Category: 18th Century
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The Bells at Old North
Any North End local has become familiar with the tolls of Old North Church’s bells, but few are aware of their history, or the skill and technique that comes with making them sound. The ringing of our bells maintains a legacy that began over 200 years ago, and remains one of the most treasured pieces…
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Of Sailing Ships & Steeples
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Wooden Walls and Waterborne Wealth
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The Occupation of 1768 and the Threat to Boston
Regulars of the British army occupied Boston in 1768 ostensibly to enforce the Townshend Acts, passed the previous year by Parliament, and to protect those Royal officials tasked with the collection of revenue. The occupation presented a multi-faceted set of threats to the order of Bostonians’ lives: the occupiers threatened economic livelihoods, physical safety, social…
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The Messenger | The Mechanicks of Boston and the American Revolution
On New Years Day of 1762 or ’63, young apprentice shoemaker George Robert Twelves Hewes called upon the gentleman John Hancock at his residence. Hewes’s master had instructed him to exchange well wishes for the coming year. Hewes, the man who would be made famous when he was “rediscovered” in the 1830s as being perhaps…
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Keeping Order in the North End: On Patrol with the Night Watch
In July 1765, Constable Isaac Townsend sat quietly at the door of his watch house, listening to sounds of Boston’s North End. Just after twelve PM, Townsend recalled hearing “somthing noisey.” A group of rowdy young men passed, disrupting the stillness of the warm evening. Townsend, moving from his post as sentry, approached the group.…
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Philip Ashton and the Dismal Face of Castaway Survival
Vessels sailing back to Boston harbor from faraway destinations would often sell their cargo at public auctions in 1722, but the return of the Rebecca in June of that year was particularly strange and alarming. The goods aboard the Rebecca were auctioned off under court order, and the return of the ninety ton brigantine brought grim news. The Rebecca had been…
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Examining the History of Drinking Culture on Ships Through Colonial-Era Grog and Madeira
Introduction There is a long tradition of drinking on ships. Drinking alcohol on board became commonplace for a variety of reasons: it was more palatable than algae-filled water or sour beer, it served as a form of entertainment, it was a welcome distraction from plain and heavily salted meal rations, and certain drinks even helped…
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Mercy Otis Warren: The First Lady of the American Revolution
Editor’s Note: In celebration of Women’s History Month, Old North is highlighting influential women in both modern day and historic Massachusetts. This post is a short bio on Mercy Otis Warren, an influential writer and historian of the American Revolution. Mercy Otis Warren was born in Barnstable, Massachusetts to a prominent family on September 28th,…
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Why Was Boston the Athens of America?
Today’s post is the first in a series of editorial “think pieces” touching upon some of the themes that will be explored in further detail over the coming months. When James Franklin feared that his recalcitrant apprentice would runoff, he warned every other printer in town not to hire him. Benjamin Franklin, age 16, had…