"Lizbits"

  • Lizzie’s Easter bonnet

    April 22, 2011 /

    Although Fall River may not have enjoyed the annual Easter Parade famous to Fifth Avenue, New York, Easter Sunday morning was a grand opportunity for ladies to promenade down the aisle in their new chapeau at church, and later in the many parks in the city.  Hats were de rigeur during Lizzie’s entire lifetime and she no more would have left the house without a hat on, than have left uncorseted.  Hats and gloves were the mark of a lady.  Lizzie even mentions that on August 4th, the day of the murders, when she returned from the barn loft looking for lead to make sinkers, she put her hat down in the diningroom before discovering her father on the sofa.

    Lizzie could easily afford a personal milliner when she moved to Maplecroft.  Mr. Bump, accompanied by his little daughter, would visit Maplecroft with trims and hat forms when Lizzie needed something new and stylish. She may have subscribed to The Delineator to keep up with all the styles.  Fun to think of Lizzie smiling over French ribbon, Italian straw boaters, felt cloches, and boxes of silk flowers and feathers in the comfort of her beautifully-appointed home on the Hill and making her choices for the season’s head adornments.

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  • Today Show visits Second Street

    April 7, 2011 /

    The Borden house is hosting guests from the TODAY show this afternoon.  The filming, which was to have taken place last Wednesday, was postponed until today.  The segment is slated to air sometime in May.  The crew will be filming at the house, with an interview by Barbara Borden Morrissey and will then relocate to the Fall River Historical Society to film case artifacts and to discuss the upcoming Parallel Lives.  The crew picked a beautiful day to be in the city, with high temps and plenty of sunshine.

    MSNBC and NBC reporter Amy Robach is shooting the feature.

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  • Lambie Awards for 2011

    April 7, 2011 /

    The Best Actor Award was a tie this year- for the first time.  Will Clawson and Ray Mitchell, both employees of the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast Museum are also Pear Essential Players and last August 4th, on the anniversary of the murders, took up the roles of Officer Harrington and City Marshal Rufus B. Hilliard.  The Second Street Irregulars (the “Muttoneaters”), award the golden statuette yearly for best performance in a Borden case-related role.

    Will Clawson as the popular and well-beloved Phil Harrington (the man who described Lizzie’s wrapper in such detail and died tragically on his honeymoon the year Lizzie was acquitted)

    Ray Mitchell as City Marshal Rufus Hilliard

    The best actress award this year went to Kristin Pepe for her sympathetic portrayal of long-time Borden friend, and former neighbor, Alice Russell.  Kristin played the role of Bridget Sullivan in 2009 and 2010 was her first time in the role of the lady who saw Lizzie burn the dress in the woodstove and who was the recipient of the exciting news divulged by Lizzie on the night before the murders that “something is going to happen, Father has an enemy. . .” Kristin was also a Lens of Sherlock recipient several years ago when she tracked down Emma Borden’s alma mater, Wheaton Female Seminary. Congratulations, all!

    Kristin (center) with Barbara Morrissey (Emma, on the left) and Lorraine Gregoire (Lizzie on the right) on August 4, 2011.

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  • Reunion of the Second Street Irregulars

    April 4, 2011 /

    The annual banquet for the Second Street Irregulars was held at the Quequechan Club Saturday evening. This year, among the awards given, the first Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to long-time Borden case historian, Ed Thibault of Somerset, Massachusetts.  The original Irregulars joined Ed and his wife Eleanor at the head of the table.  Barbara MacDonald, Deborah Shannon Valentine, Shelley Dziedzic, and Leonard Rebello enjoyed getting the old gang together once more.  Ken Souza was unable to be contacted to round out the original six members. 

     Ed Thibault traces his interest in the Borden case to the age of 14, and has researched and shared his discoveries for many years with local civic groups, schools and visitors to the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast where he and his wife Eleanor have worked for many years.  Congratulations- and thanks, Eddie!

    Ed “assumes the position” one  more time back at the Second St. house.

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  • “Muttoneaters” visit Lizzie’s Dogs

    April 3, 2011 /

    This weekend’s annual gathering of the Second Street Irregulars, “Muttoneaters” included a visit on April 1st to Pine Ridge Animal Shelter to visit the three Boston bull terrier dogs belonging to Lizzie Borden which are buried in the pet cemetery there.   A bouquet was left for Laddie Miller, Royal Nelson and Donald Stuart.

     

    (photo credit:  Barbara Morrissey)

    The weather was sunnier the following day when the group visited the Faxon Shelter on Durfee Street to deliver a basket of puppy and kitten treats and to pose for the shelter newsletter with a few four-legged friends.

