Spirits of Tudor Hall

An Awkward Moment

2012-01-06T09:46:00.003-05:00

As a boy, Edwin accompanied his father, Junius Brutus Booth, on his grueling acting tours in order to help his father make it onto stage when the curtain opened, and keep him from strong drink after the curtain fell for the night. Some of the situations Junius subjected his young son to at this time were comical.

In The Prince of Players—Edwin Booth by Eleanor Ruggles, is one such situation:

Edwin protected his father from intrusions. In Boston at the Albion, a dingy public house over an apothecary’s on the north corner of Beacon and Tremont streets, he was resting in their room when his father dashed in, whispered hoarsely, “Gould! Coming up! Say I’m out!” and dived under the bed.

Thomas Gould was a Boston sculptor. He worshiped Booth, of whom he had done a fine bust, but Booth thought him tiresome. Now Gould seemed astonished not to find his idol, whom he had seen sprinting upstairs. He and Edwin talked lamely until there fell a pause, which Booth misinterpreted.

“Is that damned bore gone yet?” he sang out from under the bed.

Happy Birthday to Junius Brutus Booth Jr.!

2011-12-22T12:18:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to Junius Brutus Booth, Jr., born today in 1821 (December 22, 1821 – September 16, 1883.

As a member of the illustrious Booth family of actors, Junius Brutus Booth, Jr. was overshadowed not only by his father Junius, Sr. and brothers Edwin and John Wilkes, but by his wife Agnes, who was a successful actress in her own right.

Booth managed the Boston Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Winter Garden Theatre, and Booth's Theatre where his brother Edwin was the star attraction. Though a relatively undistinguished actor, Junius, Jr. was highly regarded for his performances as King John and Cassius in Julius Caesar, which he performed with Edwin as Brutus and John Wilkes as Mark Antony in 1864.[1]

Junius Brutus Booth, Jr., himself was briefly imprisoned in Washington, DC, after his brother assassinated Abraham Lincoln. At the time of the assassination, he was fulfilling an acting engagement in Cincinnati, Ohio. Even so, he was arrested and hurried by train to the Old Capitol Prison.

The Question of Edwin Booth's Birthday

2011-12-20T11:02:00.005-05:00

Edwin Booth wasn’t sure of the exact date of his birth at the property of Tudor Hall. His mother and older brother Junius, Jr. disagree on the day he was born. In a letter to his daughter, Edwina, dated November 14, 1869 describes his dilemma:

My Own Daughter,
Your dear letter with the pretty book-mark (“I love you”) came safely last night, just in time. It seems there is some doubt as to the exact date of my arrival here. Grandma says I was born on the night of the great “star shower” in 1883, and insists that it was November 15; but Uncle June says he remembers well—both my birth and the “Star Shower” occurred on November 13, 1833. So you see, I do not know which is the day—for, although I was there, I was too young to pay attention to such weighty matters, and can’t remember much about it. However, your little present, which I shall always cherish, my darling, came in good season for either day…

Here’s what history says about the shower: The night of November 12-13, 1833, not only marks the discovery of the Leonid meteor shower, but it marks the actual birth of meteor astronomy. During the hours following sunset on November 12, some astronomers noted an unusual number of meteors in the sky, but it was the early morning hours of the 13th that left the greatest impression on the people of eastern North America. During the 4 hours which preceded dawn, the skies were lit up by meteors.

Edwin was also born with a caul (a membrane covering the head at birth). In the servants quarters, the wise old African Americans cackled delightedly. Consulting the lore of their African ancestors, they peered into the child’s future and predicted that because of his caul he would be lucky and “gifted to see sperrits.” It appears his brother Junius was right about the date.

Make Plans To Visit Tudor Hall

2011-12-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

The historic Tudor Hall is a fascinating piece of our nation's history. When you visit, you'll connect to the story of the Maryland Booths who left their mark on America forever. You'll walk where they walked, lived, played, worked and dreamed. When you visit, it makes this part of history come alive.

The property and first floor floor of Tudor Hall will be open to visitors at 1:00 & 2:00 PM on the following dates in 2012:
April 15 & 29, May 6 & 20, June 10 & 24, July 8 & 22, Aug. 12 & 26, Sept. 9 & 23, Oct. 14 & 28. Suggested donation of $3.00 for those age 13 and older. The gift shop includes books which delve into the absorbing history of the Booths. For more information: 443-619-0008 or SpiritsOfTudorHall@gmail.com

Join The Junius B. Booth Society

2011-12-01T14:43:00.000-05:00

The story of the Maryland Booths and Tudor Hall is a fascinating piece of our nation's history and the Junius B. Booth Society has an active part in keeping this chapter of history alive. The Society was incorporated in Maryland in 2006 to educate the public and historians in the history of the Booth family and Tudor Hall, and developed and maintains the tour guide program at Tudor Hall in order to open the house for public tours on a regular basis.

If you are interested in this part of our history; please join us. When you join the JBBS, not only do you receive our newsletter, but you support the education of the public in: the theatrical arts; the Booth family history; the story of Tudor Hall; other Booth family historical sites located in Harford County; the history of owners, slaves, farmers, craftsmen and others connected to the Tudor Hall farm; Booth related literary works. The Society also supports the restoration and preservation of Tudor Hall and other Booth related buildings located in Harford County, MD.

Join us in this exciting endeavor and help keep history alive. For more information and to join go to: http://juniusbooth.org/

The Edwin Booth Company Presents…

2011-11-28T14:01:00.004-05:00

The world premiere of “The Edwin Booth Company Presents…” will take place at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Greenhill Center of the Arts on Nov. 29.

Junior Jacob Lesh will play the lead.

“It is so exciting to originate a character,” Lesh said. “Not a lot of actors our age have that privilege. Even a lot of professional actors go their whole life without ever originating a character. The script is getting a lot of national attention, and we haven’t even performed it yet. It’s beyond words to say how incredible this whole experience is.”

Lesh stars as Edwin Booth, the lesser-known brother of the infamous John Wilkes Booth.

“Edwin Booth was known for being a fantastic actor,” Lesh said. “He’s credited as being the first actor to really bring forth naturalism onto the stage. He comes from this time period where there’s all this presentational acting, and he just kind of said, ‘Let’s throw that out the window and let’s do this natural form of acting instead.’”

Lesh did comprehensive research with the writer and director of the play, Whitewater Lecturer Angela Iannone, to try and better understand Booth.

“He really has a lot of credit to his name, but himself as a person, he’s a little more meek and shy,” Lesh said. “He really can’t express himself without use of the plays he’s in because he doesn’t know how to talk. Angela and I did extensive research and this is literally the guy who’s at the cast parties sitting in the corner all by himself because he can’t talk to other people. He’s just that nervous in social interactions.”

When asked to describe the play, Lesh had trouble summing it up in just a few words.

“Basically it’s about a man who is trying to fight to win the love of his life back while also dealing with his own self inflictions,” Lesh said. “He’s haunted by the memory of his lost father and is stressed over trying to make money for his company.”

The show may focus on Booth, but, as the title implies, his acting company plays a major role as well.

“It’s about his company members trying to put on this play and trying to be successful,” Lesh said. “When the leading lady falls ill, the only person who can take her place is Edwin Booth’s past love, Mary Devlin.”

Junior Ally Ruge plays Devlin, the strong willed female lead, opposite Booth.

Devlin is about 17 when this play takes place and she’s a love struck teenage.

“She’s very passionate in her views and wants to remain an actress, but Edwin wants her to give up that life because he doesn’t want to have to compete with her when they’re married,” Ruge said. “She’s very headstrong about her beliefs and part of the play is dealing with those issues between her and Edwin.”

Both Ruge and Lesh, along with the rest of the cast, have been rehearsing six days a week for the last month to ensure the play is tuned to perfection.

“I have a really good feeling that all of this hard work is going to pay off,” Lesh said. “I really think people are going to have a new perspective on the name of Booth.”

It hasn’t been all smooth sailing, but Lesh and company are giving it their all.

“It is a little bit difficult because we have a director who is also a professional actress,” Lesh said. “Angela is really good at what she does and she’s been working on this play for about three and a half years now. We don’t get her every day because she has to work from Wednesday to Friday. When she’s there on Monday and Tuesday, it’s extensive. We’ll be running things over and over again. There’s a lot of beautiful language in this play and it’s really important that we get every single word correct.”

The “Edwin Booth Company Presents…” opens at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 29 and runs until Dec. 3 at the Barnett Theatre in the Center of the Arts.

Additional information can be found on the Department’s website at http://www.uww.edu/cac/theatre/.

Article link:http://royalpurplenews.com/?p=4610

The Civil War Era Fashion Show at Tudor Hall

2011-09-13T21:26:00.026-04:00

It was a great day to step back in time and enjoy the Civil War Era Fashion Show. Even though the threat of rain persuaded everyone to move inside, it did not hinder the enjoyment of the 41 guests, 9 models and 5 volunteers on 9-11-11.

Eight members of the The Civil War Dance & Arts Society did a beautiful job modeling. The presentation showcased: ladies and children in day dresses and formal wear; gentlemen in civilian clothing , formal wear, Union and Confederate uniforms. This delighted the multi-generational audience and sparked curiosity and a lot of thoughtful questions. The program concluded with a presentation of an extensive photo display and beautiful ladies jewelry.

The guests were then given a tour of Tudor Hall and learned about the history of the Booth family as well as Tudor Hall. It was an afternoon of fun, history, and a step back in time.

Why Visit Tudor Hall?

2011-07-26T14:00:00.000-04:00

When you visit Tudor Hall, you're not just visiting the grand cottage named Tudor Hall—you're visiting a great American story that couldn't be made up in fiction. It's a story of intrigue, exceptional talent, sexual indiscretions, hidden secrets, triumphs and tragedies that changed the national landscape, both for the good and bad.

It's the story of an extraordinarily unique dysfunctional family. It's the story of a complex actor who came to America to avoid problems and became the greatest actor of his generation. It's about the eldest son who struggled financially his whole life and managed theatres. It's the story about the intricate inner workings that led two brothers along opposite paths during the time of America's greatest upheaval; one brother, whose allegiance was with the North, a supporter of Abraham Lincoln and became the foremost actor of his time; the other whose allegiance was with the South to the point of obsession, struggled as an actor and assassinated the President. It's about a sister who needed to be taken care of her whole life. It's about another sister who dedicated her life defending her family's name. It's about a younger brother who had no interest in the family theatrical tradition and became a physician. It is the story of a wife and mother who did everything she could to protect and take care of her family against all odds. It's the story of the Maryland Booths who left their mark on America forever. It's this absorbing story you'll encounter when you visit Tudor Hall. Help keep history alive.

Life Around Tudor Hall

2011-06-28T20:45:00.000-04:00

John Wilkes Booth wrote a letter to his friend T. William O'Laughlen on June 18, 1855, describing his activities near Tudor Hall. I find it fascinating—it's a snapshot of the times, social life, and mindset of John as a teenager while living at Tudor Hall. I found this letter in Right or Wrong, God Judge Me—The Writings of John Wilkes Booth, edited by John Rhodehamel and Louise Taper.

My Dear Friend,
I have been so taken up with pastimes and various amusements that I can scarcely find time to sleep, and it is something new to me, being a very late riser[...] The first week in June I was taken up by a Fair [...] I spent more time than money on it [...] for I was there night and day and you must not think I was blowing when I say I cut quite a dash. I saw pretty girls home from the Fair at ten o'clock at night, some at a distance of four or five miles [...] I have visited the Travelers home, or home sweet home [...] The day after tomorrow I am invited to a strawberry eating and I promise you I will do my duty, and from then until teusday I will do nothing but gun, ride, and sleep and eat [...] Then comes the grand affair. A Pick nick party to be held on the rocks of Deer crick. Thirty-seven coupples to attend [...] it is also an old saying that a Lawyer can lie like the Devil. I think they are like the devil also in making women content. The devil tempted mother Eve with an apple. I dont know wether Lawyers use apples or no, but they all tempt the ladies [...] for they have the means of revenge. hurah. I have wrote a long letter at last. try to answer it with one having as meny words and I am satisfied. My Dear fellow I would finish this paper but my pen is so d—n bad, and by not writing for so long a time, I have forgotten how, but I will try and add I am your Faithful Friend, J. Wilkes Booth.

Kevin Bacon's Booths Drama Project At Showtime Taps Writer

2011-06-23T01:49:00.002-04:00

In September 2008, Kevin Bacon set up at Showtime The Booths, a drama about Abraham Lincoln's assassin John Wilkes Booth and his brother. Three years and a regime change at the pay cable network later, there is movement on the project. Oscar-nominated writer Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia) has been tapped to write the potential series, which Bacon is still executive producing.

The Booths focuses on Confederate Booth and his brothers, Edwin and Junius Brutus Jr., and chronicles their years leading up to the April 14, 1865 assassination of Lincoln at Ford's Theatre. The brothers, sons of British Shakespearean actor Junius Brutus Booth and Mary Ann Holmes, were all stage performers. In addition to The Booths, Bacon also is executive producing a single-camera comedy at HBO based on Clint McCown's book The Member-Guest with an eye to star. Nyswaner most recently co-wrote with Phil Dorling the feature comedy Predisposed, which is now filming with Jesse Eisenberg and Tracy Morgan starring and Dorling directing.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/06/kevin-bacons-booths-drama-project-at-showtime-taps-writer/

The Birth of Tudor Hall

2011-06-16T12:53:00.018-04:00

All but two of the Booth children were born in the log cabin nestled in the Maryland countryside which eventually became Tudor Hall. Let's go back to the beginning of how this grand residence came to be. I'll let someone who was there tell the story. The Booth family chronicler Asia Booth Clarke described the Booth home in her memoir The Elder and the Younger Booth, published in 1882:

In the summer of 1822, while the yellow-fever was raging in Baltimore, Mr. Booth purchased a farm twenty-five miles from that city, lying in Harford County, Maryland. This place became his constant resort when free from the excitement of his profession, and was the birthplace of his children. It was always known as "The Farm," but was in reality a dense forest, called the "Big Woods," which served as a free hunting-ground on moonlight nights when the whole place was rendered musical by the baying of the hounds and the call of sportsman....The rough coach road to the farm was made picturesque and delightful in the summer by the massive trees which arched it....From the road a crooked, narrow pathway wound to the Booth dwelling....This was a log-cabin, plastered and whitewashed on the exterior; the small square window-frames, and broad, plain shutters....painted red. Four rooms besides the loft, the kitchen, and the Old Dominion chimney, made a picturesque and comfortable abode, standing in a clearing encompassed by huge oak, black walnut, beech, and tulip trees.

