My small granny and other stories

Walking in my granny's footprints

2/26/2013

http://www.peabodymassarchives.com/galleries/peabodyinpictures.html

I found a picture of the street that my granny, Catherine Hurley walked when she lived in Peabody, Massachusetts in 1930. I have looked at this picture many times since I found it. I wonder how she felt as she walked to work. Was she happy to be working again and at the same time missing home and family as I was in London in the 1980's? An old letter implies that she worked as a cook in the home of Mary L. Woods and Patrick J. Woods. Mary L. Woods speaks so warmly to her in the letter and clearly misses her.
I miss my granny today. I would so love to step back in time and open the door of her house and sink into her arms for a big soft hug. She gave the best hugs I ever had.
If you are related to Mary l. Woods or Patrick J. Woods of Peaboy, Mass. 1930 I would love to hear from you. mailto:mhappybrennan@gmail.com

8 Comments

Mairead link

2/26/2013 03:16:55 pm

Martine - Believe it or not, my great-grandfather lived in Peabody, Mass. about 30 years before your granny. He left to come back to Ireland sometime in the early 1900's. What a coincidence!

Martine Brennan link

2/27/2013 03:22:13 pm

Isn't that amazing Mairead that you and I would be friends and that both of our ancestors were in Peabody! mx

Mike Barresi link

2/27/2013 05:20:29 am

I am not related, but I currently live in Peabody. If you know the address of the photo, I could take a current picture of the location. It looks like Lowell Street in downtown Peabody. I always like seeing a comparison between old pictures and more current versions.
All the best

Martine Brennan link

2/27/2013 03:25:00 pm

Mike you are so kind! I got this picture titled Main St., Peabody from the Peabody website. My grandmother gave her address as 5 Koscuisko St., Peabody. Do you know any thing about that area?

Heather Rojo link

2/28/2013 05:40:43 am

I love the photo, and went immediately to the website to look for more. My family lived in Peabody since the 1630s, when it was Danvers and Salem Village. My great great grandfather, Robert Wilson Wilkinson, had a newspaper and stationary store in Peabody Square in the 1870s, probably right near where this photo was taken. They are all buried in the Monumental Cemetery about 2 blocks away.

Martine Brennan link

2/28/2013 03:34:27 pm

You can trace back to 1630 Heather, that must be an incredible experience! The website has many beautiful photos and did you find the page about the time capsule? Martine

Heather Rojo link

2/28/2013 04:57:04 pm

Martine, I have actually blogged about the time capsule. You can read about it at my blog at this link http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/03/peabody-century-chest.html and you can also click on the keyword "Peabody" in the right hand column to see other posts about the city of Peabody, they go back to those early days of Salem Village in the 1600s.

Martine Brennan link

3/1/2013 02:03:56 am

I really enjoyed your blog Heather and was very impressed with your family tree. All the way back to Scotland! Had you a family bible or did you find all this by yourself?
The opening of the time capsule must have been so exciting! M

Walking in my granny's footprints

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