Factory Gothic / Bridget Marshall

newspaper clipping: "But the most popular pasttimes of the season are the novel races that take place almost daily on the clear and smooth ice of the beautiful Merrimack. Thousands of people congregate on the ice and banks of the river when these races come off. Stable-keepers, jockies, tin-pedlars with their carts, fishmongers, loafers, blacklegs, and most every class, enter into the spirit of the race, both on foot and with their teams, with perfect 'gusto,' to the great delight of the spectators on teh ice, and caution to all the little fishes underneath. -- A plenty of 'two cent' gambling is carried....

"A plenty of 'two-cent' gamlbing is carried on at these races by the many 'picayune' blacklegs, with which this city is infested. The general result of these races are rows, broken bones, dead horses, snashed-up sleighs, yelling, hooting, screaming, 'flaring up,' fighting, black eyes, running into each ohter, knocking down, and empty pockets for the green 'uns" From "Letter from Lowell" The Telescope (Manchester, NH)

Thrilled to read of the sporting fun had in #Lowell in February of 1849 when "thousands of people" gathered on the frozen Merrimack river for races (on foot & by sleigh), which resulted in "rows, broken bones, dead horses, smashed-up sleighs, yelling, hooting, screaming, 'flaring up,'" and such.

Thank you! I agree that it can't be anything else, but was doubting myself. I appreciate the extra eyes and insights!

"Undertaker's Certificate" listing 8. Occupation and then a handwritten word. and 9 Place of Birth, Us.

larger view of the Undertaker's certificate noting he's being Taken direct to Cemetery -- Laurel Hill.

Thoughts on what this word written for #8 -- Occupation -- is? Context: It's an undertaker's certificate for George Rex Graham. It looks like "ministry" to me, but he was very much not a minister? Would love another opinion.

Anyone know or have access to a periodical database that has the Boston Morning Journal for 8 Oct. 1889? I'm trying to find an obituary for Harriot F. Curtis that should be there. I've checked Chronicling America, Newspaper Archive, Gale 19th C Newspapers, no luck.

it's "popular with couples", so I'm sure there's lots of Deb and Hugh included, right?

The Mistletoe Bough The mistletoe hung in the castle-hall The holly-branch shone on the old oak wall And the baron's retainers were blithe and gay, Keeping their Christmas holiday. The baron beheld with a father's pride His beautiful child, young Lovell's bride; And she, with her bright eyes, seemed to be the star of that goodly company. Oh, the mistletoe-bough! Illustration features mistletoe

At length an old chest, that had long lain hid, Was found in the castle; they raised the lid, And a skeleton form lay moldering there. In the bridal robes of the lady fair! Oh. sad was her fate! -- for in sportive jest She had hid from her lord in the old oak chest; It closed with a spring -- and her bridal bloom Lay withering there in a living tomb! Oh, the mistletoe-bough! illustration featuring a chest that looks like a casket, and a skeletal-ghost figure around it.

For your Christmas ghost story list: 1888 Frank Leslie's Illustrated Holiday Supplement: poem "The Mistletoe Bough" in which a Christmas game of hide-and-seek turns deadly when a young bride hides in a chest that unfortunately closed with a spring. When they find her, she's a moldering skeleton!

Thank you! I'm going to have to find a good reason to go! Can't be too hard! Hope you're finding wonderful stuff!

Screenshot from Ben Schmidt's data visualization program showing student evaluations by gender for the term "smart" -- men across disciplines being called this at far higher rates than women. https://shorturl.at/To24L

Screenshot from Ben Schmidt's teaching eval analysis site, https://shorturl.at/To24L

Evaluation time! Don't forget to use @bschmidt.bsky.social's amazing tool to help your students see that these mechanisms of surveillance are fundamentally discriminatory and, as evidence of teaching quality, effectively useless!

shorturl.at/To24L

Can you share which archive....I figure they must have something I need (in addition to this beautiful dog).

black and white illustration features a menacing man walking forward on a stage, both arms straight out and holding dripping swords or daggers.

Loving the energy of this little guy who appears in a few different issues of the Boston Blade, a wild 19th century scandal sheet I'm currently browsing. In this case, he's introducing "Amusements" on 13 March 1847. Yes, I would like more information on such amusements, please.

newspaper clipping dated Lowell, Oct 19th, 1842 "Buildings are going up very fast, and morals are going down very fast; business is very flourishing, virtue at a discount, and honesty below par. "...the fields, woods, and byplaces, are the too frequent witnesses of the downfall of innocent and ignorant factory girls" "It is a startling fact, and too true, that the brothels of Boston are oftentimes replenished from Lowell. Agents are sent here for that express purpose, and girls are decoyed away even from the factory gates. Lowell boasts of her morality -- she ought to weep for her vice for it is enormous"

Boston Satirist 21 Oct 1842 on Lowell: "Buildings are going up very fast, and morals are going down very fast," "the fields, woods, and byplaces, are the too frequent witnesses of the downfall of innocent and ignorant factory girls" & "the brothels of Boston are oftentimes replenished from Lowell."

black and white illustration with people rioting (holding torches, pointing, arms up) in between blocky square buildings (might be factories or housing?). In the foreground, a well-dressed man in a top hat rescues a very small child who seems to be catching on fire while a woman in an apron and bonnet seems to call for help. You can see the image in context and read the story here: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_rioters_or_A_tale_of_bad_times_by_H/QGRiAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1

Current events have me thinking about images of protest. I'm curious about this frontispiece to The Rioters, or a Tale of Bad Times (Houlston, 1827). Anyone working on Harriet Martineau & illustration? (Slightly difficult to search on because of her "Illustrations of Political Economy.")