The cabin in its primal state, unpainted and unplastered, had been removed to its present locality across several fields. This proceeding caused great wonderment among the villagers, as every available man, ox, and horse had been effected on account of a spring of delicious water which Mr. booth had discovered under the thickest trees.

What a great description! When I visit Tudor Hall, I look around the property and picture in my mind the great undertaking of moving the cabin—wow. Shortly before his death, Junius Brutus Booth began building the gothic revival house named Tudor Hall. At the time, the Booth family also had a town house in Baltimore where they usually spent the winter. The town house no longer exists. We're very fortunate to be able to visit this great piece of history called Tudor Hall today. If you have not visited it, I encourage you to do so. It brings history alive.

Edwin Booth: Such heart-breaking loveliness

2011-06-15T14:51:00.003-04:00

After the famous actor Edwin Booth's death, he was buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts (the rest of his family, including his infamous brother, were buried in Baltimore). Poet Thomas Bailey Aldrich served as a pallbearer for the funeral, and wrote of the experience to fellow writer William Winter on June 12, 1893.

Just as Edwin was laid in the grave, among the fragrant pine-boughs which lined it, and softened its cruelty, the sun went down. I never saw anything of such heart-breaking loveliness as this scene. There in the tender afterglow two or three hundred men and women stood silent with bowed heads. A single bird, in a nest hidden somewhere near by twittered from time to time. The soft June air, blowing across the upland, brought with it the scent of syringa blossoms from the slope below. Overhead and among the trees the twilight was gathering. "Good night, sweet Prince!" I said, under my breath.

Aldrich admitted in his account of the experience that he would have fell to the grass-covered ground and cried — "if there had not been a crowd of people."

Two years earlier, a new portrait of Booth was put on display. Aldrich was moved enough by the image to write a poem about it:

That face which no man ever saw
And from his memory banished quite,
With eyes in which are Hamlet's awe
And Cardinal Richelieu's subtle light
Looks from this frame. A master's hand
Has set the master-player here,
In the fair temple that he planned
Not for himself. To us most dear
This image of him!" It was thus
He looked; such pallor touched his cheek;
With that same grace he greeted us —
Nay, 't is the man, could it but speak!"
Sad words that shall be said some day —
Far fall the day! O cruel Time,
Whose breath sweeps mortal things away,
Spare long this image of his prime,
That others standing in the place
Where, save as ghosts, we come no more,
May know what sweet majestic face
The gentle Prince of Players wore!

The Voice Of Edwin Booth

2011-06-01T17:57:00.018-04:00

Edwin Booth was the son of the famous tragedian who built Tudor Hall—Junius Brutus Booth. Junius, not wanting his children to follow in his profession, eventually anointed Edwin to carry the torch of his theatrical legacy, as it became evident that Edwin inherited his father's talent.

I don't know about you, but when I visit Tudor Hall—in my mind I picture the Booth family and the great groundbreaking changes they made to American theatre. I'd love to travel back in time, sit in the audience and experience their powerful performances. To me, the Booths are the first family of American theatre. What did they sound like? What kind of accents did they have?

To our great fortune, there is an actual wax cylinder recording of Edwin Booth that exists. Edwin, who became the foremost actor of the 19th century and is said to be the greatest Hamlet of all time, recorded some speeches in 1890 at the establishment he founded—The Players Club in New York City.

The recording is scratchy and hard to hear, but it is Edwin's voice. You can get a feel of what he sounded like. What a treasure. You can listen to this recording of Edwin reading Othello by clicking this link: http://www.archive.org/details/OthelloByEdwinBooth1890 When you get to the site, the audio is to the upper right. Enjoy.

A Sister's Memory

2011-06-01T12:29:00.009-04:00

The next time you visit Tudor Hall, take a look around the property. Asia Booth—who named the grand cottage Tudor Hall—had many adventures with her brother John Wilkes there. I'll let Asia tell you about one of them. In her book John Wilkes Booth: A Sister's Memoir, Asia wrote:

In the woods he (John) would throw himself face downward and nestle his nose close into the earth, taking long sniffs of the "earth's healthy breath," he called it. He declared this process of inhaling wholesome odors and rich scents delightful, but could never induce me to try. He called it "burrowing," and he loved to nibble at sweet roots and twigs, so that I called him a rabbit. He was ardently fond of outdoor life, but was never a sportsman nor an angler. He was a lover of botany and geology, and many of the specimens in my now limited collection are of his obtaining and selection. He was very tender of flowers, and of insects and butterflies. Lightning bugs he considered as " bearers of sacred torches," and would go out of his way to avoid injuring them. He once, after nights of endeavor, caught a katy-did just to show me what the little nuisance was like. I wanted it eagerly for my collection.

"No you don't, you bloodthirsty female," he said, putting the creature in his breast. "Katy shall be free to sing tonight out in the sycamores." Then kissing the small thing, he said, "Oh you small devil. How you can banish sleep, quiet, and good temper! Katy, you fiend, how many nights you have kept me awake cursing your existence!" With that he walked over to the trees, and laid the little night brawler safely among the leaves, to tune her pipes for night once more.

I love this story of brother and sister. As they were playing on the property of Tudor Hall, you can hear John already developing his dramatic flair. Great stuff!

Tudor Hall Featured in "Nite Lite Photo Of The Day" - May 31, 2011

2011-05-31T23:20:00.010-04:00

Tudor Hall was featured on "Nite Lite Photo Of The Day" section of Fran Lane 101.9 Lite Fm's (adult contemporary radio station in Baltimore, MD) website on May 31, 2011. A Big Thanks!

Click on the image below to read article.

Changes Coming to Spirits of Tudor Hall and the Junius B. Booth Society

2011-05-27T19:46:00.005-04:00

Effective June 1, 2011, Dinah Faber will resign as Coordinator for Spirits of Tudor Hall and President of the Junius B. Booth Society due to ill health. Dinah has been working with our Spirits volunteers to make her departure as seamless as possible. (Easier said than done!) Dinah wishes to thank the very capable Spirits of Tudor Hall volunteers who make it possible for Tudor Hall to be open to the public on a regular basis.

The Junius B. Booth Society and Spirits of Tudor Hall will work more closely than ever in the months ahead, and one of their main priorities will be to oversee the blending of the two entities into one. The Junius B. Booth Society will continue to operate as a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization and to recruit and train volunteers both far and near to work in support of the JBBS in general. Spirits of Tudor Hall will continue to recruit and train volunteers both locally and across the country and beyond (made possible by the digital age) to work in support of our activities at Tudor Hall, including opening this historic home to the public on a regular basis.

Current JBBS Board and Key Spirits of Tudor Hall Volunteers
As of June 1, 2011:

Mike Brown, President JBBS & Spirits of Tudor Hall Tour Guide

Jill Redding, Vice President JBBS & Volunteer Coordinator Spirits of Tudor Hall

Kim Edwards, Co-Treasurer JBBS & Reservations Manager Spirits of Tudor Hall

Elwin Penski, Founder, Secretary, and Co-Treasurer JBBS

Kris Thomson, Lead Tour Guide & Spirits of Tudor Hall Representative to the JBBS board

Tom Fink, Editor, Booth History Spotlight and Blog Master, Spirits of Tudor Hall Blog

Visit Tudor Hall in 2011

2011-05-20T14:31:00.003-04:00

Spirits of Tudor Hall invites you to visit the first floor of Tudor Hall located at 17 Tudor Lane, Bel Air, Maryland, 21015. The house will be open to visitors on the following Sunday afternoons at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. As space is limited, please contact us ahead of time if you plan to bring a large group. There is no charge to visit Tudor Hall, but there's a suggested donation of $3.00 for those age 13 and above.

For more information, please phone 443-619-0008 or send an email to: SpiritsOfTudorHall@gmail.com.

June 5 and 26; July 10 and 24; Aug. 7 and 21; Sept. 11 and 25; Oct. 9 and 23

What To Expect When You Visit Tudor Hall

While housing developments have steadily invaded the neighborhood surrounding Tudor Hall, the grounds still magically retain much of their rural charm and are generally open to the public from dawn to dusk every day of the year. Due to limited paved parking, finding a dry place to park can be difficult when the grounds are wet and muddy due to heavy rains or melting snow. Please avoid parking on the grass when the grounds are wet as your vehicle may become seriously stuck and assistance freeing your vehicle may not be readily available.

At the current time, the office of the Harford County Cultural Arts Board is located on the first floor. The other rooms on the first floor are used as meeting space and are furnished accordingly. The offices of the Center for the Arts occupy all the rooms on the second floor. As a result, visitors are not invited upstairs. The Cultural Arts Board is dedicated to encouraging the arts in Harford County in a variety of ways. The Center for the Arts is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a home for the arts in Harford County.

Tudor Hall has not been restored and is not furnished with period furniture. Spirits of Tudor Hall guides wear modern clothing rather than period clothing. However, volunteers in Civil War era reproduction clothing are occasionally present.

The guides provide an overview of the entire Booth family, including Junius Brutus Booth Sr., his wife Mary Ann, and their children Junius Jr., Rosalie, Edwin, Asia, John Wilkes, and Joseph. In addition, a brief history of the Booth farm and Tudor Hall is presented. Some limited information about the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth is included. However, the primary goal is to inform visitors about the history of the entire Booth family and Tudor Hall. This information will help visitors place John Wilkes within the context of his family and the rural/small town community where he was born and spent much of his childhood.

We're looking forward to welcoming you to Tudor Hall!
See you there!

Tudor Hall and the Booths in Aegis, April 13, 2011

2011-04-13T13:14:00.001-04:00

An article entitled "Civil War Divides Harford" by Bryna Zumer appears on the front page of the April 13, 2011, edition of the Aegis (newspaper published in Harford County, Maryland). Dinah Faber, Coordinator of Spirits of Tudor Hall, is quoted speaking about Tudor Hall and the Booth family under the heading "Ambivalent History" on page A6 of the article. To read part one of the article, please use the link below.

http://www.exploreharford.com/news/8641/harford-divided-civil-war/

The Conspirator Opens in Theatres April 15, 2011

2011-04-13T12:49:00.004-04:00

The tragic story of the trial and execution of Mary Surratt is told in The Conspirator, a feature film premiering nation-wide on April 15, 2011. Mary Surratt was implicated in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln for which she and her family paid a heavy price. The film was directed by Robert Redford. Robin Wright heads the cast which also includes James McEvoy, Evan Rachel Wood, Alexis Bledel, and Kevin Kline. Redford consulted the staff of the Surratt House Museum in Clinton, Maryland, while making the film.

The fate of Mary Surratt illustrates that although John Wilkes Booth targeted only one man, there were actually many victims of his crime. While those who had supported Lincoln and the Union were plunged into grief, Lincoln's own family never fully recovered from the violent death of the husband and father who had provided a counterweight to his wife's unstable personality. Mary Lincoln was obviously thrown even more off balance by the death of her husband.

The young couple who accompanied the Lincolns to Ford's Theatre, Henry Rathbone and his future wife Clara, seem to have been "cursed" by the assassination, and their relationship ended tragically when Rathbone killed Clara and spent the rest of his life in an asylum as a result. Their children obviously suffered greatly due to the mental instability of their father and the tragic death of their mother at their own father's hands.

While the families of the victims of a crime are often recognized, the families of those who perpetrate those crimes are often overlooked. This does not mean, however, that their lives are not affected and their hearts are not broken. The Conspirator reminds us of that and in many ways is a "horror" film that depicts what can happen to individuals and families affected by criminal acts in one way or another.

Link to The Conspirator website: http://www.conspiratorthemovie.com/?source=gaw&gclid=CM-S4an5magCFQNx5Qod2SsxNg

John Wilkes Booth's brother, Edwin, anguished over the senseless act committed by his brother, expressed his sorrow in an open letter to the citizens of the United States. It read:

New York, April 20, 1865
To the people of the United States.
My fellow citizens:

When a nation is overwhelmed with sorrow by a great public calamity, the mention of private grief would under ordinary circumstances be an intrusion, but under those by which I am surrounded, I feel sure that a word from me will not be so regarded by you.
It has pleased God to lay at the door of my afflicted family the life-blood of our great, good and martyred President. Prostrated to the very earth by this dreadful event, I am yet but too sensible that other mourners fill the land. To them, to you, one and all go forth our deep, unutterable sympathy; our abhorrence and detestation of this most foul and atrocious of crimes.
For my mother and sister, for my two remaining brothers and my own poor self, there is nothing to be said except that we are thus placed without any agency of our own. For our loyalty as dutiful, though humble, citizens, as well as for our consistent, and as we had some reason to believe, successful, efforts to elevate our name, personally and professionally, we appeal to the record of the past. For our present position we are not responsible. For the future --alas! I shall struggle on, in my retirement, with a heavy heart, an oppressed memory and a wounded name --dreadful burdens -- to my welcome grave.

Your afflicted friend,
Edwin Booth

http://www.aboutfamouspeople.com/article1008.html

David Fried's North and South Exhibition at Slayton House in Columbia, Maryland, Feb. 10 to March 12, 2011

2011-01-14T11:02:00.008-05:00

An exhibition of paintings by David Fried will take place February 10 to March 12, 2011, at Slayton House, 10400 Cross Fox Lane, Wild Lake Village Green, Columbia, Maryland. The title of the exhibition is "North and South" and the paintings are all related to the American Civil War. The exhibition includes portraits of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis as well as a new portrait of John Wilkes Booth.