    Both Borden sisters left generous cash gifts to the shelter in their wills.  Photographs of the Misses Emma and Lizzie Borden can be seen on the wall at the shelter.  It was a busy day for adopting pets.

     

     

    (photo credit:  Jack Faria)  “Lizzie & Emma Come to Call” Shelley Dziedzic & JoAnne Giovino

    http://www.animalrescueleaguefr.org/  Donate Today!

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  • The Buzz is Global on HBO project

    March 18, 2011 /

    Chances are if you Goggle Lizzie Borden under the “News” heading, you will find several pages of stories on the Chloe Sevigny HBO project for a four hour mini-series, including stories in Polish, French, Russian and Italian!  And if you live in Connecticut, Rhode Island or Massachusetts, tonight at 6 p.m., Channel 10 news jumped on the promotion band wagon.  With all of the very positive buzz and excitement, it is hard to believe Tom Hanks and Playtone would change their mind about producing the four -hour series.  To view the Channel 10 clip, http://www2.turnto10.com/entertainment/2011/mar/17/sevigny-may-play-lizzie-borden-miniseries-ar-426649/

    The casting of Miss Sevigny as Lizzie is spot-on.  She has all the right physical attributes, right down to the mesmerizing and unsettling eyes, and is of the right age to pull it off.  She is also a better-than-good actress.  It will be very interesting to see who will be cast in the major roles.   Maybe Uncle John Morse will be included this time around.

     Due to street noise and the encroachment of modern living, and many other factors, the house on Second Street will not be a likely candidate for the  filming venue.  The 1975 Elizabeth Montgomery attempt did a pretty fair job of recreating Borden house interiors on stage sets. 

    There are very high hopes in Fall River, among the Borden house bed and breakfast employees, and students of the Borden case and Fall River history that this version will get the facts right and do the story justice.  Playtone and Hanks are synonymous with quality productions, so the end result holds very great promise.  It is surprising that it has taken so long to revisit the case and Lizzie Borden as the topic has been building momentum and interest since the Borden house opened for business in 1996.

    The buzz about the upcoming  Fall River Historical Society’s Parallel Lives, detailing Lizzie’s life and Fall River has been the hot topic around Fall River for many months as it promises revelations about Miss Borden which will open a few eyes.  The date of publication has not yet been announced but the long-awaited tome is in final proofing and chances are  it will be published by late Spring.  The nearly thousand -page volume will feature over 500 photographs, including some new views of Lizzie herself, and will disspell some commonly -held notions about her. It will be a must-read for Miss Sevigny and should have some major impact on her characterization of the enigmatic Lizzie. The series will probably have an early 2012 air date according to some sources.

     In any event, Lizzie is bigger now than ever, and the upcoming series will be a boon to the city as well as book sales of Parallel Lives.  It will be a very exciting year ahead.

    http://screenrant.com/hbo-chloe-sevigny-lizzie-borden-miniseries-yman-106311/

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  • Mike Troy’s “Lizzie”

    March 17, 2011 /

    Although living in Somerset, Mike’s  a Fall River local and his folksy-bluesy original songs can be heard in many venues in the area.  The Belmont Club is a favorite haunt.  To hear a sampling of “Lizzie” (lyrics below) and to order Mike’s three CD’s visit his site at http://www.folkmichaeltroy.com/ “Lizzie” is on the Whispers in the Wind CD http://www.folkmichaeltroy.com/cdpage1.htm .  Great tunes- and a phenomenal guitarist!

    Lizzie lyric and music by Mike Troy
    Lizzie waits, a giggling child, in an excited sway.
    They’ve loaded and hitched the wagon,
    For the country summer stay.
    The summer home is a City girl’s Camelot
    It gets hot in the city. It gets hot.

    Abby’s in the parlor with Uncle John and Daddy said
    He’d put the Swansea farm in Abby’s name,
    And Lizzie saw red.
    Was the stone that honed the ax that played the plot,
    It gets hot in the city. It gets hot.

    I’m gonna take the wagon to the Swansea farm
    And spend the day.
    I got supplies, I got fishing line, I got sinkers
    I got a friend of mine.
    We’ll go wading in the Taunton River.
    Daddy gave her everything she’d need
    He went out of his way to give her.
    He crept into her dreams sometimes in the
    Black of night.
    It gets hot in the city. It gets hot.

    Revenge would feed a hungry heart that fatal day.
    Abby went upstairs to make the guest room bed,
    Destined to Pay
    With her life for the love that a poor child never got.
    It gets hot in the city. It gets hot.
    Daddy come home, to her surprise,
    A change in plan.
    Well I got no time for alibis, he’s a suspicious man.
    She took his coat. He took some time to relax.
    She kissed his cheek. Then she gave him the ax.

