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.

Here we have my Uncle Arthur and his future wife, Janet Soares, and their niece, Diane Lapointe Caswell, at the beach. I'm guessing 1954? That could be Mémère in the background; in which case, the baby carriage could contain Diane's brother, Choppy. So many questions!

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.

This photo shows my uncle, Victor Faria Soares, Jr., in his confirmation suit. He's with his pesky younger brothers (who can't keep a straight face). My dad, Ray, is on the left; Art is on the right. Since the traditional age for Catholic confirmation was 12, I would place the date at 1938. There are several pictures of Vic in his suit, and no one else is dressed up, so I'm guessing this was a "trial run." I like the fact that Dad is wearing knickers without socks. That is quite the look. This was taken in front of the house at 204 Sherman Road; my pépère, Victor Sr., referred to the porch as the "piazza," which I not only thought was quaint--I was sure it must have been Brazilian! 

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.

My uncle, Arthur Faria Soares (left), with his friends, George Borge and Jimmy Almeida. They are waiting to take the bus to Fall River, circa 1944. Maybe they were going to see a movie at the majestic Durfee Theater. Art described another of the city's theaters, which offered cheap seats, as a scene of bedlam. The Globe "was filled with flying objects, noise and utter chaos. Boys were yelling and screaming at the screen, and tossing the remains of whatever they had finished eating at anyone and everyone, making it impossible to hear the movie." After a second visit, he swore off the place for good.

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.

Here we have Art (left) and Ray Soares, my uncle and father, or as I like to call them as they appear in this photo, "rebels without a cause." This was probably taken around 1943. I believe those Adirondack chairs were handmade. They are iconic within our family lore and show up in a number of photographs. Dad rebuilt them in later years and we had them in our own yard well into the 1980s. Notice how the boys' pants appear to have been let down several times. Also, if you look closely, Art is holding a cat. This photo was taken after my father had broken his nose. He said he ran into a fence; who knows?

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 men and friends following the Hurricane of 1938. On Sept. 21, this Category 3 storm roared through the northeast; 600 people were killed in New England. Forecasts underestimated the strength of the storm, which was occurred during the autumnal equinox and a full moon. My grandfather, Victor F. Soares, Sr. is in the back row on the left. His sons, Raymond (my dad), Arthur and Victor Jr. are left to right in front. Not sure who the neighbors are, but one is named Sweeney!

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.

Before moving to Somerset, the Soares lived on London Street in Fall River. My dad is on the far right; Arthur is next to him; Bea behind Arthur and Vic behind Ray. The other three children are unknown neighborhood friends.