Too bad there is the glare across my mother's face in the mirror. I like the old fashioned mirror and dresser - the white linen runner on the bureau - the hand mirror, the crucifix and is that a St Joseph statue?
Hannie and my mother - I wonder where she bought her wedding dress and veil?
My mother in the living room at 6 Green Street in Watertown with the picture of my grandparents, John and Margaret Keohane/Ma on the wall. And is that a radio or phonograph or combination behind my mother - it looks like records stacked below it - 78s maybe? I love the lamp and the doily on the arm of the sofa.
My mother, her brother Jim, and Hannie - I love Hannie's smile.
My mother coming out the front door - Rita to the left but who is behind my mother?
Jim walked my mother down the aisle - their father had died in 1929.
View from the choir loft. The women all had on hats or kerchiefs - you had to have your head covered in Church in those days - I remember the nuns made us use bobby pins to hold Kleenex on our heads if we didn't have a hat or mantilla.
Bridal party leaving St. Pat's.
Mr. and Mrs. John Manning
I don't know who took the pictures outside the church - they are not very clear - I'll have to try a magnifying glass to see if I can recognize any of the guests. My father and mother with Hannie and Joe Manning, my father's brother.
The house in the background is 220 Main Street - the Courtneys lived upstairs and the Bachmans lived downstairs - they were likely looking out the windows if they weren't outside the Church.
A little snow on the ground.
Hannie and Joe Manning heading toward the cars on Chestnut Street.
I wonder who the child is?
I scanned the cover and first page of my mother and father's wedding album - the album has practically fallen apart over the last 75+ years.
"Bride Ellen Mary Keohane
Groom John James Manning
Date February 9th, 1947
Ceremony at Saint Patrick's Church
Officiated by Rev. James Smith
Attendants Hannah Keohane
Joseph Manning
John Francis Joyce
Joseph Walsh"
Below is a postcard of the Myles Standish Hotel in Kenmore Square, Boston from the Boston Public Library - this is where the wedding reception took place.
Wikipedia reports that:
"When the doors to the hotel opened in 1928, it offered many amenities and was situated in a prime location in the developing Back Bay neighborhood in Boston next to the Kenmore Square trolley station. It was one of many such hotels, including the Sheraton located just down the street at 91 Bay State Road, which would itself be later purchased by BU and converted into a dormitory. Due to its proximity to Fenway Park the hotel was often patronized by visiting baseball clubs. Babe Ruth himself stayed there often, and liked suite 818 so much that he made it a habit to request it specifically.
In 1933 Charles Newton took over as manager and rescued it from the Great Depression, turning it into a fashionable apartment hotel. He left in 1943 when the hotel was sold to the Sheraton Corporation and in 1949 the building was sold to Boston University ...
"The shape of the building is somewhat unusual. Due to the irregular proportions of the plot of land on which it was built at the intersection of Bay State Road and Beacon Street, the building is known for its sharp point resembling the prow of a ship. This makes for unusual floor plans."
The Boston Preservation Alliance also reports that:
"Now a dorm for Boston University, this stately anchor in Kenmore Square was built as a hotel in 1925 and housed many notable individuals over the years, from Babe Ruth and the Yankees to Martin Luther King, Jr. to Howard Stern. What was a seriously challenged building now again stands proudly to serve students and remind countless alumni of its impact.
Myles Standish Hall stands on the corner of Beacon Street and Bay State Road in the Kenmore neighborhood. Designed by Arthur Bowditch ... and constructed in 1925, it housed VIPs such as Babe Ruth and the Yankees. It hosted everything from grand social events like society weddings and balls to two basement level speakeasies during Prohibition. To house an influx of soldiers entering college under the G.I. Bill after WWII, Boston University purchased and transformed the hotel into the Myles Standish Hall dormitory, where a wide variety of notables graced its halls from Howard Stern to Martin Luther King, Jr.
Over time the exterior of the building began to deteriorate due to the dampness of the alcoves of the E-shaped floor plan. Significant water infiltration led the University to undertake a major renovation of the 90-year-old building ... The main entrance on Beacon Street and secondary entrance on Bay State Road were re-constructed to reflect the original entrance design, complete with a canopy. The interior of the building was also updated to create a contemporary and accessible space for students. The surrounding intersection and sidewalks were upgraded to create a safer area for pedestrians. Bike paths and a park plaza were added to create outdoor space for residents and neighbors to enjoy the historic surroundings."
Myles Standish Hotel circa 1940s
Head table with Joe Manning, my father and mother, Hannie, my grandmother Margaret Keohane/Ma, Joe Walsh and Franny Joyce.
