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Great-Grandmother Delia: 1899

My great-grandmother, Delia Bridget and her baby, Simon, taken in downtown Boston at Loring Studios in 1899. She came over to Boston from Ireland alone when she was about 16 years old.  Just a few years later, she sent a copy of this photo back to her family in Galway to show that she was doing well with her new life in South Boston. Sadly, Delia's 45 year old husband collapsed and died from heatstroke after working on the elevated railroad tracks in Boston, leaving Delia a widow with eight children to raise alone.  She immediately got two jobs in downtown Boston cleaning office buildings and another as a chambermaid at a hotel.  To save the few pennies that train fare would cost, she chose to walk the extremely long walk from South Boston into downtown Boston to her jobs through all kinds of harsh weather.  Most of Delia's children lived long lives and also settled in Boston.  Simon became a longshoreman and then, a merchant marine and drowned at age 40 in the Great Lakes in 1939.  His brother was convinced that it wasn't accidental, as Simon was labor organizer during a particularly violent time. Delia's last residence was a rented apartment over a flower shop on Dorchester Street in South Boston where she enjoyed listening to her favorite radio programs like The Shadow and The Lone Ranger.  My grandmother was by her bedside with her when she passed away at 78 years old; she was buried in a plot by her son, Simon.

My great-grandmother, Delia Bridget and her baby, Simon, taken in downtown Boston at Loring Studios in 1899. She came over to Boston from Ireland alone when she was about 16 years old. Just a few years later, she sent a copy of this photo back to her family in Galway to show that she was doing well with her new life in South Boston. Sadly, Delia's 45 year old husband collapsed and died from heatstroke after working on the elevated railroad tracks in Boston, leaving Delia a widow with eight children to raise alone. She immediately got two jobs in downtown Boston cleaning office buildings and another as a chambermaid at a hotel. To save the few pennies that train fare would cost, she chose to walk the extremely long walk from South Boston into downtown Boston to her jobs through all kinds of harsh weather. Most of Delia's children lived long lives and also settled in Boston. Simon became a longshoreman and then, a merchant marine and drowned at age 40 in the Great Lakes in 1939. His brother was convinced that it wasn't accidental, as Simon was labor organizer during a particularly violent time. Delia's last residence was a rented apartment over a flower shop on Dorchester Street in South Boston where she enjoyed listening to her favorite radio programs like The Shadow and The Lone Ranger. My grandmother was by her bedside with her when she passed away at 78 years old; she was buried in a plot by her son, Simon.

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