38. Fine detail on the Fishermen

 

 

 

An update from Budleigh artist John Washington for Conant 400 group members which will be of special interest both to British Devonians with links to East Budleigh and American residents of Gloucester, Massachusetts. 

John is continuing to work on his painting of the celebrated 1625 scene at Fishermen’s Field. That was when Roger Conant intervened and avoided possible bloodshed in the confrontation between fishermen from England’s West Country, led by John Hewes, and Captain Miles Standish, military adviser to the Plymouth Pilgrims:

‘I thought you might like to see the fishermen who now have their characters more clearly identified in their faces. Also, I’ve brought more detail into Tablet Rock at the back as that is such a well known landmark in the context of the story.

Next on the left hand side of the painting is to work on the hogshead salt barrels to bring them into line with the rest of the painting - more paint, more colour, more depth.’

 

30. Portrait of a Peacemaker

John Washington’s working drawing in preparation for his painting of a famous episode in Roger Conant’s life

I’ve always loved the idea of America as a refuge for the persecuted peoples of the Old World, a place where 18^th century ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity would flourish, and where justice for all was seen as fundamental to society.

So for all admirers of America and what that great country should represent for the world the current news from across the Atlantic is understandably distressing.

I’d like to think that celebrating the life of Roger Conant - a peacemaker from America’s history – may be seen as an antidote to the bad news.

And now, thanks to Budleigh artist John Washington, our East Budleigh-based Conant 400 Group has a wonderful project.

It’s the painting of a famous episode of 1625 in the life of this Massachusetts pioneer who was celebrated for his meticulous honesty, his attitude of tolerance and conciliation, and what has been described as his character of strict integrity and devotion to principle.

This commemorative plaque recording the episode was placed at Tablet Rock in Stage Fort Park. It bears these words: ‘Here in 1625 Gov. Roger Conant by wise diplomacy averted bloodshed between contending factions one led by Myles Standish of Plymouth the other by Capt Hewes. A notable example of arbitration in the beginnings of New England. Placed by the Citizens of Gloucester 1907.’  

John has made the notes below to accompany the drawing:

1. The location is based on current photographic reference of Cape Ann - with today’s lighthouse obviously removed.

2. Conant takes centre stage with a non-aggressive stance, holding a book, not a weapon, and his whole demeanour with an open hand is that of peacemaker.

3. Myles Standish, the diminutive military representative of the Plymouth Pilgrims, known by one of his enemies as ‘Captain Shrimp’, takes an arrogant and aggressive stance against anyone who gets in his way but may be a bit confused by being addressed by an authoritative peacemaker. His soldiers are behind him ready for action if required.

4. The angry and aggressive fishermen and sailors on the left are protecting themselves behind hogshead barrels as historically recorded.

5. In front of them, involved in the negotiations is Capt Hewes representing West Country merchants who had sent the fishermen and sailors intending to take over the bankrupt Dorchester Company’s assets.   

6. The ship at anchor is similar to the Mayflower and could be the Ann although there is no imagery to record what class of ship she was (any information might be helpful).

7. In the background, away from the conflict is a native American who may have been the guide for the meeting. He is not involved and lost in his own thoughts. 

John would love to hear people’s reactions to his drawing. ‘One thing that would be helpful for me is to learn what class of ship the Ann was,’ he says. You may be a member of the Conant 400 Facebook group, a descendant of Roger Conant or just interested in New England’s history. Helpful contributions and suggestions would be most welcome. 

Continued at 
https://conant400.blogspot.com/2020/06/painting-from-history-two-artists-at.html

You can access other posts on this blog by going to the Blog Archive (under the ‘About Me’ section), and clicking on the appropriate heading.

22. Another 400th - Gloucester, MA

The seals of the Massachusetts cities of Salem and Beverly

Salem in Massachusetts is not the only American city which is looking forward to celebrating the 400^th anniversary of its founding in 1626. 

A short distance further north was the Bass River settlement, later to be named Beverly. Roger Conant and his family moved there a few years later, having been succeeded as Governor of Salem by John Endecott, a fellow Devonian. 

Beverly would be his last resting-place when he died at the grand age of 87, and it is the year 1626 which confirms on the city’s seal that it too will be celebrating its quatercentenary in 2026.   

North-east of Salem and Beverly is another community associated with the name of Roger Conant. This is the city of Gloucester, where they are already planning their 400^th anniversary in 2023. In fact a public meeting took place at Gloucester City Hall on 27 April 2019 when local residents were invited to participate and contribute ideas.

