Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine

Subject: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: SINSULL
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 11:02 AM

I am hoping to find some history and songs specifically from this mill. I found "Lewiston Factory Girl" in the DT.

Thanks,
SINS

Subject: RE: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 12:25 PM

You've probably already seen these neat old photos?

Subject: RE: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: SINSULL
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 01:59 PM

Yes, thanks kat. A friend of mine is working for a Lewiston Museum devoted to Work and Industry. They are planning an event in August and hope to have music. There are lots of songs about textile mills but I have found only one specifically about the Bates Mill in Lewiston. I hoped someone here could point me in the right direction.

Subject: RE: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 04:16 PM

Nice project. I could only suggest more generic mill songs.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: SINSULL
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 08:49 AM

My thoughts too, Charley. I am also trying to get some history of the local mills, disasters in the work place, child labor, union activities, etc. to tie the songs to the mill.

Subject: RE: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: curmudgeon
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 10:22 AM

Good luck on your quest, Mary. If you check the   DT Study,, you will ind that this song probably originated in Lowell, and later moved to Maine.

The biggest difficulty in finding such songs lies in the fact that nobody ever tried to collect them when they were most current. Collectors, following the lead of Child and Sharpe, were mainly seeking ballads and ballad remnants. No one imagined that working class folk could produce songs of any value. I do have a friwnd here in NH who is attempting to collect what industrial songs she can, but I have no idea how she's progressing.

Your best approach might be to look at whatever journals, letters, diaries and newspapers the museum(s) have, and look for verses that might be songs. But if you find any from Lewiston, there's a good chance that they'll be in French.

But do keep us apprised of your progress - Tom

Subject: RE: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 04:50 PM

I was on an educational research study there years ago...learned to never call them French Canadians but Franco-Americans... I would approach this from the Fre..Franco-American side of things as much as possible...mg

Subject: RE: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: Barry Finn
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 09:28 PM

Mary, would you be interested in grandmother songs from the "Bate's Motel"?

Barry

Subject: RE: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: SINSULL
Date: 03 Jul 08 - 07:57 AM

Barry! Cellar!

Unless you really have the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: Severn
Date: 03 Jul 08 - 08:15 AM

Do you REALLY want to put him in THEIR cellar? Talk about Barry-ed alive!

Is the light still swinging in the cellar at Bates', Mr. Finn?

Was that "Live Bate" sign outside the motel office just a misspelling? Or are the only perkins confined to the office coffee pot?

Well. Barry?

Barry?

BARRY?!........

Subject: RE: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: Barry Finn
Date: 03 Jul 08 - 11:12 AM

Sorry, Barry's rented a room in the cellar.

Me

Subject: RE: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 03 Jul 08 - 07:48 PM

Mary, have you read "Emmeline" by Judith Rossner? Based on a true story of a young Maine girl who worked in the mills in Lowell, MA.

Plot

Julia Lane has more mill songs from the area.

Linn

Subject: RE: Bates Mill - Lewiston, Maine
From: SINSULL
Date: 04 Jul 08 - 11:00 AM

Oh Good God. I would usually add "What a crock!" were it not for the true story of a brother and sister separated at birth who married, had children and then discovered...all on the national news.