Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

My mémère, Rose Raymond Soares, looking out of a window of her home. This photo is a perfect depiction of her joie de vivre. Uncle Arthur wrote, "She (had) a wonderful sense of humor and she filled many happy days of my life with her own anecdotes and the joyful moments of others...I recall her once saying to me not to worry about things in life...that things always seem difficult in the beginning, but they always end up being trivial in the end."

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

We continue our summer travels with a return to Martha's Vineyard, where, in 1948, a group of members of the Somerset Portuguese-American Civic League traveled for a convention. Here, my Aunt Beatrice digs into a box of popcorn held by her mother, Rose Raymond Soares. The woman to the right is unidentified. I think the dress styles between the two generations is illuminating. Aunt Bea looks very trendy in her cuffed slacks, loafers and movie-star glasses!

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

Let's return to our summer theme with Mémère and Pépère at the beach! This is the earliest photo I have of them together, taken, perhaps in 1924, before they were married. The little boy in the sailor suit is unidentified, as is the location. I love Mémère's big smile!

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

Our summer travels continue...today we have my mémère, Rose Raymond Soares, with her daughter, Beatrice, and Bea's best friend, Connie Quental. They are at the Franklin Park Zoo in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston, circa 1944. Mémère, who had a wonderful sense of humor, is striking a pseudo-serious pose. I love the way she is always wearing a hat and carrying a small purse when in public. I also like the ankle socks on the girls and Connie's quintessential saddle shoes.

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

The summer theme continues...Today I am posting two pictures, because they go together. Here are my mémère and pépère, Rose and Victor Soares, and their daughter, Beatrice, at Horseneck Beach circa 1948. Not sure what's going on with those hats.

Mémère has conked out, and pépère is headed in the same direction. Meanwhile, their friend, Mary Perry, is trying to read the newspaper.

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

My mémère, Rose Raymond Soares, on Cape Cod with her sons, Arthur, left, and Raymond, my dad, circa 1940. Ray was born on this day, July 26, in 1929. I am especially touched by the way he is holding his mother's hand, as he was a self-described hellion as a child and an adult. This was probably taken around Onset (in Wareham). I don't believe the Soares went any further than Falmouth in those days. I was probably 12 when I realized my mental map of the Cape (which ended at Falmouth Heights Beach) was seriously askew. Still, I didn't get to P-town until my friends and I could drive there!

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

Today we return to Martha's Vineyard and the happy group that traveled there in 1948 for a Portuguese-American Civic League convention. I love the period bus in this photo; I can't make out all the lettering on the roof, but it appears to say, "Martha's Vineyard Sightseeing Line." The bungalow in the background suggests to me that this is Oak Bluffs. The man in the forefront is named in other photos as "Mr. Ramos," and I get the sense he had quite the personality. You can see my pépère, Victor Faria Soares, Sr., peering over Mr. Ramos' shoulder; then two down to the right is pépère's brother, Manuel (I think), then Victor's daughter, Beatrice, and wife, Rose (in the hat). In the front row are Manuel's daughters Anna, left, and Marilyn, right.

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

The Soares Family in 1931. From left, Rose, Raymond, Beatrice, Victor Sr. (with Arthur on his lap) and Victor, Jr. As of the 1930 census, the Soares were living at 218 Covel St. in Fall River. Victor's mother, Anna, is listed as head of household. His brother, Manuel, also lived in the house. Victor had begun work as a salesman for the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco), a position he would keep for the rest of his working life. Manuel was a loom fixer in one of Fall River's many cotton mills. Rose and Anna were "at home." This particular census noted whether people had a "radio set;" the Soares did not. Neither did most of their neighbors. Victor and Manuel were naturalized citizens by this point. An interesting note on the census instructs takers to "Distinguish Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State from Northern Ireland." And, indeed, one of their neighbors traced his origins to the Irish Free State.