Over the past few years, Mr. Fried has generously donated oil portraits of Junius B. Booth Sr, Mary Ann Holmes Booth, Edwin Booth, and John Wilkes Booth to Harford County for display at Tudor Hall. Mr. Fried also donated a pen and ink sketch and a watercolor of Tudor Hall, which are also displayed at the Booth's historic home which was purchased by Harford County in 2006.

Spirits of Tudor Hall Invites You to Join Us in the Adventure and Romance at Tudor Hall

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Ever since we first organized in 2008, Spirits of Tudor Hall has been in the business of taking something old (Tudor Hall) and creating something new (our tours and our growing sense of team spirit). Not only do we work hard but we have fun as we work together to explore and share the history of Tudor Hall and the Booth family.

There are no membership requirements or dues at the current time beyond providing active support in whatever way suits you best. However, we do encourage our volunteers to consider purchasing a membership in at least one of the organizations that support Spirits of Tudor Hall. Memberships are available in the Center for the Arts, the Historical Society of Harford County, and the Junius B. Booth Society. For more information about becoming a member of these organizations, please contact spirits-of-tudor-hall@msn.com.

If you enjoy “pitching in” and using your skills and knowledge to make things happen, Tudor Hall just might be the place for you. A few of the “jobs” currently available are described below. Take a look at the list. If you don't find anything that fits your skills and interests, feel free to write and contact us with your own job description.

If you wish to volunteer, please contact us with information about your skills, experience, and qualifications and explain how you can put them to work on behalf of Tudor Hall.

For more information, contact Dinah Faber at spirits-of-tudor-hall@msn.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

Storytellers

Spirits of Tudor Hall invites anyone with a talent for storytelling to audition to bring to life the story of Tudor Hall and those who have lived there while guiding visitors through the house.

Anyone interested in auditioning should contact Spirits of Tudor Hall for more information, including an application form and guidelines for submitting a brief resume and preparing for an audition.

Actors and Reenactors of Historic “Characters”

The primary goal of Spirits of Tudor Hall is to insure that visitors enjoy visiting Tudor Hall and learning more about the history of the house and the Booth family. A visit to Tudor Hall should not only be educational but entertaining as well.

With that in mind, Spirits of Tudor Hall invites anyone with acting or reenacting experience to audition for the role of any one of several historic figures associated with Tudor Hall for the purpose of welcoming visitors and taking them on a tour of the house while “in character.”

The roles available include any and all the members of the Booth family, Ella Harward Kyle Mahoney who lived at Tudor Hall for nearly 70 years, and any and all members of the Joseph and Ann Hall family (an African American family associated with Tudor Hall from the 1820s into the early 1900s).

Those who successfully complete the audition process will receive assistance in researching the historical character they have chosen to depict and creating a “conversational” script for that character. Once a character and script have been developed and proficiency in depicting the character has been demonstrated, assistance will be provided in choosing, designing, and funding an historically correct costume.

Anyone interested in auditioning should contact Spirits of Tudor Hall for more information, including an application form and guidelines for submitting a brief resume and preparing for an audition.

Speech and Drama Coaches

Our "performers" would benefit from the advice of an experienced speech and/or drama coach who enjoys working with those who are new to the "theatre." If that describes you, we would be delighted to include you in our team. Please contact us with details about your experience and qualifications.

Script and Story Writers

While some of our actors, reenactors, and storytellers may create their own scripts, others may ask for assistance in developing a script or storyline. Anyone with a talent for drafting storylines and writing dialogue is invited to contact Spirits of Tudor Hall for an application form and guidelines for presenting a brief resume and samples of their writing.

History Buffs to Provide Research Assistance

It is important that all information presented to visitors at Tudor Hall be as accurate and complete as possible. While some of our actors, reeenactors, storytellers, and speakers may prefer to do their own research and fact checking, others may appreciate assistance. Anyone with experience researching historic people, places, and events, is invited to contact Spirits of Tudor Hall for an application form and guidelines for presenting a brief resume and examples of successful research projects.

Oral Historians

There are many people in the community who have been associated with Tudor Hall over the years. It is important to collect and record the memories of these individuals. If you enjoy interviewing and photographing people and/or if you are skilled with a tape recorder or video camera and would like to help capture the oral history of Tudor Hall, please let us know.

Stage and Set Managers

There is always a certain amount of "set up" and "break down" required before and after the tours at Tudor Hall. This ranges from raising the flag in the front yard to setting up chairs on the front porch to distributing materials for visitors to pick up throughout the house and then "undoing" it all when the tours are over. If you would like to help us "open" and "close" the house and help keep things working like a well oiled machine in between, this job just might be for you.

Gift Shop

In January, February, and March 2011, our gift shop committee will meet to develop and take action on ways to transform our gift shop in time for the first tours in April. Anyone with retail experience is invited to contact Spirits of Tudor Hall for more information about participating in the gift shop committee.

Tudor Hall Speakers Bureau

To meet requests from community organizations and schools, Spirits of Tudor Hall needs people with a talent for public speaking to tell the story of Tudor Hall at local meetings and events and in local classrooms.

Actors, reenactors, and storytellers with experience at Tudor Hall may be interested in participating in community outreach of this kind.

Experienced PowerPoint Designer/Developer

Of course, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and a PowerPoint “slide show” would enhance any presentation about Tudor Hall in a classroom or meeting hall. Anyone with experience creating successful PowerPoint presentations is invited to contact Spirits of Tudor Hall about the possibility of developing a PowerPoint presentation for use by members of our Speakers Bureau.

Website Designer

While our blog continues to work well for us, we would like to explore moving on to a full-fledged website if we can find an experienced website designer to help ease the process. Spirits of Tudor Hall would be thrilled to welcome a trained and experienced website designer to our team of volunteers.

Online Publicity Hounds

We’re looking for a dedicated and reliable individuals who:

are familiar with one or more aspects of local media, including newspapers (the Aegis and its associated publication The Weekender are especially important), websites, radio, and/or television

have online computer skills

enjoy giving attention to details

thrive on seeing their hard work rewarded by increased attendance at tours and events at Tudor Hall.

Old-Fashioned Publicity Hounds

Attracting visitors to our tours is one of the most important and satisfying tasks we face. It is also one of the most time consuming and challenging. Therefore, in 2011 we are creating a publicity committee to divide and conquer a number of publicity related "jobs."

Even though we live in an electronic age, there is still a need to reach people the old-fashioned way through printed fliers, posters, and letters sent via snail mail.

We’re looking for people who:

can design attention grabbing printed materials, including fliers that advertise our tours

plan and execute an effective distribution plan for printed materials

occasionally print letters, stuff envelopes, and deliver these materials for mailing to the post office

Social Networking Fans

While Spirits of Tudor Hall has a successful and popular Facebook page in place, we would certainly welcome assistance in making it more effective, lively, and engaging.

Our fledgling Twitter page is in need of someone who enjoys and "gets" Twitter to help our Twitter page spread its wings and fly!

If you have experience creating and managing a successful online Facebook or Twitter page (especially for a business or organization), Spirits of Tudor Hall would certainly welcome your advice and assistance in improving and managing our Facebook and/or Twitter pages or setting up new pages on other popular social networking sites.

Photographers

Digital photographs of activities and the change of seasons at Tudor Hall are always needed for the Spirits of Tudor Hall blog and Facebook page. If you have a knack for taking high quality photos and would like to use your experience and talent to capture Tudor Hall in digital images, please email us samples of your work.

Party People

Last but certainly not least. Refreshments are served at many meetings or events sponsored by Spirits of Tudor Hall including some tours, and “foodies” who enjoy preparing and serving food and beverages are very welcome and much appreciated at Tudor Hall.

If you've come to the end of the list and still haven't found a job description that fits your interests and skills, then scroll down the page for the "post" with the title "Going Wild at Tudor Hall." There you'll find a list of volunteer activities for people who enjoy spending time outdoors.

More Volunteer Opportunities: Going Wild at Tudor Hall

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Bird Watchers: We would be delighted to find volunteers with an interest in bird watching to visit the grounds at Tudor Hall on a regular basis throughout the year to identify and record the wild birds they observe and to create a brochure that will tell visitors what birds they might expect to see at Tudor Hall during the four seasons of the year. While some volunteers might be able to only devote a month or two to the project, others might be able to follow through for an entire year. Please let us know if you agree Tudor Hall is “for the birds.”

Wildflower Enthusiasts: Even though the grounds at Tudor Hall, including the spacious lawns, receive maintenance on a regular basis from the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation, there are a number of wildflowers that grow and blossom from the spring through the fall at Tudor Hall. We would welcome volunteers to identify and record the numerous varieties of wildflowers at Tudor Hall with the eventual goal of creating a brochure that will tell visitors what wildflowers they might see at Tudor Hall during the spring, summer, and autumn months.

Wildlife Observers: Despite the development that has steadily closed in on Tudor Hall, there are still a number of wild animals who frequently visit the property or make it their home. Getting a glimpse of the deer, foxes, snakes, frogs, and other animals that live in the area and recording their presence and activities would require patience and luck on the part of a volunteer.

Entomologists: A wide variety of insects are active at Tudor Hall throughout the year but especially in the spring, summer, and fall. If you have an interest in insects and would like to prepare information to share with visitors about them, please let us know. However, remember that Junius Brutus Booth Sr. declared Tudor Hall a “no kill” zone even when it came to lowly flies.

Tree Huggers: Over the years, Tudor Hall has been known for the wide variety of large, mature trees that have graced the grounds since the house was built. In fact, while the foundation for Tudor Hall was being built, Junius Brutus Booth Sr. insisted that the black locust trees growing near the building site should not be cut down. Not only are we looking for volunteers to identify and inventory the various kinds of trees and shrubs growing at Tudor Hall today, but we would like like to find a volunteer to create a map showing the location of each of the trees. Our eventual goal is to create a brochure or booklet that will tell visitors which trees they will see when they visit Tudor Hall.

Return of the Big Woods: The neighborhood where Tudor Hall is located was once the home of the “Big Woods.” Carefully planned reforestation of some of the grounds at Tudor Hall would not only reduce the expense to Harford County of maintaining the grounds but would be good for the environment. Researching and writing a proposed reforestation plan for Tudor Hall would be a good science project for a high school student or Eagle Scout.

Wildlife and Nature Photographers: It goes without saying that good quality photos of the birds, wildflowers, trees, and seasons at Tudor Hall would be very useful in creating printed materials and slide or PowerPoint presentation

Mapmakers: Many visitors to Tudor Hall ask where the boundaries of the original Booth farm were located. If you have a knack for creating accurate maps and enjoy working with land records from an earlier time, we would certainly welcome your help in creating accurate maps of the Tudor Hall property as it has evolved through the years and as it exists today.

Archeology Students or Professionals: The grounds at Tudor Hall would be an exciting place to conduct archeological explorations. However, careful, thoughtful, and extensive planning is required. Such planning would take a great deal of research and coordination among a variety individuals and organizations all of which would be very time consuming. Volunteers with training and experience in the field of archeology who are willing to make a substantial commitment of time and energy would be most welcome in helping create a viable plan for eventual review and consideration by the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation.

Contact spirits-of-tudor-hall@msn.com for more info on any and all volunteer opportunities.

Volunteer Harford Features Junius B. Booth Society and Mike Brown in the Aegis, December 29, 2010, Pg. A3

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In September 2010, Volunteer Harford, a division of the Harford County Department of Community Services, chose the Junius B. Booth Society, Inc., as one of 33 local non-profit organizations to highlight in its Volunteer Harford Top 33 Picks program. The result is that the Mike Brown, vice-president of the Junius B. Booth Society and one of our most popular tour guides at Tudor Hall, was featured in a 1/4 page "ad" that appeared in the Aegis on Wednesday, December 29, 2010, on page A3. Congratulations to the Junius B. Booth Society and Mike Brown for being chosen for such an honor!

For a more readable version of the following copy of the ad, left click twice on the image below and then left click again to "magnify" the image even further. Click somewhere outside the borders of the ad to get rid of the blue highlights.

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Look For Us on Facebook and Twitter

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Look for Spirits of Tudor Hall
on Facebook and Twitter.

Other Ways to Stay Connected to Spirits of Tudor Hall

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If you would like to receive an email announcing the 2011 tours and other events at Tudor Hall, please contact us at: SpiritsOfTudorHall@gmail.com, and we'll add you to our emailing list.

You can also receive updates by snail mail by becoming a member of the Junius B. Booth Society, Inc. Members of the society receive a newsletter which is published six times a year and snail mailed to all members. For more information, please visit the society's web site at: www.JuniusBooth.org

Nora Titone at Tudor Hall, October 22, 2010

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Nora Titone visited Tudor Hall to speak about
My Thoughts Be Bloody:

The Bitter Rivalry Between Edwin and John Wilkes Booth
that Led to an American Tragedy.

An estimated 60 people came to Tudor Hall on Friday, October 22, 2010, to hear Nora Titone talk about her new non-fiction book just published by Freedom Press, a division of Simon and Schuster. Requests for reservations were so brisk, Ms. Titone agreed to speak twice (at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.), filling the parlor at Tudor Hall to capacity for both the early and late "show."

Ms. Titone is a dynamic and enthusiastic speaker who kept everyone listening closely as she described the rivalry between Edwin Booth and his younger brother John Wilkes for dominance of the American stage in the mid 1860s and how this rivalry led John Wilkes to upstage Edwin in a very tragic way that changed the course of the nation.

For more information about the book and an interview with Ms. Titone, please scroll down the page.

Nora Titone enjoyed greeting visitors to Tudor Hall and signing copies of her book for them.

Online Review of Nora Titone's Appearance at Tudor Hall

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To read a review of Nora Titone's appearance at Tudor Hall on Friday, October 22, 2010, to discuss her new non-fiction book My Thoughts Be Bloody, please click on the link below:

The Old Line

An Interview with Nora Titone About Her New Book My Thoughts Be Bloody

2010-09-29T17:17:00.012-04:00

On Friday, October 22, 2010, Nora Titone visited Tudor Hall to talk about her new book My Thoughts Be Bloody: The Bitter Rivalry Between Edwin and John Wilkes Booth That Led to an American Tragedy, In anticipation of Ms. Titone's visit, Dinah Faber asked the following questions, which Ms. Titone graciously answered at some length.

