagration raced before the west wind, leaping the blocks, firing the houses simultaneously, and exploding all buildings in its relentless path southeasterly toward Brant Rock Village. All attempts to stop it failed. Firemen and equipment came from all over the south shore. Volunteers fought untiringly. Backfires proved useless. From the top of Rexhame Hill it appeared an unbelievable inferno capable of burning the sea itself. It seemed to threaten the existence of the earth, like Fourth of July fireworks gone crazy.
One witness said that the liquor and beer in the Casino exploded. Windows in the houses would cloud up with smoke, change color, then blow up as though a bomb had hit them, sending debris up to six hundred yards away. It burned for four hours. Finally at sundown the wind died down and the fire was brought under control at 5:30 pm; just before dynamite charges were about to go off in an attempt to create a backfire. These had been placed from Samoset Street to Brant Rock Chapel in front of the houses lining Ocean Street. The last house burned was at the corner of Samoset and Ocean street ...
"Mass was held in the Fieldston Ballroom in the summer months, and was held in the Fire Station in the winter months. In 1946 - there was a temporary Church moved there from Framingham. It was an old Army Chapel, and in 1957 a New church was built ...
"Fieldston on the Atlantic was eventually sold and called the Rexicana. It burned on 9-6-1978."
The map below is from the Marshfield Historical Society - https://i0.wp.com/www.marshfieldhistoricalsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/300-Marshville-Townfinal.jpg
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Well, my father does look handsome in this picture! He has that same curly hair that my grandfather had!
The story about the property in Marshfield with the fact that my grandfather owned several homes in Dorchester brought home how much he was like his father, Michael Mannion, who bought the property in Roundstone. My father was the same - he thought it was important to buy property altho I remember him saying one time that he was "property rich and money poor!"
July 19, 1941 Winston Churchill launches his V for Victory campaign.
The 1941 Boston Street Directory has my father listed as a "helper" rooming at 11 Cedar Street. He must have still been feeling fruit and vegetables. His father and mother also are listed - his father is still chauffeuring.
We saw that my mother went to Millbrook, New York last year with the Vaughans. I guess she went again in 1941. There are some pictures with my mother's sister Rita - did Rita go with them or did they go somewhere else? Here are the pictures anyway.
My mother, Ellen Manning, with those two tone shoes!
Madeline and friend
My mother
This might be Arline Vaughan, Madeline's younger sister. I don't know who the fellow is - we saw that Madeline did have an older brother Herb/Herbert.
I've included Herbert's 1936 Watertown High School yearbook picture from the library's website - https://www.watertownlib.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/291.
Herb is the last picture - I bet that's him above.
The yearbook says "Herbert F Vaughan - 171 Waverley Avenue - West Junior High - Commercial Course - 'Arky' - Newspaperman - Athletics - 'Friendship is infinitely better than kindness.'"
My mother watering Madeline!
My mother and Madeline - do you remember that my mother went to Waltham to buy those two tone shoes?
Is that Herb on the right? I don't know the other fellow, but I would love to find out!
Madeline and my mother
Frick and Frack! Madeline has on two tone shoes now!
The sign says "Betsy takes her bath here every day in the nude."
Locked up in the stocks!
Totem pole behind Madeline and my mother.
I am assuming that this is Madeline's younger sister Arline with my mother's younger sister Rita.
Possibly Arline Vaughan and Rita Keohane in front, Madeline Vaughan and Ellen Keohane in back.
Rita and my mother
August 10, 1941 FDR and Winston Churchill meets for the 2nd time in Newfoundland and issue the Atlantic Charter.
My mother loved Uncle Pat who was a lot of fun. My mother and father and/or Hannie and Norman would drive Ma down to visit Uncle Pat in New Jersey. I met them several times - they slept in our bedroom when they came up for my mother's and father's 25th Anniversary - Patty and I slept in the attic I think. They both were a lot of fun.
Uncle Pat O'Sullivan, Paul Navin who dated my mother for a short time, and Aunt Helen at my mother and father's 25th Anniversary Party.
September 11, 1941 Charles Lindbergh accuses Britain, Jews and Roosevelt of trying to get the USA into WWII.
These next pictures were dated September 1941.
My mother
Madeline and my mother on the steps
Madeline and Annie
My mother
September 23, 1941 General DeGaulle forms a French government while in exile in London. Meanwhile the first gas murder experiments are conducted at Auschwitz concentration camp.
Here is Arthur Carroll's yearbook headshot so you can compare:
September 29, 1941 - Nazi massacre at Babi Yar ravine (near Kiev) Ukraine begins - 33,771 mostly Jews are murdered over 2 days.
I think the following pictures of my mother and father are from the fall of 1941. I think my mother looks more grown-up!
What will the next chapter reveal?
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