Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold
Confusing Traffic Signs, May 1
CONFUSING TRAFFIC SIGNS by Marjorie Lyon February 26, 1949 As a small school girl, I was taught to read either from left to right or from top to bottom. Skipping about was not encouraged. … Read more.
Opening Exhibits, April 1
OPENING EXHIBITS, APRIL 1 by Margaret Whitehead The excitement at Blithewold is building as we prepare the Mansion for the season’s opening on April 1st. Floors have been polished, carpets cleaned; paintwork and wallpaper conservation … Read more.
Mauve Evening Dress
Marjorie Van Wickle Lyon’s Evening Dress, 1932 In the thirty years since Marjorie’s pink party dress (shown in the first exhibit case) was fabricated, styles and construction changed considerably. Trains disappeared, and punishing boned … Read more.
Pink Party Dress
Marjorie Van Wickle’s Party Dress, 1903 Marjorie Van Wickle had this party dress made in Vienna when she visited in 1903 as part of her Grand Tour. It was designed and constructed by Drecoll’s, the … Read more.
BRISTOL NEWS, MARCH 1, 1897
BRISTOL NEWS, MARCH 1, 1897 by Margaret Whitehead One hundred and twenty years ago, on March 1, 1897, Marjorie Van Wickle was at the Jekyll Island Club in Brunswick, Georgia, with her parents Augustus and … Read more.
February 1917 – Preparation for War
February 3, 1917, had dawned cold and miserable in Boston. The thermometer hovered around zero and there was a biting wind. It was a day to stay home. Bessie McKee and her companion Estelle Clements … Read more.
Downtime at Blithewold?
The decorations have all been taken down, the Christmas trees are back in the basement, and the rooms at Blithewold look bare and forlorn, with only odd bits of leaves and glitter on the floor … Read more.
Happy Birthday, Augustus
Now that our Christmas and New Year’s celebrations have slipped into the past, we want to pause to honor our founder, Augustus Van Wickle, who was born on January 4, 1856. In January of 1883 … Read more.
A Very Merry Christmas
Blithewold has thrown open its doors for the Christmas season, bringing the excitement of the season to all its visitors. After you have toured the elegantly decorated Mansion, soaking up the festive atmosphere within … Read more.
Arthur Lamora
Arthur Lamora was Marjorie Lyon’s grounds man and chauffeur from around 1950 until she died in 1976. He lived in the north end cottage apartment of the garage complex with his wife, Evelyn. Arthur … Read more.