Please see post below for more information about My Thoughts Be Bloody and Ms. Titone's appearance at Tudor Hall.

How did you first become interested in the story of the Booth family?

I first read Edwin Booth’s name in an 1864 diary kept by Fanny Seward, daughter of William H. Seward, Lincoln’s Secretary of State. Edwin came to Washington in 1864 to give command performances of Shakespeare for the President during celebrations of the third anniversary of his inaugural. Lincoln, along with members of his Cabinet and the Diplomatic Corps, attended six gala performances by Edwin Booth; Secretary Seward even hosted a private dinner for the star the night he played “Hamlet.” Fanny recorded every detail of Booth’s visit to her family’s house. The magnitude of Edwin Booth’s fame—and the epic achievements of his actor father, British star Junius Brutus Booth—prompted me to ask what role these family members had played in the life of John Wilkes Booth. When I began the project, I knew very little about the Booth family.

What did you learn during the course of your research that surprised you?

So many things were startling and revealing. But to name a few, I loved discovering that John Wilkes's father, Junius, had been an associate and disciple of the scandalous British poet Lord Byron, and a longtime drinking partner of Texas hero Sam Houston. I was fascinated to learn that Edwin Booth and Laura Keene, the actress on stage the night Lincoln died, had previously shared a romantic relationship, followed later by an acrimonious copyright battle in the courts over whether or not Edwin's brother-in-law, John Sleeper Clarke, had the right to perform Laura's play, "Our American Cousin." Edwin's close, lifelong relationship with Julia Ward Howe, author of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," was also news to me.

Where did you do your research? What archives did you visit?

Since 2005, I have been touring research institutions across the map to document the family story. My work started in Harvard University's vast manuscript archive, Houghton Library, where the 19th-Century American Theater Collection is housed, with its staggering amounts of Booth material. From there, I proceeded to other repositories of Booth material: the Hampden-Booth Library at The Players in New York; the Folger Shakespeare Library; the Library of Congress; the Boston Athenaeum; the Billy Rose Theater Collection at the New York Public Library; the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum; the Free Library of Philadelphia; the Chicago History Museum; and the various Rare Book and Special Collections Departments of the University of Rochester, Princeton University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and University of Tampa--among other places. It was a wonderful experience.

How was the title of your book chosen?

The Booths were a family of Shakespearean actors. Junius Brutus Booth and his sons Edwin, John Wilkes and Junius, Jr., spent so much time performing tragedies that it made sense to delve into the plays of Shakespeare for title material. In the fourth act of "Hamlet," before the play's bloody climax, the hero (a part enacted frequently by both Edwin and John Wilkes) finally resolves to take violent action against his enemy, and to set his plot against Denmark's King in motion. Hamlet pushes aside the lingering doubts he had about his existential purpose, and resolutely picks up a sword. "From this time forth," he declares, "my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth." I originally selected the line as a title for one of the concluding chapters, loving how it captured the moment of dramatic tension when Shakespeare's greatest character resolves his inner conflict and seeks revenge. My wonderful editor at Free Press then pounced on the line, suggesting we use it as the title of the book itself.

The subtitle for your book (The Bitter Rivalry Between Edwin and John Wilkes Booth That Led to an American Tragedy) sets up some fairly high expectations for potential readers. Do you feel satisfied your book meets those expectations?

Absolutely. We can all agree, beyond question, that John Wilkes Booth was motivated by his deep-rooted loyalty to the Confederacy and by his strong identification with the people of the Southern states. At the same time, his exceptional family history made him entirely unique among recruits to the Confederate Secret Service, setting him apart, in so many ways, from the rank and file of men who followed that cause. My intent in writing this book was to re-examine the life of John Wilkes Booth--particularly his youth and the many years he spent as a struggling actor--through the lens of his famous theatrical clan. Many of the rare Booth letters, papers, and diaries I employed to write this book had not been previously explored by Civil War historians. My five-year search through those materials revealed new elements to the assassin's personal story, adding another dimension to my understanding of his character and formative experiences. It was clear that Junius Brutus Booth and Edwin Booth had been central figures in John Wilkes's life.

Here's a question I just realized I probably wouldn't ask if you were a man: How do you balance the demands of researching and writing a book with the demands of homemaking and young motherhood? Don't answer this question if you feel it's inappropriate.

I think this is an entirely appropriate question. It took years to write the book, and the work was often all-consuming. My son, Nick, was a toddler when I started, and it was important to me that he join me on all research expeditions. My husband, my parents and my in-laws, eager to help make this possible, would take turns traveling with us on the road, so that the research work became very much a family affair. My husband pitched in heroically at home, helping with housework and cooking, so I could have time to write. The book is dedicated to these two great guys, my husband and son, in gratitude for their generous support. One of the best moments came recently, when Nick, who is now in elementary school, was able to see an advanced copy of the book and read aloud the dedication paragraphs in which I thank him and his dad for all their help.

A similar question authors are often asked: What is your writing routine like? Do you write at the same time everyday? Is there a certain place where you do your writing? Are there any rituals you engage in as an author?

My writing desk is my favorite piece of furniture: it's where I go after I take my son to school. Simply sitting at it puts me in a good mood for work. I do wish, however, that writerly inspiration came at the same time every day. Too often while working on this project, an idea would come in the middle of the night, forcing me to get up and go to the desk in the dark to scribble it down!

Who are your favorite authors and what are your favorite books?

Doris Kearns Goodwin is my all-time favorite author--I love her WWII history of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, No Ordinary Time, and of course her monumental Lincoln biography, Team of Rivals. Goodwin is a presidential historian, with a PhD in Government, yet I am inspired by her intention to portray all facets of the lives of our leaders, so that their records take on fresh meaning and significance. She has a tremendous gift for integrating the private and public identities of the greatest Americans, thereby illuminating their characters and revealing new truths about their experiences, and about our history as a nation. She is also an extraordinary prose stylist, writing with clarity, grace and precision.

For more info, visit Nora Titone's brand new website: www.noratitone.com

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Nora Titone's Non-Fiction Book My Thoughts Be Bloody

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My Thoughts Be Bloody (a quote from Hamlet), published by Freedom Press (division of Simon and Schuster) in October 2010, is centered on the relationship between Edwin and John Wilkes Booth. Titone has done research on a professional basis for authors such as well-known historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, who wrote the preface for My Thoughts Be Bloody.

Comment on book from Simon and Schuster website:

"Why did John Wilkes Booth do it? In My Thoughts Be Bloody young historian Nora Titone is one of the few to have genuinely explored this question. In doing so, she has crafted a fascinating psychological drama about one of the central events of the Civil War: the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. This book promises to stimulate lively historical debate, and will be a treat for every Civil War buff who always pondered that haunting question, “what made him pull that trigger?” Bravo on a marvelous achievement."

-- Jay Winik, author of April 1865 and The Great Upheaval

Author Bio and Photo from Simon & Schuster website:

"Nora Titone studied American History and Literature as an undergraduate at Harvard University, and earned an M.A. in History at the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked as a historical researcher for a range of academics, writers and artists involved in projects about nineteenth-century America. She lives in Chicago with her husband, a professor at the University of Chicago, and their son. This is her first book."

Nancy Carosi in Period Dress at Tudor Hall, September 12, 2010

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Nancy Carosi was all dressed up and ready to go shopping in the style of a well-to-do woman of the 1860s. Behind her is one of the many other dresses she brought to display for the entertainment and edification of visitors to Tudor Hall on Sunday, September 12, 2010.

(Photo by Kim Edwards)

Nancy Carosi also brought a number of hats typical of the mid-1860s

to display at Tudor Hall.

(Photo by Kim Edwards)

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to read more.

Junius Brutus Booth: Theatrical Prometheus by Dr. Stephen M. Archer Now Available in Paperback

2010-09-13T15:57:00.002-04:00

Southern Illinois University Press recently launched the paperback edition of Junius Brutus Booth: Theatrical Prometheus by Dr. Stephen M. Archer. This biography of the patriarch of the Booth family was first published in 1992 and remains the definitive work on the life of one of America’s most successful and well-known Shakespearean actors of the early to mid-1800s. No other biography of Junius B. Booth Sr. has been published since 1992.

Dr. Archer taught theatre history and research methods at the University of Missouri at Columbia from 1971 until he retired in 1998. He is also the author of two theatrical bibliographies, several textbooks, and numerous articles on the theatre.

With the support and assistance of his wife, Kelly, Dr. Archer spent nine years researching and writing Junius Brutus Booth. The Archers agree that researching the gifted and eccentric actor was a fascinating experience, and they recall meeting a number of charming people in the process, including Dorothy and Howard Fox at Tudor Hall in the 1990s.

In 2004, Dr. Archer donated the bulk of the materials he collected while researching his book to the Booth Research Center of the Historical Society of Harford County. Volunteer Emily Andrews is currently creating electronic catalog records, which will eventually be available online, for the Stephen M. Archer/Junius B. Booth Collection.

Copies of the paperback edition are available via the Southern Illinois University Press website: http://www.siupress.com/product/Junius-Brutus-Booth,5564.aspx. It is also available at amazon.com. In addition, a download of the hardback edition of the book can be purchased on the Questia website.

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Vivien Carter, Descendant of Junius B. Booth Sr, Still Starring in the Musical Chicago in London

2010-08-16T12:27:00.006-04:00

Vivien Carter is currently starring in the role of Velma Kelly in a production of Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre in London. Vivien is the great-great-great-great granddaughter of Junius Brutus Booth Sr. and his first wife Marie Christine Adelaide Delannoy Booth via Booth's eldest son Richard. Ms. Carter is a native of Australia, and this is her first starring role.

What started out as a six-week "gig" for Vivien turned into a six-month contract. She will continue in her role as Velma Kelly until October 24, 2010.

For more information about the Cambridge Theatre and its production of Chicago:

http://www.reallyuseful.com/theatres/cambridge-theatre

For more information about Chicago:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_%28musical%29

All Grown Up

2010-07-24T13:08:00.034-04:00

Regular visitors to Tudor Hall have been keeping an anxious eye on this family of Canadian geese all summer. The goslings have grown so large it is difficult to tell them from their parents except for the fact that the parents continue to be so protective of their young and to herd them away whenever anyone approaches (unless that person has brought a treat--don't forget feeding wild animals including geese and ducks is discouraged by the Department of Parks and Recreation). In fact, the goslings are so grown up, the geese may have already flown to explore other parts of Harford County.

Photo by Kim Edwards.

Jill Redding Recognized by the Daughters of the American Revolution

2010-07-21T14:56:00.073-04:00

Jill Redding telling visitors to Tudor Hall about
Mary Ann Holmes Booth and her children.

The summer 2010 issue of the newsletter of the D.A.R. William Paca Chapter recently announced that Jill Redding placed third in the state for her community service work as a volunteer at Tudor Hall in 2009. Jill has drawn upon her experience as a professional actor to serve as a coach for the Spirits of Tudor Hall tour guides for the past three years. In addition, Jill recently teamed up her fellow volunteer Kim Edwards to lead a guided tour at Tudor Hall on Sunday, July 25, 2010. It was the first time either one of them had led a tour, and they both did a great job.

Kim Edwards stepped out of her role as reservations manager to team up with Jill Redding to lead a tour at Tudor Hall on July 25. Kim is especially interested in the architectural features of of Tudor Hall.

Mike Brown pointed out architectural features at Tudor Hall on one of the hottest days of the summer. Even though the heat index was in the mid-100 degree range, over 50 people toured Tudor Hall on Sunday, July 25th.

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Seen at Tudor Hall July 17, 2010

2010-07-21T12:55:00.003-04:00

There was a lot of "luck" for those attending the potluck supper at Tudor Hall on Saturday evening, July 17, 2010. There are many gifted cooks among our active volunteers.

On Saturday evening, July 17, 2010, fifteen "Spirits" braved the hot and humid weather to partake of a potluck supper at Tudor Hall. The food was delicious, and the company lively and in good spirits. We were especially pleased to have Emily Andrews and Judy Rogers of the Historical Society of Harford County join us. Emily is heroically preparing electronic catalog records for the Dr. Stephen M. Archer/Junius B. Booth Collection under Judy's supervision. Judy is a retired school librarian who has taken on the daunting task of supervising the creation of an electronic catalog for all the items in the historical society's vast holdings.

(Emily appears in the navy blue shirt in the above photo. Judy, wearing a green shirt, is sitting opposite Emily with her back to the camera.)

Nancy Carosi In Costume at Tudor Hall, June 27th

2010-06-28T17:22:00.007-04:00

Nancy Carosi of Bel Air told visitors about Civil War era clothing during our tours on Sunday, June 27th. Nancy participates in many Civil War reenactments in Maryland and surrounding states throughout the year. She has nine costumes of the Civil War era that she wears as appropriate to the occasion. We were pleased to have Nancy join us on a very hot summer afternoon at Tudor Hall. Our guides and their support team enjoyed Nancy's presence as much as our visitors did. Nancy has promised to visit Tudor Hall again on some of our upcoming tour dates, promising that "next time" she will wear one of her other costumes. Photo by Dinah Faber

Nancy Carosi in the Booth Room at Tudor Hall with David Fried's portraits of Edwin and John Wilkes Booth in the background. A brand new exhibit about the family of Joseph and Ann Hall (an African American family with a long association with Tudor Hall) can be seen on the left. This is only one of many new exhibits that are going up at Tudor Hall this summer. We will post photos of the new exhibits soon. Photo by Dinah Faber

The front porch (or verandah) at Tudor Hall provides the perfect setting for Nancy Carosi in her Civil War era costume. Photo by Kim Edwards

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2010-06-24T14:17:00.007-04:00

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Spirits of Tudor Hall Starring You!

