Long ago, when I perhaps was eight or nine years old, a very tall stranger came to our house to talk to Mom about the history of Plymouth. Mom was the social editor for the Old Colony Memorial, the local Plymouth paper. He was big and burly, had a wonderful laugh, and was right at home sitting at our kitchen table. Unlike other times, Mom didn't shoo us outside nor did she tell us to go in the other room, instead, she let us sit at the table and listen to tales of the sea and shipwrecks and "a Lady in Black". My sisters and I were enchanted with this man....and learned that his name was Edward Rowe Snow. At the time we did not know that he was a published author nor did we know that he was a lecturer, a historian and a preservationist. In our eyes, he was a storyteller and most importantly, a man that could stand in the frame of a door and lift his leg high to the ceiling. Funny, what impresses a kid!
Several weeks ago, Fran and I were at a library used book sale when she chanced to discover one of Rowe's books, The Islands of Boston Harbor.
"Hey Bob, isn't this the guy that came to our house long ago. It's only a dollar and you know after your articles on Quincy, you wanted to do some photo-essays on the Islands. This just might provide some background stories." And so Fran bought the book and gave it to me. I was excited and couldn't wait to get back to her house to look at it more closely. All kinds of articles were floating in my head!
To our surprise, it was just not any old book by Edward Rowe Snow. Sitting at her kitchen table, we were astounded when we opened the flap and discovered this was a real treasure!
On the left are real pieces of wood...incredible pieces of wood with a notation about each one:
"Wood from the following shipsin this book:
Timbers from the Mayflower of 1620 were used in a barn roof in England.
The "Nancy" was wrecked at Nantasket in 1927.
The Saint John was wrecked at Cohasset in 1849. 143 Irish Immigrants drowned.
The Portland Sailed from Boston in 1898. All 191 were lost.
The Titanic was sunk in 1912 with 1503 passengers drowned.
Pirate ship Whidah was wrecked at Cape Cod in 1717. All but two pirates were lost.
The British frigate Somerset was wrecked at Cape Cod in 1778. Now still to be seen at certain times.
The Constitution is the oldest naval craft afloat in the World."
On the right hand cover in Snow's handwritten pen:
"Copy Number 56 of a Special
Bi~Centenial Edition
April 19, 1974
containing a minucsule amount of tea from the BOSTON TEA PARTY
Edward Rowe Snow"
Imagine our delight. Once again, this storyteller from our youth, has managed to enthrall us once more!
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Comments: 66
Thank you for posting this to Best Original Photos, Art, Video and Writing for 2008
It is exciting on so many levels -the subject of local history, including ancient lore and tall tales, your personal connection to the author, the signed edition of the commemorative volume, and the discovery of this lost treasure ion a used Book store.
i am overwhelmed with envy.
Bob, you article is Featured in Wednesday Writing Essentials.
I used to go to book sales conducted by the University of Western Australia where thousands of books were donated by the general public in order to raise money for charity. I came across and bought many similar gems...I gave them all away as birthday and Christmas presents.
And as for that bit of tea from the Tea Party, I'm a skeptic on that. I've seen an awful lot of "authentic" bits of tea purporting to be from the Tea Party, and that makes me think about all the pieces of the "True Cross" floating around throughout the world. Methinks it's a market fueled by wishful thinking!
But then I showed her Kathryn's article about Beatrix Potter and she "remember" meeting her (which I really don't think happened)....such is life on the home front!
The Book Review
Guyana Lisa for dropping by...amazing story, it tis!
I recently found an old, coffee table book, a black and white photos book, on the evolution of Bombay. I wanted it so badly but the shop owner had wizened on to the value of the book and wouldn't budge on the price...which was way out of my budget at that time.
Imagine, having a piece of Titanic with you!! That sent shivers of awe down my spine.
This was a most thrilling essay. I loved that you can remember that he could lift his leg to the ceiling. Wow.
You have found a most precious treasure. It's your bounden duty to look after it with utmost care.
When I go for long walks the halfway point is an isolated shop...a second hand book shop. What I've picked up there is mind boggling. There's one that I want to write about.
Well done.
WwW.SparkleTags.Com
Alas, my thoughts of a quick fortune vaporized when I realized I have the "Second Printing in 1971". However, it is autographed by ERS himself!! Perhaps his signature might be worth something.
However. there is yer another version on the market for $19.95 is anyone would like an updated version.
I have been reading another of his books, titled: "Legends of the New England Coast", by ERS, and this one is a first edition, released in my High School graduation year: 1957
Bear