Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, Mass.

Title

Thomas Winship and Joshua Whittemore (1850 to 1900)

Description

"The period from 1850 to 1900 was an important time in the history of the town. South Reading became Wakefield, the town purchased the gas and electric works to form the Municipal Light Deparment, and the rattan and shoe industries were at their peak, bringing hundreds of new residents into the community. It was during this time of community growth that the Honorable Thomas Winship began his close association with Wakefield. A native of South Reading, (born in 1826), Winship attended local schools and worked as a clerk in the grocery store of Gardner and Hartshorn. He later worked as a bookkeeper in the Boston wholesale grocery store of Richardson & Hartshorn. In 1855 he became associateed with the Blackstone Bank in Boston where he gained his enormous financial knowledge as a paying teller. Upon the death of Lilley Eaton, Mr. Winship was appointed cashier of the National Bank of South Reading and treasurer of the South Reading Mechanical and Agricultural Institution. Considered an authority in finance and business transactions, he was sought after by the townspeople for their financial dealings. Because of this, he was named Treasurer of several organizations including the Citizens' Gas Light Company. He served as a member of the School Committee, a Trustee of the Beebe Town Library for over 20 years, and represented the town in the Legislature in 1876 and 1877 and the Senate in 1881 and 1882. Mr. Winship was an original Corporator of the Wakefield Savings Bank, serving as a member of the Board of Trustees. He was also one of the original stockholders of the Wakefield Water Company. Thomas Winship was also instrumental in changing the town's name to Wakefield and in the dedication of the Town Hall. He was a staunch friend and member of the Richardson Light Guard and an active member of the Masonic fraternity. Because of his involvement in the state Republican party, Winship was known throughout the Commonwealth for being a gentleman of broad intelligence, excellent judgement and sparkling wit. Born in Boston on; Caption: Wakefield Square in 1865 was mainly a residential area.

Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1989

Photo courtesy of the Payro family and Louis Picardi.

Contributor

Institution: Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (Wakefield, Mass.)

D'Onofrio, Jayne M.

Coverage

Massachusetts--Middlesex (county)--Wakefield

Date

1850-1900

Format

image/jpeg

Publisher

[Wakefield, Mass.] : Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department

Subject

Winship, Thomas, 1826-

Whittemore, Joshua, 1814-

Type

still image

Photographs

Original Format

1 picture : b&w

Extent

8 x 15 cm.