2010-06-14T14:13:00.004-04:00

We are always looking for new volunteers. For information about volunteer opportunities, dig deep into our "Older Posts."

Seen at Tudor Hall June 13, 2010

2010-06-14T14:11:00.004-04:00

Regular visitors to Tudor Hall have been watching the progress of this family of Canadian geese throughout the spring and summer with both joy and concern. The goslings will soon be as large as their attentive and wary parents! (Photo by Dinah Faber)

This damselfly is just one of the many insects enjoying the summer at Tudor Hall. Do you know how to tell the difference between a damselfly and a dragonfly? Damselflies fold their wings when at rest. Dragonflies leave theirs outspread. (Photo by Kim Edwards)

The daylilies are in blossom once more on the island in the pond at Tudor Hall. Obviously, nature continues to thrive at Tudor Hall despite the changes to surrounding properties over the past few years. (Photo by Kim Edwards)

This door knocker continues to welcome visitors to Tudor Hall just as it has for many years. It is a reminder of the years Howard and Dorothy Fox owned the property and lived at Tudor Hall (late 1960s-late 1990s). (Photo by Kim Edwards)

Tudor Hall is still a magical place!

Remembering the Prince of Players

2010-06-08T20:37:00.002-04:00

Edwin Thomas Booth passed away in his private apartment at The Players in New York City on June 7, 1893, with his daughter Edwina by his side. He was 59 at the time of his death, worn out decades of traveling and appearing onstage, grief over the many tragedies he experienced in his life, and by heavy tobacco use. As a young man, he sometimes conducted himself in a manner he later regretted. However, as a mature adult, he earned a reputation for dignity and courage and was the bedrock upon which his mother and siblings rested. Tested over and over again by illness, death, and tragic events among his family members, he rose to the test each time and continued on, worse for the wear, but undaunted. May he rest in peace at last.

Be sure to click on "Older Posts" below to read more about Spirits of Tudor Hall.

530 Visitors to Tudor Hall Since Fall 2008

2010-05-28T16:11:00.021-04:00

Our lead tour guide, Kris Thomson, led our very first tour of the ground floor of Tudor Hall on Sunday, October 26, 2008. Since then over 500 people have participated in our tours.

The numbers below represent only the Sunday afternoon tours. Additional special tours have been conducted for several different groups, including a local chapter of the Red Hat Ladies, a local chapter of the DAR, a group of home school parents, etc.

Participants in the tours have come from Maryland, Washington DC area, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Washington state, and California.

We would like to thank our guides and their support team for making the tours possible.

2008 (Our very first year.)
13 Tours
175 Visitors

2009 (Construction of a new roof and chimney for Tudor Hall cut our tour season short.)
9 Tours
135 Visitors

2010 (Additional tours are scheduled for July, Aug., Sept., and Oct. 2010)
14 Tours
220 Visitors

Total To Date (June 27, 2010)

36+ Tours
530+ Visitors!

John Wilkes Booth Born May 10, 1838

2010-05-10T15:18:00.001-04:00

This oil portrait of John Wilkes Booth by David Fried was donated to Harford County and Tudor Hall by the artist. Several other artworks by Mr. Fried are also displayed at Tudor Hall.

John Wilkes Booth was born on May 10, 1838, in the two-story log house on the Booth farm in Harford County, Maryland. His parents were Junius Brutus Booth Sr. and Mary Ann Holmes Booth. He was the ninth of ten children born to his parents. How this favorite son went on to become one of the most infamous people in American history is a heart-breaking and tragic story that still fascinates people world wide.

Tudor Hall Roof Replacement Project Receives Historic Preservation Award on May 7, 2010

2010-05-10T14:23:00.015-04:00

Left to right: Tony Townley (Project Manager) and Ken Blomquist (President) Decker Contracting of Elkton, Maryland; Arden McClune (Director, Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation); Bill McKean (Project Manager, Harford County Department of Public Works); James Chrismer (Chair, Harford County Historic Preservation Commission).

Decker Contracting of Elkton, Maryland, and the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation received a 2010 Preservation Project Award for the Tudor Hall Roof Replacement Project during the Harford County Historic Preservation Commission's 15th Annual Historic Preservation Awards ceremony at the Historical Society of Harford County on May 7, 2010. Construction of a new roof and chimney at Tudor Hall was completed during the summer of 2009.

After the ceremony, representatives of Decker Construction, the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Harford County Department of Public Works posed on the steps of the historical society with other award recipients.

Seen At Tudor Hall May 8, 2010

2010-05-10T14:01:00.020-04:00

The brand new United States flag provided by the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation proudly waving at Tudor Hall.

Ladies of Harley motorcycle club arriving at Tudor Hall.

The Ladies of Harley turn out to be two "ladies" and five "gentlemen" honorary members. One of the ladies (far right) and three of the gentleman appear above. Spirits of Tudor Hall tour guide Joyce Bauer lead the group on a tour of Tudor Hall.

Rhododendron in full bloom on the south side of the house.

Iris blossoming in the "circle" on the north side of the house.

A family of Canadian geese is making the pond at Tudor Hall its home this spring. The family includes six goslings who were hatched on the island in the middle of the pond.

Be sure to click on "Older Posts" to read more.

May 2, Tours Observe Junius B. Booth Sr.'s May Day Birthday

2010-05-03T09:29:00.006-04:00

Spirits of Tudor Hall tour guide Joyce Bauer led the 1:00 p.m. tour at Tudor Hall on a hot and muggy Sunday afternoon on May 2, 2010.

Lead tour guide Kris Thomson pointed out the window pane in the reception hall that was once thought to contain initials carved into the glass by John Wilkes Booth. This "story" has turned out to be just a "story."

May Day 2010 was the 214th birthday of Junius Brutus Booth Sr. In observation of this important date in the Booth family calendar, the Junius B. Booth Society provided cupcakes and cold drinks to everyone who participated in the tours on May 2nd. The magnolia blossoms came from a tree on the property. You can find information about the Junius B. Booth Society including membership forms and the May 2010 issue of the Booth History Spotlight (newsletter of the society) at: http://juniusbooth.org

Star of Jerusalem (wildflower introduced from Europe) are in full bloom throughout Harford County, including Tudor Hall.

Don't Miss Our Older Posts

2010-04-29T11:37:00.024-04:00

Be sure to click on "Older Posts" at the bottom of this page for more photos and information about our activities at Tudor Hall over the past two years.

Vivien Carter, Descendant of Junius B. Booth Sr, Starring in the Musical Chicago in London

2010-04-29T11:34:00.002-04:00

Vivien Carter is currently starring in the role of Velma Kelly in a production of Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre in London. Vivien is the great-great-great-great granddaughter of Junius Brutus Booth Sr. and his first wife Marie Christine Adelaide Delannoy Booth via Booth's eldest son Richard. Ms. Carter is a native of Australia, and this is her first starring role.

For more information about the Cambridge Theatre and its production of Chicago:

http://www.reallyuseful.com/theatres/cambridge-theatre

For more information about Chicago:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_%28musical%29

Gary Sloan, Edwin Booth, Hamlet Video on YouTube

2010-04-28T10:00:00.002-04:00

Over the years, Gary Sloan has explored the life of Edwin Booth via his one man show about the great actor. For a small sample of what the show is like go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8aqXoMTHtc

Thank you to Robert Cook for bringing this video to our attention.

Stacy Keach Receives Outstanding Lead Actor Award in Washington DC on April 5, 2010

2010-04-27T10:17:00.008-04:00

Stacy Keach received the Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play, at the Helen Hayes Awards in Washington, DC, on April 5, 2010. Mr. Keach was nominated for his starring role in the Shakespeare Theatre Company production of King Lear. Mr. Keach tied for the award with Karl Miller for his performance in Angels in America at the Forum Theatre.

For more information about the awards:

http://www.helenhayes.org

To see a photo of Stacy Keach with Gary Sloan and Christie Brown, click on the link below. Mr. Keach, Mr. Sloan, and Ms. Brown were very active in the Preservation Association for Tudor Hall and still take an interest in the fortunes of Tudor Hall.

http://washingtonscene.thehill.com/party-events-pictures/archive/3271-26th-annual-helen-hayes-awards

Junius Brutus Booth Sr. Born May 1, 1796

2010-04-27T08:29:00.004-04:00

This oil portrait of Junius Brutus Booth Sr. by Baltimore area artist David Fried is displayed over the fireplace in the reception hall at Tudor Hall. Framed images of his wife Mary Ann and their six children who survived to adulthood line the mantle below the portrait. Four of their children died in childhood.
(Left click on photo to see a larger image.)
Photo by Jackie La Rocca.

May Day 2010 will mark the 214th anniversary of the birth of Junius Brutus Booth Sr. His parents were Richard and Elizabeth Booth who lived in the Clerkenwell section of greater London at the time of his birth. He had a younger brother named Algernon Sydney who died in infancy, and a younger sister named Jane who would follow him to the United States with her own family in the 1820s.

An article entitled "The Dramatic Genius of Junius Brutus Booth Sr." by Mr. Clark appears in the May 2010 issue of the Booth History Spotlight (newsletter of the Junius B. Booth Society, Inc). An article entitled "John Wilkes Booth: Matinee Idol" also by Peter Clark appears in the same issue. You can read the May Spotlight at:

http://juniusbooth.org/JBBS%20Spot%20Light%205.pdf

You can become a member of the Junius B. Booth Society, Inc., using a membership form found at:

http://juniusbooth.org/membership.htm

Tips for Getting the Most from Our Blog

2010-04-26T10:02:00.007-04:00

Please make return visits. We update the blog on a regular basis.

Left click on any photo to see a larger image.

Be sure to click on "Older Posts" at the bottom of this page for more photos and information about our activities at Tudor Hall over the past two years.

Thanks for visiting our blog! Please return often.

Misty Sunday Afternoon at Tudor Hall

2010-04-26T09:58:00.004-04:00

Sunday, April 25, was the second tour day of 2010. It was a misty, overcast afternoon, but the flowering trees such as the red bud tree in the photo above brightened the day. Over 40 people participated in the tours.

This lovely dogwood tree was in full bloom beside the pond where a pair of geese have a nest on the island in the middle of the pond.
A pair of ducks was also observed at the pond.

Dogwood bough heavily laden with blossoms.

Close up of dogwood blossom.

Please Be Sure To Click On "Older Posts" Below For More News and Updates!

Flat Stanley Visits Edwin Booth at Tudor Hall

2010-04-21T15:42:00.003-04:00

Flat Stanley recently visited Harford County after Brooklynn Aikens, from the George Washington Carver Primary School in Gonzales, Louisiana, mailed him to her grandmother, Joyce Edwards of Street Maryland.

Joyce brought Flat Stanley for a tour to Tudor Hall, the historic Booth family home, where he was photographed with the famous Shakespearian actor Edwin Booth.

For more information about Flat Stanley and his many adventures, please visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Stanley

Look for Us on Facebook and Twitter

2010-04-14T13:46:00.003-04:00

You can now find Spirits of Tudor Hall on Facebook and Twitter.

Center for the Arts Featured in Aegis, April 14 and 16, 2010

2010-04-14T13:38:00.011-04:00

Part one of an article about the Center for the Arts appears in the April 14, 2010, edition of the Aegis. The title of the article is "Harford's Place for the Arts," and it is the lead article in the "People, Places & Things" section on page AA1. Part two of the article titled "To Build an Arts Center" appears in the April 16th edition of the Aegis, and it is also the lead article for the "People, Places & Things" section. Bryna Zumer, L'Oreal Thompson, and Rachel Konopacki are the co-authors of the articles.

The Center for the Arts currently has its offices at Tudor Hall while the organization makes prepares to build a regional arts center in Harford County. The April 14th article includes a photo of Sallee Kunkel Filkins, executive director of the Center for the Arts, seated on the sofa in the Booth Room at Tudor Hall with David Fried's oil portraits of Edwin and John Wilkes Booth behind her. Unfortunately, the caption does not identify Edwin or John Wilkes and does not mention Mr. Fried.The article also includes a photo of Tudor Hall that was taken during the winter holidays several years ago.

The April 14th article quotes Ms. Filkins as saying, "Ideally, it [a new arts center] would be built in five to seven years." The April 16th says Ms. Filkins "fully expects a building campaign to be underway in several years, as soon as the county executive officially announces a site."

An online version of part one of the article including the photo of Sallee Filkins and the Fried portraits appears at:

http://www.exploreharford.com/events-entertainment/4190/harfords-place-arts-part-one-two-making-case-center-coming-friday-paying-it/

Over 45 People Attend 1st Tours of 2010

2010-04-12T10:57:00.004-04:00

These lovely "Poet's Narcissus" welcomed visitors to Tudor Hall on Sunday, April 11, 2010.

We were delighted to welcome over 45 people to Tudor Hall for our first tours of 2010. It was a "picture perfect" day with temperatures in the mid-70s and a light on-and-off breeze.

Kris Thomson, who serves as the "fearless leader" of our tour guides, led the first tour of the day.

This will be Mike Brown's third year as a tour guide at Tudor Hall. Mike led the second and third tours of the day.

We are always delighted to see children enjoying the grounds at Tudor Hall. This little girl had a wonderful time picking dandelions amid the many wild violets also blossoming on the front lawn.

This photo just doesn't capture the rich color of the violets sprinkled throughout the grounds at Tudor Hall and across Harford County.

James T. Wollon Architectural Tour Much Appreciated by Our Volunteers

2010-04-07T09:33:00.007-04:00

James T. Wollon

Photo by Jackie LaRocca, March 28, 2010, at Tudor Hall

On Sunday, March 28, 2010, James T. Wollon led an architectural tour of Tudor Hall for our tour guides and other interested volunteers. In addition to Mr. Wollon, 20 people were present the day of the tour. Mr. Wollon is a local retired restoration and preservation architect. He is also the great-grandson of Ella Mahoney who lived at Tudor Hall for nearly 70 years (1879-1948), and he shared memories of visiting his great-grandmother when he was a small boy.