Peggy with her hand in front of her face talking to her husband Paul Navin - Frances Keohane Smith at the next table with my aunt Rita Keohane. Probably Bob Smith beside Frances with his back to camera.
Aunt Hannah Keohane and her husband Stephen DeCourcey at the middle table on the left. That may be Mrs Kernell on the far right - she was a friend and relative of the Mannings.
Joe Manning, my father's younger brother and Best Man, my father and mother, and my aunt and Maid of Honor Hannie Huliston.
Joe Walsh who married my father's sister Catherine - whom we all called Sis, Joe Manning, Hannie, my father and mother, Jim Keohane, and my father's cousin Franny Joyce.
Keohane family - Rita, Ma, my father and mother, Jim, Hannie, and Peggy.
Manning side - my grandparents John and Catherine Manning, my parents, neighbor and cousin Mrs Kernell, my father's youngest brother Richie, and Sis. My father's brothers Tom and Danno are missing from the picture.
Quite appropriate with Chief Manning at the wheel in the Captain's room.
Beginning a voyage together.
"Commonwealth of Massachusetts
United States of America
Town of Watertown
Office of the Town Clerk
Abstract of Record
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am the Town Clerk of the Town of Watertown, that as such I have the custody of the records of Births, Marriages, and Deaths required by law to be kept in my office, and from such record it appears that
John James Manning, of Mattapan, Mass., and
Ellen Mary Keohane, of Watertown, Mass.
were married in Watertown, Mass. on February 9, 1947,
by James T. Smith, Priest, Watertown, Mass,
Recorded February 11, 1947
and I do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true abstract from said records.
Witness my hand and seal of said Town of Watertown on this
26th day of February, 1947
George B. Wellman, Town Clerk"
I found an old small notebook where my mother had listed her wedding presents!
At one end of the little book is this list:
"Aunt Nellie $100
Mr & Mrs Mahoney blanket
Aunt Hannah $30
Mr & Mrs D Callahan $5
Mr & Mrs O'Hara candle holder, mirror, fruit bowl
Mr & Mrs Joe Moore 2 candy dishes
Elliott Favier blue goblets
Carr family painted tray
Frances & Bob pitcher & glasses
Nora King $10
Mary Galvin $5
Peggie & Paul $15
Tom & Edwina silver tray
Frank, ? Billie, Harpie, Jimmy coffee maker
Gordon supply silver"
Mr & Mrs Mahoney may be the couple who brought up Frances Keohane after her mother died.
Mr. & Mrs D Callahan are the neighbors who lived downstairs at 4 Green Street.
Mr & Mrs O'Hara are Rita O'Hara's parents - Rita told me that her parents were invited to the wedding but she wasn't - she asked me why my mother didn't invite her - but I had no idea that she wasn't at the wedding.
The Carr family is my father's aunt Mary Mannion and her family - they lived in Concord - my cousin Peggy Manning and I traced down Mary Carr's grandson Skip Carr and great-grandson Matt - we met them in Concord several years ago.
Frances & Bob Smith - Frances is my mother's first cousin.
Nora King is a Manning relative.
Peggie & Paul Navin - Peggy is my mother's sister.
Tom & Edwina Manning - Tom is my father's brother - funny that he wasn't in the family picture taken at the reception.
Gordon Supply Company is where my mother worked.
The next sheet is torn out. But at the other end of the book is another list that is crossed out. There were two other pages of the book but they have been torn out - you can see "flowers" written on top of one of the pages.
Here is a closer view of the above list.
"Mrs Mahoney blanket
O'Hara family fruit bowl
candle sticks
Francis McCabe silver candle sticks
Gordon Supply silver
Rady family knife, fork, spoon
Harold & Gin carving set
Tom & Edwina silver tray
Jean bath set
Cecilia & Eddie Byrne electric clock
Madeline & Pete sherbert glasses
Betty Donahue iron
Mrs Madigan vases
Pete Moran tea pot
Hibernian gang coffee maker
Isaac blue glasses
Frances & Bob pitcher & glasses
candy dishes Laura & Joe Moore
Carr family tray
Lillian Gross picture"
We have just seen some of these names already - I don't know too many on this page.
Harold & Gin Studley - Gin Robbins was one of my mother's best friends.
Jean most likely is Hannie's best friend.
Madeline & Pete Petrillo - Madeline Vaughan was another of my mother's best friends.
Betty Donahue was another of Hannie's best friends.
