Descendants of Whaling Masters 50th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Meeting

The 50th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Meeting of the Descendants of Whaling Masters will begin with a social hour 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., with a dinner, brief business meeting, and program, The Making of A Window Back, Photography in a Whaling Port following from 6 p.m to 9 p.m. Dinner menu choices are: baked stuffed breast of chicken, baked scrod or Caesar salad with grilled chicken, $50 per person (all inclusive). Guests are welcome, and the public is cordially invited to attend. Please respond by September 1st with payment and menu selections to William H. Potter, Jr.; DWM Treasurer; 194 Main Street; Fairhaven, MA 02719. Checks should be made payable to: “Descendants of Whaling Masters, Inc.” Descendants of Whaling Masters is pleased to welcome Joseph Thomas, a photographer and founder and publisher of Spinner Publications as the guest speaker for this year’s program. Joe will present a slide show featuring archival photographs and will revisit the making of Spinner’s book, A Window Back, Photography in a Whaling Port. A Window Back, published in 1994 and written by Nicolas Whitman, includes vintage photographs and tells the history of photography in the New Bedford area during the city’s whaling era between the years 1845 and 1920. Spinner Publications, Inc., is a community-based nonprofit publishing house in New Bedford, MA. Spinner Publications was founded in 1981 when Donna Huse, a professor at UMass Dartmouth, collaborated with Joseph Thomas, a freelance photographer, to produce a series of publications that would tell the story of immigrants and neighborhoods, of farms and factories, whalers and fishermen. Their shared vision struck a chord in the community and since then Spinner has published over 40 major book titles and numerous small publications, employing hundreds of local artists, writers, photographers, historians and educators. Their mission is to record and promote the history and culture of the cities and towns of southeastern New England. Spinner’s archives boast more that one million historical photos, dating back to 1860. Founded in 1974, DWM’s membership has grown to over 450, who now hail from over 30 states and overseas territories of the United States and who treasure their connection with their whaling heritage. Membership to DWM is no longer limited as it was in the past to direct descendants of whaling masters. In recent years, membership requirements have expanded to include not only masters (captains) but “crew” as well. Under the “crew” category, anyone who can document that a relative served in any capacity on board a whaling vessel is eligible to join and encouraged to contact DWM. Membership categories are descendant, relative, crew, associate, family and contributing. Being a descendant from a whaling captain or crew is not required for a contributing member. This category is open to anyone who is interested in whaling history. Persons interested in membership should contact membership chairman, Christine H. Davis, Chairman; DWM Membership Committee; 53 Alte Ziege Weg; Fredericksburg, TX 78624 .Telephone: 210-763-8772. Visit whalingmasters.org for more information. Helpful links are listed on the DWM website to help you document your ancestor. The whaling industry is a slice of Americana that may go unrecognized unless organizations such as the Descendants of Whaling Masters take steps to educate today’s public about this awe-inspiring and at times turbulent period of early life in America. The Descendants of Whaling Masters is committed to remembering and preserving our important legacy so that this thrilling history will not be lost to future generations. Goals of DWM are to encourage members to preserve and keep safe their whaling artifacts and records; to work on projects which increase understanding of the whaling era’s many aspects; to inform young people of the significance of the whaling period and its impact on world economy; and to enjoy the sharing of common interests. For more information about Descendants of Whaling Masters write to: PO Box 3026, New Bedford MA 02741 or call 508-993-1999 or 508-994-3087.

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Booking: https://go.evvnt.com/2578641-0

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