The tour began outside on a very chilly and overcast Sunday afternoon. Photo by Jackie LaRocca, March 28, 2010

Mr. Wollon continued his tour inside Tudor Hall with the group seated comfortably in the largest of the current meeting rooms on the first floor. Originally, the room served as the dining room. Later it served as the living room. Photo by Jackie LaRocca, March 28, 2010

James T. Wollon and Tudor Hall Featured in Aegis, March 31, 2010

2010-03-31T09:14:00.026-04:00

An article titled "Tudor Hall in Bel Air Open for Tours" by Kirsten Dize appears on page A3 of the Wednesday, March 31, 2010, edition of the Aegis (Harford County, Maryland, newspaper).

The article focuses on local restoration and preservation architect James T. Wollon who lead a tour of Tudor Hall for our volunteers on March 28, 2010, and includes a wonderful photo of Mr. Wollon and our lead tour guide, Kris Thomson. The article also includes a photo of the north side of Tudor Hall (not its best side but one of the least photographed).

You can read the article online and view some beautiful photos that did NOT appear in the print version of the article at:

http://www.exploreharford.com/entertainment/4002/historic-tudor-hall-bel-air-open-tours-home-infamous-assassin-famous-shakespearean-actors/?utm_source=feedburner

Spirits of Tudor Hall Welcomes the Junius B. Booth Society

2010-03-15T15:50:00.011-04:00

Logo of the Junius B. Booth Society, Inc. inspired by the image of Junius Brutus Booth Sr. that appears on the obelisk in the Booth family plot at Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland.

Spirits of Tudor Hall received the following press release from the Junius B. Booth Society today:

The Junius B. Booth Society, Inc. is pleased to announce it is joining forces with Spirits of Tudor Hall to open Tudor Hall for guided tours on a regular basis. Tudor Hall is the historic home of the Booths, Maryland's famous family of Shakespearian actors, including Junius, Edwin, and John Wilkes Booth. Beginning on Sunday, April 11, 2010, Spirits of Tudor Hall will open the first floor of Tudor Hall for guided tours twice a month continuing through October 31 (Halloween), 2010.

Junius Brutus Booth, Sr. was one of the most popular actors on the American stage from the early 1820s to the early 1850s. In addition, he was the father of ten children, a Harford County farmer who practiced the latest farming techniques of his time, and an environmentalist and animal rights advocate. It can truly be said he was a man ahead of his time. His son Edwin was a super star of the American stage from the 1850s to 1893. Edwin's brother John Wilkes brought tragedy to the nation and to his family when he assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in 1865.

The Junius B. Booth Society, Inc. was recently incorporated in Maryland to make the public more aware of the history of the Booth family and Tudor Hall, to encourage efforts to collect and preserve that history, and to support the preservation and restoration of Tudor Hall.

Dinah Faber, first president of the Junius B. Booth Society says, "Spirits of Tudor Hall is currently renewing its efforts to create a strong and effective tour guide program at Tudor Hall. Lending meaningful support to these efforts is a natural choice for the Junius B. Booth Society."

For more information or to become a member: http://juniusbooth.org

March 14, 2010, Volunteer Orientation Meeting a Success

2010-03-15T15:43:00.003-04:00

On rainy, chilly Sunday afternoon, fourteen "spirits" gathered at Tudor Hall at 1:00 p.m. for a Volunteer Orientation Meeting. Seven potential new volunteers and seven current volunteers attended the meeting.

The agenda included a brief introduction to Spirits of Tudor Hall and a discussion of the volunteer opportunities currently available at Tudor Hall. Information about the organizations that support Spirits was also provided, including the Center for the Arts, the Booth Research Center of the Historical Society of Harford County, and the Junius B. Booth Society.

Spirits of Tudor Hall will be following up with the new volunteers in the coming weeks.

Hot coffee and a variety of delicious treats provided by volunteers helped lift everyone's mood on a dreary, early spring afternoon.

A big thank you to everyone who attended and to those who brought food to share.

Spirits of Tudor Hall Starring You!

2010-02-28T20:37:00.054-05:00

If you enjoy “pitching in” and using your skills and knowledge to make things happen, Tudor Hall just might be the place for you. Below is a list of “jobs” that are currently open.

If you’re interested in any of these volunteer positions, please contact us with information about your skills, experience, and qualifications and explain how you would like to put them to work on behalf of Tudor Hall.

For more information, contact Dinah Faber at spirits-of-tudor-hall@msn.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

Storytellers

Spirits of Tudor Hall invites anyone with a talent for storytelling to audition to bring to life the story of Tudor Hall and those who have lived there while guiding visitors through the house.

Anyone interested in auditioning should contact Spirits of Tudor Hall for more information, including an application form and guidelines for submitting a brief resume and preparing for an audition.

Actors and Reenactors of Historic “Characters”

Anyone interested in auditioning should contact Spirits of Tudor Hall for more information, including an application form and guidelines for submitting a brief resume and preparing for an audition.

Speech and Drama Coaches

Script and Story Writers

History Buffs to Provide Research Assistance

Oral Historians

Reservations Manager

Once the buzz about upcoming tours of Tudor Hall begins to build, requests for reservations start coming in at a steady rate. The reservation manager completes the following tasks:

Checks the Center for the Arts telephone reservation line for requests for reservations.

Follows up with email, snail mail, and/or telephone confirmation of reservations.

Keeps a log of all reservations.

This “job” obviously requires a volunteer who can give attention to details such as names, phone numbers, and email addresses and who interacts well with the public.

Welcome Visitors on the Front Porch

Weather permitting, visitors participating in tours at Tudor Hall are welcomed on the front porch, and their names are checked against the reservation list. The donation box is also displayed on the front porch. Welcoming visitors, confirming they have a reservation, and keeping an eye on the donation box are important duties generally performed by someone other than the tour guides.

Gift Shop Sales

A few items related to Tudor Hall and the Booth family are offered for sale in one of the small parlors at Tudor Hall. These items are provided by the Historical Society of Harford County, and all sales benefit the Booth Research Center of the historical society. Anyone with sales experience who would enjoy assisting visitors with their purchases in the gift shop is invited to contact Spirits of Tudor Hall for more information concerning this volunteer opportunity.

Tudor Hall Speakers Bureau

Actors, reenactors, and storytellers with experience at Tudor Hall may be interested in participating in community outreach of this kind.

Experienced PowerPoint Designer/Developer

Online Publicity Hound

Attracting visitors to our tours is one of the most time consuming and challenging tasks we face, and it is also one of the most important and satisfying.

We’re looking for a dedicated and reliable person who:

is familiar with local media, including newspapers, web sites, radio, and television

has online computer skills

enjoys giving attention to details

has plenty of time and energy to devote to these tasks

Old-Fashioned Publicity Hound

Even though we live in an electronic age, there is still a need to reach people the old-fashioned way through printed fliers, posters, and letters sent via snail mail.

We’re looking for someone who:

can design attention grabbing printed materials, including fliers that advertise our tours

plan and execute an effective distribution plan for printed materials

occasionally print letters, stuff envelopes, and deliver these materials for mailing to the post office

Facebook & Twitter Fans

While Spirits of Tudor Hall already has a Facebook page, we could use some help making it more effective, lively, and engaging. We have yet to establish a presence on Twitter.

If you have experience creating and managing a successful online Facebook or Twitter page for a business or organization, Spirits of Tudor Hall would certainly welcome your advice and assistance in improving and managing our Facebook page and/or establishing a presence on Twitter and other popular social networking sites.

Photographers

Party People

Last but certainly not least. Refreshments are served at every meeting or event sponsored by Spirits of Tudor Hall (this does NOT include tours), and “foodies” who enjoy preparing and serving food and beverages would certainly be very welcome and appreciated at Tudor Hall.

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TO VIEW ADDITIONAL "POSTS," PLEASE CLICK ON "OLDER POSTS" BELOW.

More Volunteer Opportunities: Going Wild at Tudor Hall!

2010-02-07T09:06:00.015-05:00

Bird Watchers: We would be delighted to find volunteers with an interest in bird watching to visit the grounds at Tudor Hall on a regular basis throughout the year to identify and record the wild birds they observe and to create a brochure that will tell visitors what birds they might expect to see at Tudor Hall during the four seasons of the year. While some volunteers might be able to only devote a month or two to the project, others might be able to follow through for an entire year. Please let us know if you agree Tudor Hall is “for the birds.”

Wildflower Enthusiasts: Even though the grounds at Tudor Hall, including the spacious lawns, receive maintenance on a regular basis from the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation, there are a number of wildflowers that grow and blossom from the spring through the fall at Tudor Hall. We would welcome volunteers to identify and record the numerous varieties of wildflowers at Tudor Hall with the eventual goal of creating a brochure that will tell visitors what wildflowers they might see at Tudor Hall during the spring, summer, and autumn months.

Wildlife Observers: Despite the development that has steadily closed in on Tudor Hall, there are still a number of wild animals who frequently visit the property or make it their home. Getting a glimpse of the deer, foxes, snakes, frogs, and other animals that live in the area and recording their presence and activities would require patience and luck on the part of a volunteer.

Entomologists: A wide variety of insects are active at Tudor Hall throughout the year but especially in the spring, summer, and fall. If you have an interest in insects and would like to prepare information to share with visitors about them, please let us know. However, remember that Junius Brutus Booth Sr. declared Tudor Hall a “no kill” zone even when it came to lowly flies.

Tree Huggers: Over the years, Tudor Hall has been known for the wide variety of large, mature trees that have graced the grounds since the house was built. In fact, while the foundation for Tudor Hall was being built, Junius Brutus Booth Sr. insisted that the black locust trees growing near the building site should not be cut down. Not only are we looking for volunteers to identify and inventory the various kinds of trees and shrubs growing at Tudor Hall today, but we would like like to find a volunteer to create a map showing the location of each of the trees. Our eventual goal is to create a brochure or booklet that will tell visitors which trees they will see when they visit Tudor Hall.

Return of the Big Woods: The neighborhood where Tudor Hall is located was once the home of the “Big Woods.” Carefully planned reforestation of some of the grounds at Tudor Hall would not only reduce the expense to Harford County of maintaining the grounds but would be good for the environment. Researching and writing a proposed reforestation plan for Tudor Hall would be a good science project for a high school student or Eagle Scout.

Wildlife & Nature Photographers: It goes without saying that good quality photos of the birds, wildflowers, trees, and seasons at Tudor Hall would be very useful in creating printed materials and slide or PowerPoint presentation

Mapmakers: Many visitors to Tudor Hall ask where the boundaries of the original Booth farm were located. If you have a knack for creating accurate maps and enjoy working with land records from an earlier time, we would certainly welcome your help in creating accurate maps of the Tudor Hall property as it has evolved through the years and as it exists today.

Archeology Students or Professionals: The grounds at Tudor Hall would be an exciting place to conduct archeological explorations. However, careful, thoughtful, and extensive planning is required. Such planning would take a great deal of research and coordination among a variety individuals and organizations all of which would be very time consuming. Volunteers with training and experience in the field of archeology who are willing to make a substantial commitment of time and energy would be most welcome in helping create a viable plan for eventual review and consideration by the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation.

Contact spirits-of-tudor-hall@msn.com for more info on any and all volunteer opportunities.

Volunteering at Tudor Hall Is Fulfilling & Fun

2009-11-30T11:06:00.019-05:00

Kris Thomson and Sonja Marshall

Ready to Greet Visitors on the Front Porch

Kris Thomson (lead tour guide) chats with visitors to Tudor Hall.

Andrew Jampoler at Bel Air Barnes & Noble Sunday, November 29, 2009

2009-11-30T10:47:00.007-05:00

On Sunday, November 29, 2009, Andrew Jampoler, author of The Last Lincoln Conspirator: John Surratt's Flight from the Gallows, gave a very interesting talk about his book at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Bel Air. The Last Lincoln Conspirator tells the story of John Surratt who was one of the men who conspired with John Wilkes Booth to kidnap/assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. Surratt escaped and traveled to Europe where he joined the Papal Zouaves. He was eventually captured and brought back to the United States for trial. Surratt's mother, Mary, was hanged for her supposed participation in the assassination of President Lincoln.

For more information about the Last Lincoln Conspirator click on the following link. If the link doesn't work for you, please try copying it and pasting it into your browser window and hitting enter.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Last-Lincoln-Conspirator/Andrew-C-A-Jampoler/e/9781591144076/?itm=1&usri=Last+Lincoln+Conspirator

Catching Up With Steve and Kelly Archer

2009-11-19T13:54:00.013-05:00

Left to right:
Steve Archer, Kelly Archer, Ben Knight, Dinah Faber, Wallace Knight.

On Monday, November 16, 2009, Dr. Stephen M. Archer (author of Junius Brutus Booth: Theatrical Prometheus) and his wife Kelly took time out of a very busy day to stop by Sven's Kafe in Columbia, Missouri, for a quick chat with Dinah Faber (Coordinator Spirits of Tudor Hall), Ben Knight (Dinah's husband), and Wallace Knight (Dinah's father-in-law).

Dr. Archer was a faculty member and also served as chair of the theatre department at the University of Missouri for many years and is now retired. Kelly is a talented professional musician. During the course of Steve's research for his biography of the patriarch of the Booth family, Steve and Kelly traveled to many locations associated with the Booths and met many "Boothies." They visited Tudor Hall several times and stayed overnight with Howard and Dorothy Fox. Steve and Kelly remember those years as some of the most enjoyable and exciting times of their lives. Steve and Kelly as well as their son Steve were founding members of the Preservation Association for Tudor Hall.

Several years ago, Steve donated most of his research materials for his biography of Junius Sr. to the Booth Research Center of Harford County, Maryland. Elwin Penski (founder of the Junius B. Booth Society) drove to Columbia, Missouri, in his pick up to retrieve the many boxes containing Steve's research materials.

The materials are currently being entered into the new electronic catalogue at the historical society by volunteer Emily Andrews. Emily recently visited Tudor Hall with Spirit Jill Redding and is very excited and enthusastic about Tudor Hall's potential as an historic site.

