My Family Story : 1950s

If the pictures aren't dated on the back, it can be difficult sometimes to figure out the dates. I think most of these pictures are from 1955, but if anyone knows better, please let me know.

My father holding Patty, Johnny, and MEM at Saltonstall Park where the old Grant School was located.

Johnny helping my father pull Patty and MEM on sled - Town Hall in background.

January 30, 1955 - MEM, Dad holding Patty, and Johnny on Green Street - St Pat's Church in background.

My mother holding Patty, MEM and Johnny - that must be my father's Ford.

That is the 2 family house at 220-222 Main Street in the background - we rented the 2nd floor when we came back from Ireland.

January 1955 - Johnny and Patty - on Green Street - we had a two bedroom apartment - Johnny and I slept in this room - Patty was in the crib in my folks' room. I miss the big old radiators that we used to have - they were great in the winter for drying wet mittens, jackets, ski pants when we came in from the snow.

Feb 1, 1955 - Diane, Patty, Joanie, Johnny, MEM in our living room - I wonder what the occasion was that we are all dressed up - apparently it was a Tuesday.

Johnny, Joanie, and MEM

It looks like they are all sitting under the clothesline - with diapers blowing in the breeze. Dickie is having a beer. Rita, Ricky, Johnny, Patty, MEM

Johnny, MEM, Joanie, Diane but I don't know where this was taken.

Joanie, Johnny, Diane in highchair, MEM and Patty - this might be my 4th birthday. I love the doll hanging from the ceiling - the radio on the shelf over the table.

Everybody looks happy! Patty has a couple of cushions under her so she can almost reach the table - Diane is in Patty's high chair.

"You will share in A Novena of Masses at the Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help

Mission Church, Roxbury, Mass.

To a Wonderful Father

An Appreciate Gift

from Mimi, Jon Jon, Patti."

I'm thinking this is for Father's Day but maybe it's for my father's birthday.

Mission Church is where my grandmother, Margaret Moriarty married my grandfather, John Keohane in 1918. Ma's two sisters lived in the Mission Church neighborhood.

Johnny devouring a piece of watermelon, MEM, Joanie and Patty on the steps on Green Street. I can't make out what is in Patty's hand.

Johnny and Patty - the clothesline is still there - looks like more diapers!

Diane, MEM hugging a doll, Joanie and Patty - Mary Courtney's laundry hanging in the background. I wonder why that basin of water was there?

Joanie, Johnny, and probably Patty - I don't know what happened to her!

Falmouth Harbor - Johnny, Patty with my mother, MEM and Joanie.

Norman reading to Joanie and Johnny at a cottage on the harbor - I love the striped T-shirts on all of us! Those striped shirts were very popular in our family.

Joanie with pigtails, striped shirt and plaid pants, MEM with Norman and my father playing ball in the background. I suppose one car is my father's and one is Norman's.

MEM and Johnny having a ride on my father - Patty in the rumble seat!

MEM

Joanie, Johnny and MEM in army tanks! Hannie holding Ricky in the background.

Eileen, Joanie sitting on fence, MEM, Diane and Hannie at Nobska Lighthouse - more striped shirts.

MEM, Norman holding Diane maybe, Joanie and Johnny. I love Norman's hand around Johnny's waist and Johnny holding onto Norman - so casual.

I wonder how deep that water was?

? my mother on left - MEM, Johnny, and Patty inside fence- not sure where these pictures were taken.

My mother, Patty, Joanie, MEM and Johnny

Johnny and Joanie looking out the door, Mum holding Patty, and MEM looking out the window.

Norman holding Diane in doorway with Joanie, MEM, and Johnny looking out the window.

Diane and Norman

Norman holding Diane, Joanie, Johnny, and MEM - love the dark sox and dark shoes with shorts!

Diane looking at the pony, Norman, and Joanie

This picture is very dark - MEM, Patty, Joanie, and Johnny on the boat - Mum is a landlubber I guess!

Looks like a frog maybe? Joanie, Johnny, MEM, Patty and my mother.

Is that a cow on the roof? Patty, Joanie, Johnny, MEM and Dad.

Johnny and I must be going for a pony ride - 10 cents!

I wonder if this was Diane's first birthday? It looks like upstairs on Green Street. Patty, Joanie, Jay Navien, Diane, Chris Navien, MEM, Johnny, Mary Patricia Navien.

Johnny, MEM, Patty at the grotto. I wonder where this was?

Patty

Johnny, MEM and Patty

I wonder what Patty has in her hands?

I think these pictures were taken my first day at kindergarten at the Marshall Spring School on Waverley Avenue.

Ma and Aunt Nellie on Green Street.

Keohane cousins night out at Blinstrub's - Peggy Keohane Navien, Kathleen Cooney Lavalle, Frances Keohane Smith, Josie Keohane Nelson, Eileen Cooney Griffin, my mother - Ellen Keohane Manning, Hannie Keohane Huliston, and Mary Cooney Feeney. I wonder where Mae Keohane is - Frances' sister? Or my aunt Rita Keohane Walsh?

I always thought the restaurant was called Blinstrum's but I just found out it was Blinstrub's - and it was a restaurant and a nightclub located in South Boston at West Broadway and D Street. I didn't know what a popular nightclub is was - Wayne Newton got his first big break there - Ray Charles, Sammy Davis Jr, Nat King Cole, Julius LaRosa, the McGuire Sisters, Eddie Fisher, Al Martino, Dionne Warwick and many others performed there. Blinstrub's had their own photographer taking pictures of the tables like the one above.

Blinstrub's burnt down in 1968 and was never rebuilt - it was not insured. Richard Cardinal Cushing, who was a close friend of Stanley Blinstrub, gave him $100,00 and held a benefit for him at Boston Garden where many of the celebrities who had performed at his nightclub participated. Because of increasing building prices and the cost of hiring celebrities, Blinstrub's was never rebuilt.

Here is a link for more information on Blinstrub's - https://www.blinstrubas.com/index/en/blinstrub-family/blinstrubs-manors/blinstrubs-village-club/

Having a picnic somewhere - Diane, Johnny, Joanie, MEM.

MEM on Green Street

Johnny's 4th birthday - Joanie, Johnny, Patty - look at her expression, MEM

Is Johnny still blowing out candles?

Norman with Joanie on his shoulders, Johnny with a new fishing rod, Patty on Dad's shoulders.

There are 4 candles on the cake but this is not the same day as the above pictures but it is downstairs. Joanie, Patty, Diane, MEM, Norman, and Johnny who doesn't look too happy,

Patty, Johnny and MEM - the photographer came to the house - I can just barely remember it.

Halloween at the Hibernians - my mother made these bathing suits and we all wore them over the years for Halloween and other events. Hannie, my mother, Frances Smith, Peggy Navien, Paul Navien, Bob Smith, my father and Norman.