Another meeting took place on 24 November later that year at the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church to focus on the community's first century – 1623-1722. The search is on for descendants of the early settlers to assist with the program. Contact Glou400outreach@gmail.com

We are delighted to welcome Gloucester resident Linn Doyle Parisi to the Conant 400 Facebook group 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2603367279712361/, and impressed to learn that it was she who designed the Gloucester 400 logo that you see here. 

I found the story of the logo online:

‘The theme of the quadricentennial is Gloucester: Our People, Our Stories™. And, like the city itself, the Gloucester400 logo has a story of its own. The story begins back in 2013 when Ms. Parisi first began thinking about the city’s big anniversary and discussing it with friends and associates in the community. Like so much of Gloucester’s progress through the centuries, the final logo was the result of the collaboration between Gloucester newcomers and long-time residents alike.

“Before the planning for Gloucester400 began, I had read Gloucester Historical Timeline 1000-1999, by Mary Ray and Sarah Dunlap,” said Ms. Parisi. “Thinking about the waves of immigrants who settled in Gloucester over the centuries intrigued and inspired me. The image stuck with me as the town began to organize for our 400th-anniversary celebration. In my imagination, symbolic waves would be a prominent feature in the logo. I'm not an artist or a graphic designer but my dear friend, Linda Stockman, is. So I asked for her help to make my design come about."

Image credit:  Bobak Ha'Eri

In addition to Ms. Stockman’s help, Ms. Parisi received input from other members of the community who suggested adding an element that would evoke Gloucester’s renowned Fisherman’s Memorial, seen above. 

The resulting picture became her anonymous submission to the logo contest that integrates iconic imagery with a symbolic homage to Gloucester’s diversity and tradition of inclusion.

“My vision for our logo was to honor the generations of immigrants who built our city. The teachers, fishermen, artists, innovators -- all the citizens since 1623 have added their culture to make us who we are,” Ms. Parisi explained. "Each citizen and their family, past and present, owns their spot on Gloucester's 400-year timeline; and each has a story to tell and celebrate. I could not be more pleased that my entry was selected to represent our 400th anniversary.”’

Image credit: https://enduringgloucester.com

In the late summer of 1623, as you can read in detail in Mary Ellen Lepionka’s account here, a small group of fishermen arrived from England in a 50-ton fishing vessel called The Fellowship and proceeded to set up camp on Cape Ann. 

It was here that Roger Conant was asked by the Dorchester Company’s Rev John White to go and supervise the enterprise. And it was here at Cape Ann that his reputation for “wise diplomacy” and, in the words of Beverly historian Alice Lapham, an “attitude of tolerance and conciliation”, was established.

On the gigantic bronze plaque on ‘Table Rock’ you can read how “On this site in 1623 the Dorchester Adventurers founded the nucleus of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the fishing industry. Here Roger Conant averted bloodshed between two factions contending for a fishing stage, a notable example of arbitration in the beginning of New England.” 

Seal of the city of Gloucester 

https://fotw.info 

Modern Gloucester is quite a bit bigger than the village of East Budleigh – over 28,000 population as opposed to around 700. I’ll be reading a lot more about the city, starting with, as usual, the wonderful Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloucester,_Massachusetts    

Our Conant 400 project is based on the theory that Roger Conant landed in the New World in 1623, a date which is widely accepted. 

Hard evidence for that is lacking: however it is known that his brother Christopher sailed to America as a passenger on the Ann. So, in the Conants’ birthplace of East Budleigh we’re sticking with 2023. It sounds like a good year!

You can access other posts on this blog by going to the Blog Archive (under the ‘About Me’ section), and clicking on the appropriate heading.  

 

17. A Tale of Two Museums: how Conant 400 is starting transatlantic conversations

Todd Gray with guests at Fairlynch Museum's preview of the exhibition 'Devon's New World Explorers', 18 April 2019, including, top, Margaret Wilson who designed the exhibition with her husband Mike.  The exhibition will continue during the Museum's 2020 season

Last May, Fairlynch Museum was honoured by a visit from Exeter historian Dr Todd Gray FRHistS, MBE, who had kindly agreed to open the exhibition ‘Devon’s New World Explorers’. Naturally enough the displays included profiles of great Elizabethans like Sir Walter Ralegh and his half-brother Sir Humphrey Gilbert.

