Martha's Vineyard Museum
A Finding Aid to the Basil Welch Oral History and Sound Recording Collection, 1966-1982, undated
Table of Contents
Descriptive Summary
| Repository | Martha's Vineyard Museum Gale Huntington Research Library 59 School Street P.O. Box 1310 Edgartown, MA 02539 (508) 627-4441 |
|---|---|
| Call Number | RU 499 |
| Creator - Collector | Welch, Basil, 1924-2011 |
| Title | Basil Welch oral history and sound recording collection |
| Date [inclusive] | 1966-1982, undated |
| Extent | 1 box (0.620 cubic feet) |
| Language | The materials are in English. |
| Abstract | The collection contains audio cassette recordings mostly pertaining to the history of Martha's Vineyard. The audio cassettes were collected by Basil Welch, but the original recordings were created by a variety of sources. |
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions to access.
Use and Reproduction Restrictions
Due to the way in which the materials were collected, some of the materials in this collection have usage restrictions. Requests to reproduce this collection should be directed to museum staff. Reproduction fees may apply.
Preferred Citation
Martha's Vineyard Museum, RU 499, Basil Welch Oral History and Sound Recording Collection.
Acquisition Information
The materials were acquired from Basil Welch, just before his death in 2011.
Custodial History
Many of the recordings in the Basil Welch collection were made from other recordings (i.e., they were copied from either master recordings or other copies). Because a thorough cataloging by the original creators of the recordings does not exist, it is not feasible to differentiate between master recordings and copies of the masters. Nancy Safford and Connie Sanborn appear to be responsible for the bulk of the recordings not made originally by Basil Welch or Stan Lair.
Publication Information
Martha's Vineyard Museum
Gale Huntington Research Library59 School Street
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA 02539
(508) 627-4441
Processing Information
Finding aid prepared and machine-encoded by Nathaniel Janick in October 2014.
Creation of this finding aid was sponsored by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.Alternative Form Available
With the following exceptions, all materials are available in digital form by request:
- Oral history interview with Joseph E. Howes, 1966 (ObjectID 2012.026.034)
- Oral history interview with Norman and Sarah Benson, 1977 (ObjectID 2012.026.052)
- Oral history interview with Jane Brehm, 1976 (ObjectID 2012.026.053)
- Oral history interview with Fannie Jenkinson, Connie Sanborn, and Stan Lair, 1980 June 10 (ObjectID 2012.026.061)
Related Materials
Related Materials
See also, RU 475, Nancy Safford Oral History Collection. Some of the recordings in this collection may be copies of recordings in this collection.
Controlled Access Headings
Genre(s)
- Oral history
Subject(s)
- Martha's Vineyard (Mass.)--History
Biography/Historical Note
Basil Welch was born in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, on April 16, 1924. He grew up in Tisbury and graduated from Tisbury High School in 1942. After graduation, he held a variety of jobs, including jobs with the Tisbury Highway Department, driving an Air Force supply truck in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, the Art Cliff Diner, and the Duke's County Garage. In 1950, he meet Elisabeth J. Hanson, and they married in November 1950. Two daughters were born, Linda in 1952 and Laurie in 1956.
With a young family to provide for, Basil took a job with New England Telephone Company as an installer and repairman, a job he held for the next 32 years, until his retirement. During his years with the phone company, Basil began to take notice of the more remote areas of the island, and he began to photograph up-island outhouses.
His curiosity with the Island's history branched out, and with his friend Stan Lair, he began to develop old glass plate negatives in the 1970's. The two would also begin recording their memories of Martha's Vineyard on audio cassette. During this process, the two began amassing collections of others' recordings as well, copying oral history interviews performed by Nancy Safford, Connie Sanborn, and others.
After retiring, Basil Welch became the superintendent of Abel's Hill Cemetary, where he was buried after his death in 2011.
Scope and Content Note
This collection consists of 115 sound recordings on audio cassette. More descriptive information for particular interviews may exist within the institution's internal catalog. Contact the Martha's Vineyard Museum library staff for more information.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged according to ObjectID number which was assigned by the original order of the cassettes.