    I’m gonna take the wagon to the Swansea farm
    And spend the day.
    I got supplies, I got fishing line, I got sinkers
    I got a friend of mine.
    We’ll go wading in the Taunton River.
    Daddy gave her everything she’d need
    He went out of his way to give her.
    He crept into her dreams sometimes in the
    Black of night.
    It gets hot in the city. It gets hot.

    A brutal attack, a maniac, a wild goose chase.
    Gave her time to shadow the mess,
    Hide the ax, burn the dress,
    A poor rich girl who cheated the hangman’s knot.
    It gets hot in the city. It gets hot.

    Lizzie died and the mourners came, too late again.
    The funeral was held the night before
    Under the cover of darkness by black clad men.
    Why again it seemed she escaped the heat,
    She’s in an unmarked grave at her father’s feet.

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  • It’s Official- HBO Mini-Series Greenlighted

    March 14, 2011 /

     

    Chloe Sevigny is Lizzie Borden
    Chloe Sevigny is Lizzie Borden

    “Big Love is set to air its series’ finale next Sunday, and some of the cast is not waiting around to find their next projects. Ginnifer Goodwin is already signed for the ABC fantasy series Once Upon a Time, and now Chloë Sevigny has joined the cast of HBO’s upcoming four-hour miniseries on Lizzie Borden. Sevigny, who has been the driving force behind the project, is set to star as Borden as well as co-executive produce.

    Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman will produce through their joint company Playtone, which also produces Big Love. The story will follow Lizzie Borden’s trial, from which she was acquitted of killing her father and stepmother with a hatchet. Chloë Sevigny will star as Lizzie Borden, as well as co-executive produce.

    Bryce Kass is writing the screenplay. The miniseries will likely air in 2012. ”

    Sources: Deadline

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  • Busy days for Lizzie Borden & Co.

    March 8, 2011 /

     

    The snows did fall and the wind did blow, but the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast had a busy winter and the month of March is jammed- packed with activities too.  The first Murder Mystery Weekend was held over the Valentine’s Day weekend, followed by the Dead of Winter paranormal event with Chris Moon.  The news, posted here earlier, detailing  B&B visitor Chloe Sevigny’s proposed upcoming project of an HBO mini-series about the Borden case filming this summer was icing on the cake.

    Last week, those who work at the house were thrilled to learn the TODAY show will be making a visit the end of the month to shoot a special on the fascination with the case.  The timing could not have been better for the release of the eagerly-awaited Parallel Lives from the Fall River Historical Society.  The authors will also be appearing on the morning televison special segment.  The Second Street Irregulars will be descending on the 31st for a jammed-packed 3 days at the house and on the road, with some special guests and stops along the way. It looks like 2011 will be another banner year for Lizzie & Co.

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  • Lizzie Borden’s Servants

    February 19, 2011 /

    Cropped images courtesy of Ancestry.com, click on image to enlarge.

    1900– Annie Smith, aged 29 born in Massachusetts, parents from Ireland

    John H. Tatro (Tetrault) 37  coachman, born in Rhode Island

     

     

    1910:  Housekeeper Mary S. Boucher aged 35 born in New Jersey , Mary A.J. Reynolds aged 32, English

    1920  Helen Smith aged 36 born in Scotland, came to America in 1909, Ellen “Nellie Miller” aged 30, English, came to America in 1891

    Nellie Miller and Hannah Nelson remembered in the names of Lizzie’s Boston Bull Terriers

    Who was Donald Stuart?  Another mystery.

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  • Debut of cover art for Parallel Lives

    February 16, 2011 /

    Today the Fall River Historical Society has released the working cover art for its long-awaited volume, Parallel Lives, a history of Lizzie Borden’s Fall River.  The cover features an expanded view of the famous “pansy brooch” portrait of Lizzie, with her dress tinted in a rich shade of burgundy and was designed by Charles S. Medeiros of Burnt Toast Graphics.  It is a rare treat to see colorized photographs of the well-known black and white images so familiar to students of the Borden case.  The rich hue used for the dust jacket is one which perfectly reflects Victoriana.  Lizzie truly comes to life. The photograph in black and white featured in the background is of the wedding day of the William Lawton Slade Braytons, June 18, 1913.

    For all the latest on publication date, follow the historical society online at  http://www.lizzieborden.org/ParallelLives.html  and on Facebook.  The volume is currently in final revision with a publication date soon to come- and not a minute too soon for the many eager enthusiasts and historians who are eager for the new photographs of the Bordens and more than 500 photographs in all.  

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