The next page:
And a larger view:
Peg & Paul $15
Ma $16
Aunt Hannah $30
Fred $10
Aunt Nellie $100
Joe Manning $25
Mary Blackburn $5
Eleanor & John $10
Mae $5
Mrs Manning $100
Kath Manning $25
Henry $5
Mr & Mrs Ryan $5
Mr & Mrs Callahan $5
Mrs Navien $5
Mae & Marg. McKenna $15
Mrs Kinnell $25
Mr & Mrs Joe Ryan $10
Mary Galvin $5
Nora King $10
Fred Albert was Aunt Nellie's husband.
Mary Blackburn was another of Hannie's best friends.
Eleanor & John - could be Eleanor Hayden?
Mae Keohane was my mother's first cousin - Frances Smith's sister.
Mrs Manning was my father's mother.
Kath Manning was my father's sister.
Henry might have been one of the Walsh family - Ma's oldest sister was Mary Walsh who had been living in Mission Hill.
Mr & Mrs Ryan - I remember an Alice Ryan but I can't remember who she was.
And the last of the list:
Mr & Mrs Chisholm $25
Mr & Mrs Henderson $10
Joe Walsh $20
Mr & Mrs McCabe $15
Mr & Mrs Cody $10
Mr & Mrs Clogan $10
Joyce Family $25
Mr & Mrs Murphy $10
Delia $20
Johns gang $40
Aunt Catherine $10
Buddy $5
Miah & Mary $5
Aunt Mary $5
Elizabeth $5
Kathleen $5
John Riordan $10"
Joe Walsh was my father's friend who married Sis.
The Joyce family was my father's aunt Margaret Mannion who married Martin Joyce - their son Franny Joyce was in the wedding party.
Delia Cody - a Manning cousin.
Aunt Catherine Cronin was my grandmother's sister who brought her out from Sneem.
Buddy Cronin and Miah (Jeremiah) Cronin were my mother's first cousins from Mission Hill.
Aunt Mary Walsh - my grandmother's sister.
Elizabeth and Kathleen Walsh - my mother's first cousins.
John Riordan was my grandfather John Keohane's first cousin from Dunderrow, Cork.
I know these are not all the guests, but these are the only lists I have. But I just found a copy of an address book that my mother used to have - I can't find the book but this one page is very helpful as some of the guests that I don't know are listed in it!
Maurice Sheehan was from Watertown.Mrs Annie Kernell 30 Standish St, Mattapan - a cousin of the Mannings - she was in the wedding pictures.
Mrs Martin Joyce 15 Gibson St, Dorchester - My father's aunt Margaret.
Mr John Chisholm 15 Cedar St, Mattapan - we saw the Chisholms on the list of guests - he was a neighbor of my father's.
Mr Thomas McCabe 10 Cedar St, Mattapan - my father's neighbor - he was also at the wedding.
Mr & Mrs Joseph Walsh Idaho Street, Mattapan is crossed out and replaced with 44 Valley Rd, Dorch.
Vaughans (Madeline's family) Belmont
? R Rady 181 Merriam St, Weston
Mae (Keohane) 123 Orchard St, Somerville
Joe & Peg (Manning) a couple of address are crossed out including one in Somerville - 30 Idaho St, Dor
Ryans 731 Main St, Watertown
Bachman 218 Main St (Watertown)
Mary Courtney 200 Main St (Watertown)
Jimmy Walsh 16 Green St (Watertown) Jimmy owned the triple decker next to 6 Green St.
Mary (Blackburn) & Eddie Wallace 87 Watertown St (Watertown)
Laura & Ann lived out front of 6 Green St where the Keohanes lived - they were 2 single ladies - they eventually moved to elderly housing at McSherry Gardens on Waverley Ave in Watertown - Ma moved into that apartment after they died.
Francis Manning was my father's brother who was called Danno.
Grimes were neighbors on Marion Rd in Watertown when we were growing up on Marshall St.
Other names crossed out are Kathleen, Mary Cooney, Lillian, Riordans, Uncle Pat.
Mary Cooney above was my mother's first cousin from Tissanon, Cork.
Uncle Pat O'Sullivan was Ma's half brother - he left Sneem for New Jersey.
That's the end of the lists, but we will see the notebook again later.
I don't seem to remember hearing anything about a honeymoon. The photo below may have been taken on their honeymoon - the back of it says "Mfg by Positive Paper and Chemical Co., Inc. 10 Lawrence St., Newark 5, N.J." My father has his chief's hat on.
I don't know when this picture of my mother was taken, but the back of it says the same thing: " Mfg. by Positive Paper and Chemical Co., Inc. 10 Lawrence St., Newark 5, N.J." So maybe around the same time?
Well, I guess it is back to my father's letters since I have no more information about the time surrounding the wedding.
