Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: History lesson on Gloucester MA for Michael Hunt

This is topic History lesson on Gloucester MA for Michael Hunt in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 02-12-2003, 04:28 PM:

Here you go Michael, you got me started from the posts in the Gun shy on Columbine thread! [Smile]

Well my "Gloucester" best known as being America's oldest seaport is home to the movie, "The Perfect Storm" loosely based on the happenings in 1991 when Hurricane Grace and two powerful storm fronts met and formed what is now known as "The Perfect Storm." Waves ten stories high and winds of 120 miles an hour whipped the sea to inconceivable levels few people on Earth have ever witnessed. That day the six-man crew of the Andrea Gail was lost at sea.

Population 30,273, 47.9 % -Male, 52.1 % -Female. My age group 20-24 holds 4.5 % of the population which is held predominantly by people aged 35-44 years old - 17.4 %. We are a 98.0 % white community holding mostly people of Italian or Portuguese decent, me having a little Italian in me and my husband being completely Italian-American

Home to Cape Pond Ice, over 150 years of quality ice products which is surprisingly a very important part of our history as you could imagine being a fishing town.

The first Universalist Church in America is founded in Gloucester even though we are a mostly Catholic community.

In 1862 Fifteen of the seventy schooners fishing Georges Bank were lost at sea, leaving 70 widows and 140 fatherless children.

In 1879 the worst year in Gloucester history for fisherman and their family’s — 249 fishermen are lost at sea.

"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven."
Psalms 107:23

And that is all for today’s lesson! [Big Grin]

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 02-12-2003, 11:03 PM:

Rachael,

Thank you very much for the very interesting history lesson about Gloucester MA. I saw "THE PERFECT STORM" and was very moved when I saw the tragedy dipicted on the big screen. When I was ten years old in 1949, I saw a movie that featured that famous statue of the seaman in the prologue and epilogue of the 20th Century-Fox movie "DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS" starring Richard Widmark. It has been so long I forgot the basic story of the film and was wondering if it was about one of the other tragic events that happened off the coast of your town involving fishermen that went out to sea.

I envy you for living in one of the most beautiful parts of our country.

-Claude

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 02-13-2003, 12:49 AM:

Nice writeup, Rachel. Don't they keep a tally of all the Gloucestermen (and women) lost at sea over the several centuries?

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 02-13-2003, 02:17 AM:

Claude: I don't believe that movie was based on a true story and I really couldn't find out much about it.

Steve: Yes, they keep a record of every life lost at sea. I don't know the number but it is way too high! [Frown]

If you're interested http://www.downtosea.com has a list of the people lost at sea since 1800, it is very interesting. There is also some local storys , photos, and myths. Good stuff! [Smile]

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 02-13-2003, 04:08 AM:

Interesting. I am a big fan of naval history and fiction. One day I hope to visit Nantucket. I actually read the whole "Moby-Dick".

Posted by Michael Hunt (Member # 772) on 02-13-2003, 11:57 AM:

Cheers for the history lesson Rachel [Big Grin]

Hope all is well in MA

here's a link to the Gloucester UK history site this is an ongoing project being undertaken by our local Museums service

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 02-14-2003, 03:27 AM:

Gloucester, MA still needs a hunchbacked Duke to compete in the PR game.