Tudor Hall Featured on Historic Harford on Harford Cable Network Throughout November 2009

2009-10-28T17:44:00.016-04:00

Throughout the month of November 2009, Tudor Hall was featured on Historic Harford which airs on the Harford Cable Network. Dinah Faber, Coordinator for Spirits of Tudor Hall, was interviewed by the show's host, Joe Swisher, during the summer of 2009. Video filmed at Tudor Hall was also featured in the episode.

A DVD featuring the Tudor Hall episode will be available for purchase sometime in 2010. Purchase info will be posted on the blog as soon as it becomes available.

Historic Harford is a half hour television program dedicated to the history of Harford County. The Harford Cable Network can be found on Channel 21 on Comcast; on Channel 7 on Armstrong; and on Channel 31 on Verizon Fios.

For a schedule of air dates and times for Historic Harford go to:

http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/HCN/ProgramInformation.cfm?ProgramID=65

If the link doesn't work, please try copying and pasting it into your browser window and hitting go.

Spirits of Tudor Hall apologizes to anyone who tuned in to Historic Harford on October 29 expecting to see a program about Tudor Hall. We hope you enjoyed the episode about fox hunting featuring Maryanna Skowronski, director of the Historical Society of Harford County that aired instead. Our blog author misunderstood the information on the Harford Cable Network website and thought the Tudor Hall episode would premier on October 29th. Sorry for the confusion!

John Wilkes Booth on Ghost Lab November 2009

2009-10-16T14:25:00.025-04:00

Joanne Hulme. Booth family descendant. Photo taken at Tudor Hall, October 2008.

For many years, some people have believed John Wilkes Booth was not killed in Virginia but escaped and headed west. The new Discovery Channel program Ghost Lab recently explored this theory.

According to the Ghost Lab website, the Ghost Lab team investigated "two locations rumored to be haunted by the ghost of John Wilkes Booth: a historic opera house in Texas and a furniture store in Oklahoma."

Booth family member and Spirit of Tudor Hall Joanne Hulme appeared in the show. Joanne is a direct descendant of Junius Brutus Booth Sr.'s sister Jane Booth Mitchell. In addition, one of Jane's granddaughters, Cora Mitchell (Joanne and Suzanne's grand aunt), married Junius Brutus and Mary Ann Booth's youngest son, Joseph.

The episode may eventually be available for viewing online via the Ghost Lab site. Info about online viewing will appear here if and when it's available.

For more information about Ghost Lab and the John Wilkes Booth episode check out these links:

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/ghost-lab/ghost-lab.html

http://www.enidnews.com/localnews/local_story_240002434.html?keyword=topstory

Don't Forget

2009-09-30T15:58:00.004-04:00

Spirits of Tudor Hall loves volunteers!

"Booth Lady" Dinah Faber Inducted As Archer Fellow by Historical Society of Harford County

2009-09-28T20:51:00.015-04:00

Dinah Faber, Coordinator for Spirits of Tudor Hall, was inducted as an Archer Fellow by the Historical Society of Harford County, Maryland, at the society's annual meeting on September 24, 2009, in recognition of her volunteer work on behalf of Tudor Hall and the history of the Booth family. The above photo of Dinah with her certificate was taken at Tudor Hall on September 27, 2009.

Left click on the above image to read the certificate above.

Left click to read the citation that was read at the annual meeting of the historical society. The episode of Historic Harford featuring Tudor Hall and an interview with Dinah Faber is set to air on Harford Cable Network in November.

The Archer Fellow Award is named in honor of Dr. George W. Archer who was one of the founders of the Historical Society of Harford County and one of Harford County's earliest historians. Dr. Archer is one of Dinah Faber's personal heroes, so she feels especially pleased and honored to recieve this recognition in Dr. Archer's name.

According to the January 2007 edition of the Newsletter of the Historical Society of Harford County:

"The Archer Fellow Award was established to recognize those . . . who have demonstrated exceptional service toward the mission and goals of the Historical Society of Harford County, Inc.

"Criteria . . . include, but are not limited to, the time spent and the impact of their efforts to support the preservation of the history of Harford County. The award includes recognition at the Historical Society Annual Dinner, an indvidual plaque and lapel pin given to the honorees, their name engraved on a George W. Archer Plaque displayed at the Society Headquarters, and a copy of their citation included in the George W. Archer Fellows Record Book."

Robert Redford Making a Film About Mary Surratt

2009-09-21T18:38:00.004-04:00

Variety magazine online reports that Robert Redford will be directing a film about accused conspirator Mary Surratt who was convicted of participating in the plot to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. The film will star Robin Wright Penn as Mrs. Surratt and James McAvoy as her attorney.

For more details visit the link below:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118008528.html?categoryId=13&cs=1&query=Conspirators

If the link doesn't work, try copying it and pasting it into your browser window and hitting go.

Please Add a Comment

2009-09-11T12:03:00.012-04:00

Spirits of Tudor Hall would be delighted to hear from you. If you have something to say, please post a comment. Here's how:

At the bottom of each post is a space that says something like "0 comments." Right click on "0 comments" and a pop up window should appear where you can leave comments.

It's up to you to decide how you want to be identified or you can remain anonymous.

Your comment will appear on the blog after it has been reviewed by Spirits of Tudor Hall. This is to help prevent inappropriate comments from appearing on the blog.

If you have any trouble posting a comment, please let us know! Thanks!

Please Join Us on Facebook

2009-09-11T11:51:00.007-04:00

You can also become a "fan" of Spirits of Tudor Hall on Facebook where we recently launched a Spirits of Tudor Hall trivia game.

In order to become a fan, you first have to sign up as an member of Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com

If you have any questions about how to become a Spirits of Tudor Hall fan on Facebook, please contact us at spirits-of-tudor-hall@msn.com.

Like Unwrapping a Birthday Present at Tudor Hall

2009-09-11T11:16:00.017-04:00

Suspense builds as the old roofing along the north "flank" of Tudor Hall is removed. Explanation below.

All photos in this post were taken at Tudor Hall on Thursday morning, September 10, 2009. Left click on the photos for bigger, better views. All photos and text by Dinah Faber.

Dinah says: Please forgive me for slipping into the first person in this post. It seemed the most natural way to write this particular post.

One of the things I've been hoping to observe as the old roof comes off and the new roof goes up at Tudor Hall is where the original section of the roof ends along the "flanks" of the house and where the newer section, built in Ella Mahoney's time (1879-1948), begins. As you will see in the following photos, my wish was granted on Thursday morning, September 10th.

Tah dah! The oldest section of the roof is revealed to be clearly different from the newer section. Now the question is did the original house as built by the Booth family actually end where the original roofing ends. Or was the original roofing sawed off and shortened for some reason when the extension to the back portion of the house was added? If the roof reflects where the original house ended, then Tudor Hall was originally even smaller than we thought and the floor plan upstairs would have been different than we imagined as well. It also means that Tudor Hall as originally built more closely resembled architect William Ranlett's original design. More research will be needed to answer these questions.

Also be sure and notice that the roofing on the forklift at the right of the photo that came off the extension is quite rusted while the older roofing that came off the original section of the roof is still quite shiny. Obviously, the original roofing was a quality product!

This close up of the older section of the roof clearly shows traces of the pattern in the roofing that was removed. Almost all of the original wood of the roof itself has remained in good condition and is not being replaced as the new roof goes up.

The north flank of the house was exposed for an hour or less. The crew quickly covered it with sheeting. Will it be another 160 years before it sees daylight again? Only time will tell if the new roofing is as durable as the old.

Can You Spot the Hummingbird at Tudor Hall?

2009-09-07T16:37:00.007-04:00

On Sunday, September 6, 2009, one or more hummingbirds were observed visiting the jewelweed seen in the photo above. Believe it or not, there is a hummingbird in the photo above. Can you spot it? You'll have to have a good eye for a "needle in the haystack."

How about in the close up above cropped from the first photo?

To see larger versions of any of the photos on the blog including the two above, please left click on the photo.

Seen at Tudor Hall on September 10, 2009

2009-09-02T18:59:00.008-04:00

Goldenrod with busy bee. Isn't goldenrod a glorious wildflower? Left click on photo to see bee.

Lobelia (best guess Indian tobacco, scientific name lobelia inflata) member of the bluebell family currently growing in many locations around the grounds at Tudor Hall.

Mushrooms growing in a tree in the front yard at Tudor Hall.

Wayne Schaumburg, the Booths and Green Mount Cemetery on WYPR

2009-09-02T18:48:00.006-04:00

Baltimore historian Wayne Schaumburg was recently interviewed by Tom Hall for WYPR's Maryland Morning. The interview took place while the two men were strolling around Green Mount Cemetery. The Booth family plot is described and discussed during the interview.

The interview aired on Tuesday, September 1, 2009. You can listen to an archive of the interview at the Maryland Morning page of the WYPR website. WYPR is a public radio station in Baltimore.

http://www.wypr.org/MD_MORNING.html

If the link doesn't work, please try copying it and pasting it into your browser window and hitting enter.

And for more information about Wayne Schaumburg and his guided tours of Green Mount Cemetery, click on "Older Posts" at the very bottom of this page. Then scroll down for the July 31, 2009, post on an article about Mr. Schaumburg.

In Bloom at Tudor Hall

2009-09-02T18:31:00.009-04:00

All these photos were taken at Tudor Hall on September 2, 2009.
Left click on photos for a better view.
Above a wasp enjoys the goldenrod.

Queen Anne's Lace.

Joe Pye weed. There was a gorgeous and delicious scent coming off this field of Joe Pye weed and golden rod. The flowers were busy with wasps, moths, butterflies, and bees.

Spirits of Tudor Hall is seeking volunteers to document the trees and plants growing at Tudor Hall throughout the seasons and to create a pamphlet to be provided to visitors interested in the flora at Tudor Hall. If you'd like to help, contact us at:
spirits-of-tudor-hall@msn.com.

Progress Update on Tudor Hall's New Roof

2009-09-02T18:10:00.012-04:00

Left click on photos for better view.

The photo above was taken Wednesday, September 2, 2009, and illustrates a section of roof on the north side of the house being prepared to receive new roofing.

The photo above was taken Sunday, August 30, 2009, at Tudor Hall and shows the new roofing that had been put in place a few days earlier.

This photo was also taken August 30th and gives a better view of the panels that went up the previous week.

This photo was taken Wednesday, September 2nd and shows the new roofing in place at the front of the house.

You Can Watch Ghost Hunters Online

2009-08-27T14:13:00.002-04:00

If you missed John Wilkes Booth and the Dr. Samuel Mudd House on Ghost Hunters last night (Wednesday, August 26) or if you'd like to watch the episode again, you can watch the show online via the Ghost Hunters website via the link below. When you get to the site click on "Full Episode: I Am Not Guilty" in the upper right hand corner of the web page.

It's wonderful to see assassination and Booth family expert Micheal W. Kauffman on the show. Mike is the author of American Brutus: John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln Conspiracies which is a must read for anyone interested in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

http://www.syfy.com/ghosthunters

If the link doesn't work, try copying it and pasting it into your browser window and hitting enter.

Enjoy the show!

Look For Us On Facebook

2009-08-22T14:35:00.006-04:00

Don't forget you can become a "fan" of Spirits of Tudor Hall on Facebook.

If you have any questions on how to do so, please contact us at spirits-of-tudor-hall@msn.com.

John Wilkes Booth on Ghost Hunters, August 26, 2009

2009-08-19T13:17:00.005-04:00

According to the Ghost Hunters website, John Wilkes Booth and the Samuel Mudd house will be featured on the show on Wednesday evening, August 26, 2009. The show airs at 9:00 p.m. EDT (8:00 p.m. CDT) on the Syfy channel.

John Wilkes Booth stopped at Dr. Mudd's house to have his injured leg treated while he was attempting to escape after the assassination on President Abraham Lincoln.

Here's a link to the Ghost Hunters website. If the link doesn't work, try copying it and pasting it into your browser window and hitting enter.

http://www.syfy.com/ghosthunters/

Work Progressing on New Roof

2009-08-06T11:36:00.019-04:00

Left click on any of the photos for a better view.

As shown in the above photo, as of Thursday morning, August 6, 2009, the old roofing has been removed from the four surfaces at the very front of the house and a new insulating, waterproofing layer has been applied.

Closer view of two of the roof surfaces at the front of the house as they appeared Wednesday morning, August 5, 2009.

The photo above as well as those that follow were taken Wednesday, August 5, and illustrate some of the the oldest roofing material (ca. 1852) coming down.

The above photo is a good illustration of the underside of the old roofing.

Last piece of roofing about to come down from this portion of the roof.

Ca. 1852 lumber that hasn't seen daylight in at least 157 years! The crew said none of the wood in this photo would need to be replaced.

This roof surface did not remain open to the sunlight for long. It was soon covered in insulating/waterproofing/weatherproofing material as seen in the photo at the top of this post.

The underside of much of the original roofing remains in relatively good condition.

The top layer of paint/sealant is a rubbery light green material. Below it is a layer of darker green paint.

More photos will be added as work on the roof progresses. Keep an eye on the blog for updates.

Wayne Schaumburg Conducts Tours at Green Mount Cemetery

2009-07-31T15:50:00.004-04:00

On July 20, 2009, Baltimore historian Wayne Schaumburg was featured in an article in a newspaper published by Johns Hopkins University called the JHU Gazette.

Mr. Schaumburg leads tours of Green Mount Cemetery which include a visit to the Booth family plot. Dinah Faber has taken a couple of non-credit Baltimore history classes with Mr. Schaumburg and has also participated in one of his tours of Green Mount, and she highly recommends both his classes and his tours.

You can read the article online on the Gazette's website: http://gazette.jhu.edu. Scroll down to the "People" section for a link to the article.

You can visit Mr. Schaumburg's website at: http://home.earthlink.net/~wschaumburg

If the links don't work, try copying them and pasting them into your browser window and hitting enter.

New Chimney Nearly Done

2009-07-31T10:33:00.013-04:00

A dedicated crew from Decker Contracting, Inc., of Elkton, Maryland, has been hard at work the past two weeks on a new chimney for Tudor Hall.