Todd Gray cuts the ribbon to open  Fairlynch Museum's 'Devon's New World Explorers; right, in the background is the copy by Budleigh artist John Washington of a 16th century portrait of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, half-brother of Sir Walter Ralegh. The original painting is at Compton Castle, South Devon, home of the Gilbert family. Sir Humphrey's descendant, His Honour Judge Francis Gilbert QC, was one of the guests at the exhibition preview along  with his wife Sarah  

Todd has written and lectured on a wide variety of topics linked to the history of Devon. He seemed a most appropriate person to cut the ribbon at the museum opening, having been brought up in Massachusetts where many New World explorers had landed.

Fast forward a year or so and I found myself learning about more 17^th century New World pioneers and settlers, many of whom had been inspired by East Budleigh-born Sir Walter Ralegh and his efforts to pioneer English-speaking colonies in America in the previous century.

Roger Conant's birthplace: East Budleigh mill house

Frontispiece illustration from 'Upper Canada Sketches' by Thomas Conant  Toronto: William Briggs 1898. The mill house was demolished in the early 20th century 

By coincidence, one of  these – Roger Conant, founder of Salem Massachusetts – was born in East Budleigh a generation or so later. It’s unlikely that they met – but you never know.

Cape Ann   Image credit: Wikipedia

A second coincidence: Todd Gray turns out to be a native of Cape Ann in northeastern Massachusetts, where Conant landed nearly four centuries ago to set up a fishing station.

Todd’s research into aspects of Devon’s history is well known across the Atlantic. 'The Gloucester Times' – that is Gloucester in Massachusetts – reported on 30 November 2018 that he had been awarded the Freedom of the city of Exeter.*

Three of the ancient carved oak bench ends in All Saints' church East Budleigh: (l-r) The ship: did it inspire Sir Walter Ralegh and Roger Conant to cross the oceans?  The vandalised arms of the Ralegh family; A man depicted with a swollen tongue, or is he eating a banana?   

Among other activities Todd Gray directs the West Country Late Medieval Bench Ends project which aims to reduce the unnecessary destruction of this ancient woodwork in historic churches.

This project is the first in-depth study of this collection of carvings on the ends of seats. The region has, with its more than 5,000 bench ends, one of the two great national collections of such woodwork.

Meanwhile, thanks again to the internet, I am also in touch with Mary Ellen Lepionka, a retired publisher and author who lives in East Gloucester, on Cape Ann.    

A trustee of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society, she is studying the history of the Cape from the Ice Age to around 1700 AD for a book on the subject, focusing particularly on Native American history in coastal New England, much of which she says has been lost or suppressed.

Among the records that she had studied were accounts of the abduction of Native Americans by European explorers.

In All Saints church, East Budleigh: the bench end which supposedly shows a Native American Indian. Or is it a Green Man? 

And another coincidence: she knew  that  in “East Budleigh the profile of a Native American was carved into the wooden end cap of one of the pews” although she admitted:  “There is some speculation as to the identity of that individual.”

It turned out that Mary Ellen had met Todd Gray on one of his return visits to his homeland. Seven years ago, on 17 November 2012, he was the guest speaker at Cape Ann Museum. The subject had been ‘Cape Ann Fishermen, the Pilgrims and England in 1623’.

With the approach of Mayflower 400, as today’s American descendants reflect on the troubled times in which their 17^th century ancestors embarked on the Great Puritan Migration England to America, I suspect that Todd will be very busy.    

Here’s a link to a subject on Mary Ellen’s ‘Enduring Gloucester’ blog which was inspired by his talk seven years ago in Cape Ann Museum.

https://enduringgloucester.com/2018/02/14/the-settlement-of-cape-ann-what-is-the-real-story/

Mary Ellen has kindly agreed to contribute forthcoming posts on this blog resulting from her  research into Roger Conant and Cape Ann.

* In passing, a little gripe from me. The news of Exeter UK’s award of the Freedom of the City to Dr Gray was reported in  https://www.gloucestertimes.com › news › english-city-honors-gloucesterman but when I clicked on to the link I received this message:

'451: Unavailable due to legal reasons

We recognize you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)' – “Oh Lord! That ghastly GDPR nonsense again” - 'and therefore access cannot be granted at this time'. 

What the hell is going on? Freedom of thought? This sounds more like the kind of censorship imposed by countries like China. Wake up world! Or is access to such websites going to be one of the few benefits of Brexit?

You can read the UK-published account of the award at https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/featurednews/title_694924_en.html

You can access other posts on this blog by going to the Blog Archive (under the ‘About Me’ section), and clicking on the appropriate heading.