Loved the pop up recorders!!!!!!
We saw them outdoors in western mass last year -- good but different which seemed mostly about v different venue?

We went last night -- they were amazing!! And same for me with that song. Devastating.

Guest Post: Mia Moriarty & Dr. Michael Millner on Jack Kerouac – Black and White and Read All Over [Michael Millner is an old friend of mine from the New England ASA, and has been a professor of English and American Studies at UMass Lowell for many years. Mia Moriarty is a first-year English Major ...

I'm very excited to share my latest blog Guest Post (& the second since the move to our new website), UMass Lowell English major @miamoriarty.bsky.social's fascinating interview with Michael Millner on Jack Kerouac & his connections to UML! 🗃️

blackwhiteandread.com/guest-post-m...

Thanks for sharing this, Ben!

He's so beautiful! Pls skritch for me!!

Finally had a chance to listen to this while doing some pre-holiday food prep. It's delightful! Check out this great episode of @c19podcast.bsky.social by @ainenorris.bsky.social about one of the "Queens of Ghost-Land," a purported milk-bewitching woman named Sally (Sallie) Friddly.

100% would buy.

Free Vaccine Clinics in Boston Everyone ages six months and older is encouraged to get the updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines. Pregnant parents, babies, and older adults should consult their health care professional about RSV vaccin...

We’re offering free vaccine clinics in Boston. Vaccines are safe, effective, and protect against serious illness. Getting vaccinated keeps you healthy and helps protect your family, friends, and community.

Find upcoming vaccine clinics at boston.gov/vaccine-clinics.

Poster for the Futures of the Southern Gothic Symposium on December 4th, 2025, 11 AM-1PM Central. Speakers featured include Joanna Davis-McElligatt (U North Texas), Sheri-Marie Harrison (U Mizzou), Lisa Henrichsen (U Ark.), Monica Carol Miller, (Mid GA State U), and Scott Romine (UNC Greensboro).

Futures of the Southern Gothic (Dec 4, 11AM-1 PM CST)

What is the Southern Gothic? Why is it so popular? What will Southern Gothic look like as we move deeper into the 21st century? What cultural work will it do for us?
Link: lsu.zoom.us/j/3747973363...

#GothicLiterature #SSAG #SouthernGothic

In our household, we need to have minimum 5 pies no matter how many guests. Ranked essentials are pumpkin, pecan, and apple. After those three, there are options: lemon merengue OR key lime; chocolate cream OR coconut cream; and then oreo pie (the favorite of the kid, who also makes it). So, 6-7.

How to Get Published in an Academic Journal – RSVP Join us Friday, November 21 for a special professional development session on how to get published in an academic journal!

Mystified by how to approach an academic journal editor? Need help getting through the "revise and resubmit" doldrums? Our next #RSVPDigiEvent can help! Join us next Friday, Nov. 21 and hear from the editors of top #Victorian journals on "How to Get Published in a Academic Journal": buff.ly/ydJkKAK

Hey if you're into energy, environment, pipelines, Great Lakes, Indigenous rights, or just a habitable planet, checkout this webinar about how we can start to dismantle the infrastructure that sustains fossil capitalism. It's a great panel that happens to include me. @billmckibben.bsky.social

A photograph of bricks and rubble with a large pile of blue and white gummy sharks sprinkled into it. Photo credit to Aaron Curtis/Lowell Sun. Photo appeared with this story: https://www.lowellsun.com/2025/11/12/not-so-sweet-tractor-trailer-hauling-candy-cargo-flips-at-end-of-lowell-connector/

Sure there was a lot of news yesterday, but don't miss this story: "Gummy sharks lay scattered among the rubble" after a truck hit a wall & flipped at a notoriously terrible intersection in #Lowell. Photo w/ shark-strewn rubble was taken TWO DAYS after the accident.
www.lowellsun.com/2025/11/12/n...

Strega Nona turns 50 — and her art lives in Minneapolis The University of Minnesota’s Kerlan Collection is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Tomie dePaola’s beloved picture book “Strega Nona,” showcasing the original illustrations and highlighting Minnesota’s unique role in preserving the warmth, artistry and enduring cultural impact of this classic story.

The children’s picture book, “Strega Nona, An OldTale,” celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Author and illustrator Tomie dePaola penned the book about the Italian “grandmother witch.” (via @mprnews.org)

ALA 2026 CFP from the Society for the Study of American Women Writers now posted! See CFP details at americanliteratureassociation.org/ala-conferen...

Conference “The Underground: Prohibition, Abolition, Expression”2026 Call for Papers April 10-12, 2026, hosted by Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio. Baker Street Station on the Metropolitan Railway, 1863 &#…

If you or anyone you know would be interested in a GREAT Victorian studies conference in the spring, here's the CFP. Proposals due Dec 6. Especially let anyone within driving distance of Cincinnati know! The lovely @nathankhensley.bsky.social will be keynote speaker. midwestvictorian.org/conference/

Hey!! We're on a road trip so it's been perfect timing -- on our second listen!!! So great!

Poster describing the event. Title of talk: ‘your own work eats up trees’: Birchbark Bookmaking, Settler Memory, and Paper Histories

Thrilled that Kelly Wisecup and Christopher Pexa will present at the next meeting of the Am Lit & Culture seminar at the Mahindra Center at Harvard, Nov 12, 6pm. This event is co-sponsored with the Native Cultures of the Americas Seminar. Join us if you are in town!