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

My mémère, Rose Raymond Soares, in front of a city hall somewhere in Québec, sometime in the early 1950s. Rose's parents, Damase Raymond and Celina Trahan Raymond, both emigrated from Québec in the late 1800s. Mémère had told me at one point that we had an "Indian princess" in our family tree. It turns out she was kind of right. Rose was a direct descendent of Marie Olivier Sylvestre Manitouabeouich through her mother. Marie, who was a Huron, is my ninth-degree grandmother. She was not a princess, but she is a big deal in Canada because she was the first native Canadian to marry a French settler, Martin Prévost, in 1644. From my understanding, she is a heroine to the Metis, who trace their ancestry to "First Nations" people and European settlers. In 1982, the Metis were recognized as one of Canada’s aboriginal people. It's entirely possible that Mémère was visiting one of the towns that her parents came from. Maybe she even did a little genealogy!

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

My mémère, Rose Raymond Soares, and her daughter, Bea, reading in the kitchen of the house at 204 Sherman Road, Somerset, Mass. Rose grew up speaking French at home (her parents did not speak English). She learned to speak Portuguese so she could communicate with her mother-in-law, Anna. Mémère had a fourth-grade education. The way she told it, the teacher told her she had passed, and she thought that meant she had finished her schooling. My Uncle Arthur said his mother loved to read the newspaper, especially the crime stories. When I heard that, I knew immediately why "In Cold Blood" has been one of my favorite books since I was 16.

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

Yesterday we saw the men of the family in 1938; today it's the ladies' turn. From left to right, Aunt Alexina, my mémère, Rose Raymond Soares, her daughter, Beatrice, and her sister-in-law, Elizabeth Soares, who is holding her own daughter, Anna. Aunt Alexina was Rose's aunt. She was the sister of my great-grandmother, Celina Trahan Raymond. I did not know anything about her until my Uncle Arthur sent me these photographs. She sounds like an interesting person, and I'll have more to say about her in the future!

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

Today we go back in time to the wedding of Victor Faria Soares and Rose Anna Raymond, my mémère and pépère. They were married on April 27, 1925, at St. Roch's Catholic Church, Pine St., Fall River, Mass. Rose was 18; Victor was 25. Victor's brother Anthony is standing behind him. Rose's father, Damase, is standing behind her. He was born in 1862 in St. Pierre de Sorel, Richelieu, Québec. The bridesmaids are identified as "The Foster Sisters."

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

Another photo of what seems to have been a really fun trip to the Vineyard in 1948! I have no idea who the guy in the middle is, but that's my mémère, Rose Raymond Soares, on the left, and her sister-in-law, Elizabeth Soares, on the right. I think the vinho might have been flowing at this Portuguese-American Civic League convention!

Those were the days: The Soares clan, with friends & neighbors

Vintage photographs from the 1930s and beyond from the family of Victor Faria Soares, Sr. and Rose Raymond Soares of Somerset, Mass., my grandparents. These were digitized by my uncle, Arthur Faria Soares, who also provided me with many stories about my family and his experiences growing up. The children of Rose and Victor Sr. were: Victor Jr., Beatrice, Raymond (my father), and Arthur.

My enforced confinement due to the incredible heat inspired me to work on some old photographs. My late, beloved uncle, Arthur Soares, digitized over 300 images of the Soares family about a decade ago. They date from the 1930s on and are a real treasure-trove. I will be sharing the best in the days to come. Today, I present this delightful scene of my mémère, Rose Raymond Soares, on a trip to Martha's Vineyard. (She is in the center, and being embraced by the guy in the hat.) I have no clues to the identity of most of these people. However, the little girls in front may be cousins Anna and Marilyn Soares; their mother, Elizabeth, may be behind them; and their father, Manuel Faria Soares (my great-uncle) may be to the right of Rose. I just think the expression on Mémère's face is amazing! I thought members of the Soares clan gathered now on MV might enjoy this!