March, 2017

THE BRIDGEPORT POLTERGEIST ON LINDLEY STREET with  author William J. Hall

THURSDAY, MARCH 9 at 6:30 at the Meriden Public Library 105 miller St. Meriden CT 06450

Furniture jumping, floating refrigerators, attacking entities – was this done by a poltergeist?  Mr. Hall’s presentation includes witness testimony from police, reporters, priests, and others on the best documented and witnessed haunting in modern history. He will discuss the missing link to the paranormal, how negative hauntings work, and a paranormal flap where all forms of phenomena converge. Co sponsored by the Meriden Public Library this meeting is free to the public. Refreshments will be served.

NEWS FROM THE BERNICE C. MOREHOUSE RESEARCH CENTER

  1. The Genealogy Project, headed by our curator Allen Weathers and his core of volunteers. Files have been created for all students who have graduated Meriden high schools. At this point, Richard Bartholomew, Bob Smith and Laura Winoski are adding more information to those cards.
  2. In December, The Meriden Department of Parks and Recreation donated scrapbooks relating to the department’s activities. The scrapbooks joined the Meriden Police Department’s scrapbooks already at our research center.                Also in December, a clock was damaged by workmen in the building and was repaired by Mr. Thomas Grimshaw of Cheshire. When Tom came back with the repaired clock, he brought along an early Bradley and Hubbard clock and donated it to the Society. Thanks Tom!

    Curator Allen Weathers accepting Tom Grimshaw’s donation of an early B&H clock to the Meriden Historical Society.

  3. The CUNO Foundation held its board meeting at the Research Center in January.
  1. Rob LaRivierre replaced the rotting cupula on the roofof the Research Center, making sure to re-mount the weathervane that adorns our building. Rob donated both the cupula and his labor. – Thank you Rob!

NEWS FROM THE ARCHIVES

by: Paul S. Butkus

An ongoing project at the MHS is the cataloging of the International Silver Company Archives. The collection includes numerous published catalogs and designs from the various companies which joined together to form or were later acquired by IS. The intent of the project is threefold. First; make known what is available within the archive. Second; make the materials more easily available to researchers and third; assess and better preserve the actual materials.

One of the hidden benefits of the project is the rediscovery of many unique or unusual items that were in regular production or custom commissions. While many of the mass produced pickle castors, flatware patterns and hollow ware items are frequently seen on websites or in personal collections, some items are rarely if ever seen. Whether custom made pieces or ones intended for a singular use, they were all lavished with the same attention to detail. The quantity, quality and diversity of the articles produced is simply amazing and there seems to be no end to the variations exhibited in the catalogs. Selecting just a few items to include here was difficult but hopefully these will give a taste of things to come.

Illustration 1: c. 1929 Custom Sterling (possibly gilt) Centerpiece made for the private Yacht NAKHODA owned by Mr. Fred Fisher (of General Motors -Body by Fisher fame). Custom designed gilt flatware service and hollow ware also made for the yacht along with silver plated serving trays

 

 

 

Illustration 2: 1879 Meriden Silver Plate Co. Card Receiver

 

Illustration3: 1890 Meriden Britannia Co. Casket Hardware

 

 

Illustration 4: Middletown Plate Co. Jewel Casket in the form of a Balloon

 

WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS:

Thomas Marshall of Wallingford, CT; Carl Sokolowski of Southington, CT & the Sabino Family of Cheshire, CT.

 

WE NOTE WITH SORROW

The passing of our member and dedicated volunteer Sylvia Winslow.

 

FOR THEIR GENEROSITY:

Sincere thanks to: Anonimous, John Arndt, Agnes Baur, Jacqueline Beale, bruce and suzana burchsted, Daniel Busa, Paul S. Butkus, Ruth Ann C. Davis, Nancy Gluck, Tom Grimshaw, Lorraine Hancock, Greg Hugo, Lawrence McGoldrick, Kathleen and Donald McMahon, Stacia and Lawrence Morehouse, Joan Munger, Lucy R. Mickiewicz, Janet Pestey, Clark Robison, Karen Sabia, Randy Swope, Betty Wieland.

 

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

 

Nest Egg Auctions

https://NestEggAuctions.com

758 Four Rod Road

Berlin, CT 06037

203-630-1400

The Record Journal

http://myrecordjournal.com

500 S. Broad St,

Meriden CT 06450

203-235-1661

The Remodeling Company

Robert LaRivierre

848 N. Colony Rd

Meriden, CT 06450

203-213-1053