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1934-1964 Pair of Manuscript Minute Books Representing 24 Years of a Boston-Area Women’s Church Charity Organization’s Activities, Members, Finances and Social Engagements
1934-1964 Pair of Manuscript Minute Books Representing 24 Years of a Boston-Area Women’s Church Charity Organization’s Activities, Members, Finances and Social Engagements
1934-1964 Pair of Manuscript Minute Books Representing 24 Years of a Boston-Area Women’s Church Charity Organization’s Activities, Members, Finances and Social Engagements

1934-1964 Pair of Manuscript Minute Books Representing 24 Years of a Boston-Area Women’s Church Charity Organization’s Activities, Members, Finances and Social Engagements

11169
Tax included.

On offer is a pair of club meeting minutes covering a total of 24 years of the Ever Ready Guild, a women’s charity club that was initiated in 1928 at the East Weymouth Congregational Church in Weymouth, Massachusetts, 15 miles south of Boston. 

These minute books cover the periods of 1934-1944 and 1950-1964. Newspaper records between the 1930s-1960s show that, as well as the Weymouth guild, there were Ever Ready Guilds operating out of churches in Ohio, Illinois, Maine, Indiana, Delaware, Nebraska and Pennsylvania. In the 1936-1937 Annual Report, Guild secretary Katherine Wright discusses their general activities: “...to promote the spiritual and social life of the young women of the church, most of our members are active in the Sunday School and the Choir, we donate to the basket at Christmas time, which Mr. Newton distributes, also the Red Cross, the Pilgrim association, we contribute our time to the LSU and also to the fair and we pledge $125 to our Church which we earn in various ways…” [Dec, 1936].

These minute books provide a remarkable look into the impressive structure and organization of a 100% women-led, long-running charitable club.The record-keeping is impeccable with each meeting being recorded in intimate detail and the names of members, the executive officers, their activities and finances being meticulously kept. The guild’s activities represent a ‘deep dive’ into the social fabric of the time from the interactions among guild members to the many locations they would visit and how they would allocate their funds. From a genealogy perspective, these books include the names and addresses of hundreds of Weymouth and area women born in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

Each meeting’s minutes are long and detailed, so excerpts only give a general sense of the type of content:

“...Treasurer reported a balance of $39.84. Ethel Sylvester reported on new members. Ruth Newton reported that the Norwegian Glee Club would not be available until fall. Louise Williams reported that $40.60 was realized on the rummage sale. The president asked that a note of thanks be sent to Mr. Reidy who kindly allowed us the use of his vacant store. The sewing for the hospital was turned in to Helen Tirrell and she gave out dish towels to be hemmed” [May 14, 1940]. 

“...Motions made and seconded the Guild pay $1.20 for a square in the Social Union quilt. Plans for the Xmas party to be held Dec 28…Each member to bring a 10 cent gift also a gift for our mystery palls to the Christmas party…” [Nov 23, 1943].

“...Thelma Chalmers informed us that the Lincoln Ensemble Choir from Brockton would be at our church…This is a colored choir and very well worth hearing. It was decided to have a miscellaneous sale on Feb 14th at the home of Ruth Burrill, each member to bring two articles to the value of 50 cents…Berdice Gibson was welcomed as a member of the Guild…” [Jan 21, 1956]. 

As mentioned, there are hundreds of women’s names recorded in these books representing members over the years. Some members seem to have been “lifers”, active in the guild from 1934 through the 1960s. A tiny sampling of the many women referenced include: S. Evelyn Lindquist (1896-1977), Ebba Wise (1898-1984), Cora Shores (1906-1969), Mollie Wrin (1903-1995), Marion Fulton (1907-1998), Katherine Wright (1897-1971), Maud Averill (1903-1987), Gladys Robinson (1902-1978), Hazel Haley (1904-1982), Doris Briggs (1905-1995), Olive Briggs (1900-1989), Winnifred Blanchard (1917-1989), Meredith Murch (1917-1980), Beryl Wentworth (1903-1983) among many others. 

This pair of manuscripts would be an excellent addition to a collection related to the Boston area, Christian charities, women’s social clubs or women in leadership positions. It would be an exceedingly handy tool for one interested in Massachusetts genealogy or history in general. 

The books measure 10.5x8 inches and 9.5x8 inches respectively. They are both in overall good condition with normal age wear, particularly with a peeling and cracking spine on the earlier book. Pages are all in tact. Both books are about 95% complete. The 1934-1944 book contains nearly 298 pages of manuscript minutes, members lists and financial recordings, while the 1950-1964 book contains nearly 295 pages of the same. Overall G+.

Please don't hesitate to contact us for more information or to request photos. (Kindly include the SKU, listed on this page above the price, in your e-mail so we can more easily answer your questions.)

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