Boston, Massachusetts. Boston Seaman’s Friend Society. Records, 1827-1973
Records, 1827-1973
RG 0776
6 linear feet
Restrictions: Permission needed to publish
Deposited by the Seaman's Friend Society, January 1988
Processed September 1993 by Barbara Austen
Introduction
The Boston Seaman's Friend Society, founded in 1827, continues its mission today to minister to the physical, social, and religious needs of sailors. It operates two "bethels," one in Boston and one in Vineyard Haven, Mass. The records of the organization were deposited at the Congregational Library on permanent loan on January 8, 1988.
Scope and Content Note
The records of the Boston Seaman's Friend society consist primarily of minutes of executive committee and annual , semi-annual, and special meetings dating from 1827-1961. The later volumes, which were removed from three-ring binders for preservation, are called clerk's records. In addition to minutes, these volumes also contain some correspondence, meeting announcements, and financial reports. They are arranged chronologically in Series A. Volumes are noted as such. Folders are numbered without noting “Folder.”
Series B consists of printed annual reports, 1849-1863, and a collection of financial, secretary's and committee reports, 1940-1951. The latter materials were removed from a binder for preservation.
Publications of the Society constitute Series C. Two copies of the One Hundredth Anniversary edition of the newsletter Sea Breeze, (1927) and bound copies of the bulletin, dating from 1888-1973, are arranged chronologically.
Series D consists of scrapbooks created between 1895 and 1958. The contents include newspaper clippings, and brochures, programs, and other material published by the Society. Loose clippings and papers the last four volumes were removed, and the clipping photocopied on alkaline paper.
All five volumes are available on microfilm, and researchers should use these copies rather than the originals, due to the latter's fragility.
The final series in this collection encompasses a selection of printing plates used in the publication of Sea Breeze. The majority are identified and include some notation as to when they were published.
Box List
| Box 1 | ||
| Series A. Minutes, 1827-1961 | ||
| Volume 1. 1827-1851 | ||
| Folder 1. Letter, 1844 | ||
| Volume 2. 1851-1895 | ||
| Folder 2. Items removed from volume 2 (page dated May 29, 1888) | ||
| Volume 3. 1896-1908 | ||
| Folder 3. Items removed from volume 3 (inside front cover) | ||
| Box 2 | ||
| Volume 4. 1908-1922 | ||
| Folder 4. Items removed from volume 4 | ||
| Folder 5. Minutes, announcements, 1919-1931 | ||
| Folder 6. Loose minutes, correspondence, 1851-1860 (gaps), 1925-1927 | ||
| Box 3 | ||
| Folder 7. Minutes, financial reports, announcements, correspondence, 1926-1940 | ||
| Folder 8. Clerk's record book, 1932-1947 | ||
| Box 4 | ||
| Folder 9. Clerk's records, 1947-1954 | ||
| Folder 10. Minutes, financial reports, 1954-1961 | ||
| Series B. Reports, 1849-1863, 1940-1951 | ||
| Volume 1. Annual reports, 1849-1863 | ||
| Folder 1. Financial, committee and secretary's reports, 1940~1951 | ||
| Box 5 | ||
| Series C. Publications, 1888~1973 | ||
| Volume 1. One Hundredth Anniversary, 1827-1927 (2 copies) | ||
| Volume 2. Sea Breeze, 1888-1897; February 1893, 1897-1904 1904-1911 | ||
| Folder 1. Sea Breeze, February 1893 | ||
| Volume 3. Sea Breeze, 1897-1904 | ||
| Volume 4. Sea Breeze, 1904-1911 | ||
| Box 6 | ||
| Volume 5. Sea Breeze, 1911-1918 | ||
| Volume 6. Sea Breeze, 1918-1927 | ||
| Volume 7. Sea Breeze, 1927-1936 | ||
| bound volumes | ||
| Volume 8. Sea Breeze, 1946-1955 | ||
| Volume 9. Sea Breeze, 1956-1961 | ||
| Volume 10. Sea Breeze, 1962-1967 | ||
| Volume 11. Sea Breeze, 1968-1973 | ||
| Box 7 | ||
| Series D. Scrapbooks, 1895-1958 | ||
| Volume 1. 1895-1916 | ||
| Box 8 | ||
| Volume 2. 1856, 1915-1953 | ||
| Volume 3. 1949-1958 | ||
| Box 9 | ||
| Volume 4. 1903-1904, 1941-1951 | ||
| Volume 5. 1904-1906, 1926-1951 | ||
| Boxes 10 & 11 | ||
| Series E. Printing Plates, 1926-1955 | ||
