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.

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.

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.

Today I thought I would highlight "The Origin Story;" or such as I know it. This is the family of Manuel Faria Soares, Sr. and Anna Rebello Soares in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, around 1898. We do not know the name of the daughter on the left, but she died in childhood. Anna is holding Victor, my pépère, while Manuel is with Anthony. Anna and Manuel were Azoreans who emigrated to Brazil. They met on the ship, married, and bought a cafe in Rio. This establishment may have been a coffee house, but my father thought it was more of a saloon with rooms for hanky-panky upstairs. Manuel was dead of tuberculosis by 1908; leaving Anna a widow with three sons (Manuel, Jr. was born in 1900). They came to Fall River in 1910. Both my father and Uncle Arthur said they believed Anna had been a schoolteacher in Portugal. Although I have no evidence of that, it's plausible; the house on Sherman Road was filled with books, and everyone in the family loved reading and learning.

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.

Continuing with the theme of "Summer at Home," (we will hit the road again soon), here is my aunt, Beatrice Soares, with her cousins, Anna, left, and Marilyn Soares, and the family dog, Spotty. Anna and Marilyn are the daughters of Manuel Faria Soares, Jr., Pépère's younger brother. This photo was taken at the side entrance of the house, with the kitchen windows seen at the left. I have many photos of Spotty, starting from puppyhood. He accompanied Uncle Art on his paper route, and I will have an anecdote to share about that in the future. Also noteworthy in this photo are the beautiful hydrangeas in the background; the yard was lovingly landscaped by my grandparents.

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.

Today we're back home...here is my pépère, Victor Faria Soares, Sr., working in the garden. Given the size of this plot, I'm guessing this is during the war years, when many families grew "Victory Gardens." Note the grapevine supports in the right background. But today I want to focus on the building in the background, which we called "The Little House." According to my Uncle Arthur, the building had been occupied before the Soares bought the property in 1937. But in the 1940s, it was more of a spare room and storage unit. it contained an old couch, a card table and two shabby chairs. A framed photo of Victor's father, Manuel Faria Soares, Sr., sporting a "majestic mustache" hung on the wall. Some of the more interesting items stashed in The Little House included a Brazilian flag (Victor was born in Rio) and a violin. Uncle Art tried to find out more about the instrument, but never learned much. He suspected Victor had played it at one time, however. The Little House looms large in the Soares family lore, and I will write more about it 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.

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.

Continuing with our summer theme, here is my pépère, Victor Faria Soares, Sr., posing at the entrance of the Ida Lewis Yacht Club in Newport. Idawalley Zorada Lewis-Wilson was a legendary 19th lighthouse keeper at the Lime Rock Light in Newport Harbor. She saved at least 13 people from drowning over her years of service; the first when she was only 12 years old (her father was the official keeper at the time). When told it was unladylike to row a boat, she said, "None--but a donkey, would consider it 'unfeminine' to save lives."

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.

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.

Here is my aunt, Beatrice Soares, in 1944. Her outfit could be that of a "candy-striper," or hospital volunteer. I wonder if she was doing some war-related volunteer work? The struggle on the home front during World War II was very real. Bea's brother, Arthur, wrote a reminiscence of the war years in Somerset for his SHS alumni newsletter: "...On car windshields, stickers graded A, B or C, designated the amount of gas that vehicle could consume. There were little books with coupons for everything: gas, meat, butter, coffee and shoes, plus collections for scrap metal, paper, rubber and cooking fat, items the government wanted conserved to help the war effort. At any given time, long lines in the city markets indicated the availability of rationed items were in short supply."

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!