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Name: Jane K. Leary, 32 Acorn St.
Informant: John W. Healey.
Catherine Healey, wife of above.
Frank Healey, son of above.
Subject: The Shoeworker of Lynn
(Description of Informant's character and living conditions)
This informant, his wife and one bachelor son live
in the second story of a three story house or "tenement."
It is located in a section of West Lynn that is mainly a strong-
hold of middleclass Irish folk.
A fair sprinkling of the very old of this section were
born in Ireland; most of those under sixty years of age, how-
ever, were Lynn born of Irish parents.
Aunt Mary was born in northern New York State of native
Irish parents. Her husband was born in Ireland. Al]. of their
children were born in Lynn and the two surviving members of a
family of six children still live there.
Jimmie, the married son lives in "the first floor tene-
ment" of the house. The third floor or "attic tenement" is
rented also.
In Uncle Jimmie's home, as in many other Irish homes in
Lynn, the kitchen is the living roam as well as the room to
eat and cook in. True, there is besides, a dining room, a
parlor and bedrooms, and they are all fitted out comfortably
and a bit showily with a profusion of lamps, dishes in china
The Shoeworker of Lynn
2
closet, pictures, thick nap parlor rug, etc. The kitchen,
however, is the most important room for it has really been
lived in.
It is clean but not immaculate; rather there is a sort
of comfortable disarray about it; magazines here, books there,
and a radio near enough to have the dial reached from an easy
chair.
This daily use of the kitchen for all practical purposes
except sleeping, originated undoubtedly in the days when money
was scarce and the heating of an entire flat a distant luxury.
When it became cold, a family would "shut off" all rooms not
absolutely necessary to use.
A formal caller is, of course, let in through the front
door and taken to the parlor. It would be unheard of, for in
A
stance, to take the parish priest tot he kitchen on the occa-
sion of his annual visit. The ftiend iham the family feels
at ease withlhowever, sits at the kitchen table, sups strong
tea and eats cake always a bit of the best that the house-
hold affords. Usually too, he is not left to return home with-
out a small portion of chili sauce, pepper relish, a glass of
jam or jelly. If a child accompanies him on the call, the lat-
ter will very likely leave with a bag of cookies from Aunt Mary
and a nickle or dime from Uncle Jimmie.
The Shoeworker of Lynn
3
Usu,saly too, the caller brings some small delicacy
to Aunt Mary. The caller believes "one should never go
empty banded" to a house; the hostess, on the other hand,
"must give the house a good name."
Aunt Mary and Uncle Jimmie are meticulously honest.
The money they have was saved week by week through the years.
They have a small income today from rental of that part of
the house which they do not use, and from two garages. They
are very close mouthed about their personal affairs, but prob-
ably remembering how many sacrifices that went into the saving
of their old age nest egg, they now spend it carefully.
They are not, however, "on the tight side," for they are
always doing some small thing for somebody in need. Aunt Mary
usually has an interest in the affairs of SOM over -burdened
mother to whom she will carry things for the children. Fre-
quently, these are clothing that she has fashioned from some-
thing she has in her home.
They are both beloved from on end of the street to the
other.