Collection Inventory
| Box | ||||
Oral history interview with Carol and Stan Lair, 1978 February 13 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Stan Lair recording about South Main Street, Spring Street, and Center Street houses in the early 1900s, circa 1980 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Stan Lair, 1976 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Stan Lair, 1979 July 10 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Stan Lair recording about houses on William Street in the early 1900s, 1979 May 25 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Stan Lair on Vineyard Haven Main Street, 1979 May 15 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Stan Lair recording about houses from Martha's Vineyard National Bank to the West Chop Loop, 1979 June 18 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Stan Lair for the Oak Bluffs Historical Survey, 1979 May 9 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Stan Lair recording: "We take a ride on the old open air trolley", 1981 June 28 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Unlabeled audio cassette, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Gratia Harrington on Vineyard Haven history, 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Gratia Harrington on Vineyard Haven history, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Gratia Harrington on Vineyard Haven history, 1980 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Gratia Harrington on Vineyard Haven history, 1980 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Stan Lair recording: "People We Know - Tape #1", 1981 Decmeber 21 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Stan Lair recording: "People We Know - Tape #2", 1981 December 30 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Stan Lair recording: "People We Know - Tape #3", 1982 January 4 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Stan Lair recording: "People We Know - Tape #4", 1982 January 7 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Stan Lair recording: "People We Know - Tape #5", 1982 January 13 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Stan Lair recording: "People We Know - Tape #6", 1982 January 19 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Stan Lair recording: "People We Know - Tape #2", 1982 January 22 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Muriel Pease, 1978 February 13 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Sarah Codding, 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Stephen Carey Luce, Jr., 1972 July 2 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Stephen Carey Luce, Jr., 1977 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Stephen Carey Luce, Jr., 1979 July 18 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with David Goulart and Brandon Wight, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Mary Campos, 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Gladys Flanders, 1979 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Henry Beetle Hough, 1978 January 31 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Henry Beetle Hough, 1976 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Roy Goff, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Henry Beetle Hough, 1978 January 11 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Joseph E. Howes, 1966 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Henry P. Smith, 1977 August 5 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Harold "Tinker" Rogers, 1977 August 6 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Ken Murphy and Carol Cronig, 1975 January 27 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Franklin Quincy Brown and Farmer Louis Green, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Hollis Smith, 1981 November 18 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Annie Rogers Kelley, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Mary Ann Flight Alley, 1977 August 5 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Tom Tilton, 1972 May 11 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Edward and Bridget O'Leary, 1977 August 4 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Sound recording of Arnold Fisher and his family at Thanksgiving, 1976 November 25 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Stan Lair, 1980 May 1 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Greke Wikstrand, 1979 November 23 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
WBSM interview with John Farrar, circa 1970 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Sound recording of history radio program, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Sound recording of radio program regarding survivors of the Lusitania, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Roy Goff, 1977 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Mary Swartz and Margaret Amaral, 1977 August | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Norman and Sarah Benson, 1977 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Jane Brehm, 1976 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Owen Rabbitt and Robert Sanborn, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Nellie Vincent and Elizabeth Downs, 1977 August | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Mike Athearn, Willis Gifford, John Mayhew, and Harold Rogers, 1977 February 11 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Sound recording of West Tisbury School Reunion, 1976 September 18 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Sound recording of Basil Welch reading Ruth Low Vineyard Gazette article on the Wesley House, 1979 September 28 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Mrs. Kirkpatrick, 1978 December | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Manuel Phillips and Ernest Duarte, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Fannie Jenkinson, Connie Sanborn, and Stan Lair, 1980 June 10 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Everett Whiting, 1970 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Daniel Manter, 1970 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Donald L. Poole, 1979 December 28 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Joseph Allen, 1976 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Craig Kingsbury, 1977 March 4 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Lambert Knight, 1978 February 7 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Charles Morton Vincent, 1977 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Ralph Look and Stan Lair, 1979 July 4 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Percy Burt, circa 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Leonard Vanderhoop, 1980 February 23 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Leonard Vanderhoop, 1975 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Leonard Vanderhoop, 1980 November 10 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Jesse Jeffers, 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Flossie Jeffers, 1973 May 15 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Milton Jeffers, 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Sarah Codding, 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Marolla Francis, 1977 August | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Marolla Francis, 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Ernest Duarte, 1978 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Ernest Duarte, 1979 September 19 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Norman and Sarah Benson, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Willis Gifford, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with George Magnuson, 1980 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Doris Hough, 1976 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Clara Francis, 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Cyrus S. Norton, 1977 August 5 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Ham Luce, 1978 December 26 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Adelaide Bangs, 1980 July 17 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Captain Phil Norton, 1973 July 31 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Elizabeth Downs, 1977 November 2 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Elizabeth Downs, 1977 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Sarah Codding, 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Walter Flanders, 1976 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Mary Jernegan Willey, 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Sidney Counsell, 1981 August | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Dorothy West, 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Frank Corey, 1977 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Robert Cronig, 1973 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Ruth Peters on the history of West Chop, circa 1977 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Ruth Peters and Babbie Amaral on history of West Chop, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Vesta Mayhew Maury, 1977 August 8 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Jennie Robinson, 1976 August 30 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Sound recording of Rik Tinory album including "On Martha's Vineyard" and "Old Scolley Square", 1976 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Dialect Humor: Irish and Colored Stories and Songs from old 33 records, recorded onto cassette in 1976 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Bruce Morrill on Maine, undated | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Rose and Milton Welch, 1979 May 6 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Sound recording of comedian Marshall Dodge performance at West Tisbury, 1980 October 25 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Sound recording of comedian Marshall Dodge performance on Martha's Vineyard, 1979 November 10 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Rose and Milton Welch, 1979 May 20 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Sound recording of "Squibnocket sounds", 1980 October | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Milton Welch, 1979 December 30 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Sound recording of poetry event, 1980 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Sound recording of Basil Welch poetry, 1979 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||
Oral history interview with Rose and Milton Welch, 1979 April 29 | RU499-OH-Welch | |||