The chimney, which was nearing completion when these photos were taken on July 30, 2009, is being built to resemble the original chimney. A big "Thank You" goes out to Victor Miller, a dedicated member of the Harford County Historic Preservation Commission, who worked hard to make this happen.

This is a closeup of the chimney as it looked in 1865 when the first known photo of Tudor Hall was taken.

If you left click on this photo to access an enlargement, you'll see that there is one space left to be filled on the outside rim of the chimney.

The last brick on the outside rim is going into place in this photo. Hurray!

It's been a good year for berries in Harford County. There are several varieties ripening at Tudor Hall. The ripe berry in this photo was consumed by the photographer right after this photo was taken, and the photographer says it was DELICIOUS!

There's at least one apple tree growing behind Tudor Hall. Junius Brutus Booth Sr. planted an apple orchard and had a cider press on the farm.

Left click on this photo for a better view. Children from the surrounding neighborhoods are frequent visitors to the grounds at Tudor Hall. It's wonderful to hear their excited voices and to see them having so much fun.

Photos by Dinah Faber, July 30, 2009.

"Brick Brigade" Transfers Old Chimney Bricks to Historical Society of Harford County

2009-07-26T14:52:00.016-04:00

The "Brick Brigade" from left to right and front to back include:
Kathleen King, Mike Brown, Sally Cassilly, Dinah Faber, Ben Knight,
and Maryanna Skowronski.

The old brick chimney at Tudor Hall was recently removed so a new chimney can be built by Decker Contracting of Elkton, Maryland. The workmen carefully removed as many whole bricks as possible using hammers to tap them loose. The bricks were brought down from the roof and carefully stowed in a couple of big boxes awaiting transfer to the basement of the Historical Society of Harford County where they will be stored, analyzed, and eventually used for fund raising projects to benefit Tudor Hall and the Booth Research Center of the Historical Society.

Mike Brown and Sally Cassilly were already hard at work by the time the other volunteers arrived on Saturday morning, July 25, 2009. Mike is a tour guide for Spirits of Tudor Hall, and Sally was a frequent guest of Howard and Dorothy Fox when the Foxes lived at Tudor Hall.

One of the boxes containing the old bricks appears in the center of this photo along with Ben Knight, Kathleen King, and Sally Cassilly engaged in the arduous task of hauling bricks.

The task of loading the bricks went much more quickly than expected; and, before long, the boxes were nearly empty. Mike Brown and Ben Knight pitch in.

Maryanna Skowronski, director of the Historical Society of Harford County, hard at work emptying the second box.

After the bricks were loaded, everyone drove to the Historical Society of Harford County located at 143 Main Street in downtown Bel Air where the bricks were unloaded by Sally Cassilly and Ben Knight and the rest of the hardy volunteers.

Kathleen King worked on her hands and knees at times to stow the bricks in an out-of-the-way spot in the basement (also known as the dungeon) of the historical society. Spirits of Tudor Hall cannot thank Kathleen, Sally, Mike, Ben, Maryanna, and Dinah enough for taking quick action on short notice to "save" the bricks. We also wish to thank volunteers Sonja Marshall and Jill Redding for coming out to help as well. Sorry we just missed you at Tudor Hall!

July & August Tours Canceled Due to Work on New Chimney & Roof Starting on July 20, 2009

2009-07-18T17:49:00.001-04:00

Spirits of Tudor Hall has just learned that work on the new chimney and roof for Tudor Hall will begin, Monday, July 20, 2009. It is uncertain just how long the work will take since so much depends of weather conditions and other factors that cannot be anticipated with any certainty.

As a result, we are canceling the tours of Tudor Hall we had scheduled for Sunday, July 26th, and Sunday, August 30th, 2009.

If you have reservations for either of these dates, you will be contacted about rescheduling your tour to Sunday, September 27 or Sunday, October 25, 2009, the two last tour dates of the year.

We apologize for any disappointment and inconvenience this may cause.

Summer Flowers in Full Bloom at Tudor Hall

2009-07-18T17:42:00.007-04:00

Tudor Hall Photographed July 17, 2009.

2009-07-14T17:25:00.013-04:00

Tudor Hall will soon be undergoing some significant changes to its chimney and roof. Be sure to keep an eye on the blog for updates.

John Wilkes Booth in Washington Times July 9, 2009

2009-07-09T20:36:00.001-04:00

An article entitled "Booth the Star of Band of Conspirators" by Kimberly Largent Christopher appeared in the Washington Times on July 9, 2009. You can read this lengthy article focusing primarily on the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln online at:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/09/john-wilkes-booth-assassin/

If the link doesn't work, try copying it and pasting it into your browser window and hitting enter.

See Junius Brutus Booth Sr. Letter on Library of Congress Website

2009-07-08T16:22:00.009-04:00

You can see a photo of the letter JBB Sr. wrote to Andrew Jackson on the Library of Congress website. The site also features a brief article about the letter.

http://www.loc.gov/blog/2009/07/library-helped-finger-another-would-be-assassin-named-booth

If the link doesn't work, try copying it and pasting it into your browser window and hitting go.

Don't Miss Junius on History Detectives

2009-07-04T16:14:00.006-04:00

An angry and threatening letter Junius Brutus Booth Sr. wrote to President Andrew Jackson is featured in the most recent episode of the History Detectives, which was released for airing on PBS stations Monday, July 6th. You can watch the episode online via the History Detectives' website by clicking on the link below. If the link doesn't work try copying and pasting it into your browser window. If all else fails do an online search for History Detectives, click on "Video," choose Season 7, Episode 3, then choose Chapter 4: Booth Letter.

http://www.pbs.org/video/video/1169415042/program/1138014438

See post further down this page for more details.

Enjoy Our Blog, Find Us On Facebook, Contact Us

2009-06-10T18:03:00.006-04:00

"Right Click" on photos to see them in a larger size.

At the bottom of this "page," click on "Older Posts" to read more.

You can now find Spirits of Tudor Hall on Facebook. Just search for us using the window in the upper right hand corner of any Facebook page. And be sure and become a "fan."

If you have any questions, contact: spirits-of-tudor-hall@msn.com.

Number of People Who Have Attended Our Tours

2009-06-10T17:38:00.004-04:00

2009: 135 so far this year (April 26, May 31, June 28)

2008: 170-175 (Oct. 26, Nov. 2, Nov. 8, Nov. 16)

Spirits of Tudor Hall was first organized in the fall of 2008.

The enthusiastic response to our tours makes all our hard work worthwhile. Thank you for visiting Tudor Hall!

New Roof for Tudor Hall This Summer

2009-06-10T17:25:00.003-04:00

The Aegis (Harford County's local newspaper) reported on June 3, 2009, that the Harford County Board of Estimates "approved a contract for $81,850 with Decker Contracting Inc. of Elkton to remove and replace the existing roof of Tudor Hall . . . to include fascia, trim and soffit . . . The project also includes removal and replacement of the existing chimney."

Work on the new roof and chimney is currently expected to begin in mid-July and be completed by the end of August.

Spirits of Tudor Hall is working with the Historical Society of Harford County, the Junius B. Booth Society, the Harford County Historic Preservation Commission, and Harford County Historic Preservation Planner Sarah Corey to develop a plan to salvage and safely store as much of the tin roofing as possible.

In addition, we are exploring creative ideas for putting the salvaged materials to good use.

Updated information will be posted on the blog as it becomes available.

Booths on History Detectives & National Public Radio

2009-06-06T07:05:00.012-04:00

The popular program History Detectives has returned to many public television stations for its 7th season. One of the historic objects they will explore this season is an angry and threatening letter Junius Brutus Booth Sr. wrote to President Andrew Jackson. Dinah Faber, coordinator for Spirits of Tudor Hall, assisted with the research for this feature.

The Maryland Public Television website describes the feature as follows:

"Booth Letter - A contributor gave HISTORY DETECTIVES a letter indicating that, 30 years before John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln, Booth's father threatened to kill another sitting president, Andrew Jackson. Signed "Junius Brutus Booth," the letter to Jackson reads, "You damn'd old scoundrel ... I will cut your throat whilst you are sleeping." The writer insists that Jackson pardon two men who were sentenced to death. Why did the fate of these two men incite such fury? HISTORY DETECTIVES host Tukufu Zuberi travels to Nashville to consult historians at The Hermitage, the ancestral home of President Andrew Jackson, and to Washington, DC, to talk with a Booth biographer. Was the letter a hoax? Or did assassination run in the Booth blood?"

The episode featuring the Booth letter will be aired on Maryland Public Television on:

Tuesday, July 07, 2009 09:00 PM
(Channel: MPT2—Digital)

Sunday, July 12, 2009 06:00 PM
(Channel: MPT2—Digital)

Monday, July 06, 2009 09:00 PM
(Channel: MPT HD)

Tuesday, July 07, 2009 03:00 AM
(Channel: MPT HD)

You can watch a preview of the History Detectives 7th season on their website. Junius Brutus Booth is mentioned in the preview, and you'll get a brief glimpse of the actual letter he wrote to Jackson. Just do an online search for History Detectives. The preview is available on their home page.

The story of the outlaw George Lovett alias Fontaine asking that his skull be shipped to Junius Brutus Booth Sr. was recently featured on "All Things Considered" (National Public Radio). On June 4, 2009, NPR aired a feature about Jude Law who is currently appearing in a production of Hamlet in London. Mr. Law apparently insisted on having a real human skull as a prop for the grave digger's scene. This prompted listener Jay Dennis Robinson of Portsmith, NH, to contact the show about the human skull that still "resides" in Edwin Booth's bedroom at The Players in New York City.

You can listen to both features at:

June 4th Feature about Jude Law, "On London's West End, 'Hamlet' With Human Skull":

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104967646

June 5th Feature about the Booths, "Letters: 'Hamlet' Skull":

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105040476

If the links don't work, go to the NPR site www.npr.org and do a search for Jude Law and Edwin Booth and links to both features will come up.

New in the Booth Room

2009-04-30T14:26:00.002-04:00

A generous supporter of Tudor Hall and the Center for the Arts recently donated three pieces of furniture to Tudor Hall including the cupboard seen at the center of this photo.

Another useful and attractive piece of furniture from the same donor appears in this photo. The informative and instructive framed poster donated by Elwin Penski of the Junius B. Booth Society was recently moved to the new location shown in this photo where it will be easier for visitors to read.

This side table adds a touch of elegance to the Booth Room at Tudor Hall. We are very grateful for the donation of all three pieces.

April 26, 2009, Tours at Tudor Hall

2009-03-13T10:34:00.014-04:00

The first tours of 2009 were held at Tudor Hall on April 26th which turned out to be a very HOT day with temperatures in the low 90s. Eight people participated in the 1:00 PM tour which was led by Joyce Bauer. This was the first tour Joyce has led at Tudor Hall, and she did quite well. We're very proud of her.

Kris Thomson led the 2:00 PM tour. Kris bravely serves as our lead tour guide.

Kris Thomson and Sonja Marshall enjoy the shade on the verandah at Tudor Hall and wait to welcome visitors. Despite the shade, it was an uncomfortably WARM afternoon to say the least.

Dinah Faber In Baltimore Sun on Sunday, March 15, 2009

2009-03-13T10:16:00.010-04:00

On March 10, 2009, Jonathan Pitts of the Baltimore Sun interviewed Dinah Faber (coordinator of Spirits of Tudor Hall) for an hour and a half, and the next day Kenneth K. Lam, photographer for the Sun, photographed Dinah at Tudor Hall. On Sunday, March 15, the Sun published a "Maryland Close Up" about Dinah and her work as "the Booth lady."

If you would like to receive a copy of the article, please contact spirits-of-tudor-hall@msn.com. Thank you.

New Roof and Archeology Coming to Tudor Hall

2009-03-02T17:54:00.011-05:00

A new roof for Tudor Hall was included on the agenda of the Harford County Historic Preservation Commission at a meeting of the commission on February 4, 2009. Raymond Johnson (project manager of the Harford County Department of Public Works, Division of Construction Management) gave a presentation on the architectural plans for the roof which have been prepared by the architectural firm of Edmeades & Stromdahl of Bel Air, Maryland. At last check, work to replace the roof at Tudor Hall was expected to begin this summer. Keep an eye on the blog for updates.

Joe Pfaff (Director of the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation) has given Spirits of Tudor Hall permission create a plan for possible archeological exploration at Tudor Hall. Continuing discussions are underway with Ann Persson (president of the Archeological Society of the Northern Chesapeake), Sarah Corey (Harford County Historic Preservation Planner), Charles Hall (Maryland State Terrestrial Archeologist associated with the Maryland Historical Trust), and the Center for the Arts.

Archeological work at Tudor Hall will not begin until the summer of 2010 at the earliest. Any digging at Tudor Hall will be scientifically and professionally planned and supervised, and we will take as much time as we need to make sure we get it right before any digging is authorized by the Department of Parks and Recreation and before any digging actually begins at Tudor Hall.

Watch the blog for updates.

Update on March 11, 2009, Meeting for Tour Guides

2009-03-02T17:27:00.009-05:00

Photo taken at Tudor Hall on March 11 prior to the meeting. Notice the daffodils at the foot of the tree. Spring is coming to Tudor Hall.

A meeting of our tour guides was held at Tudor Hall on Wednesday evening, March 11, 2009, at 7:00 PM. Seven "Spirits" who were involved in our tours last fall, Kathy Cochran of the Center for the Arts, and two new volunteers attended the meeting.

Kris Thomson has courageously agreed to serve as lead tour guide in 2009. Kris led tours at Tudor Hall during the years Howard and Dorothy Fox owned the property, and Spirits of Tudor Hall feels blessed to have Kris's wisdom and experience to guide us.

We are also very pleased to have a number of other "old timers" joining us in our current efforts, including Jill Redding, Mary Iacchei, and (most recently) Katherine Ellis. Welcome back!

The primary purpose of the March 11 meeting was to lay the groundwork for the upcoming tours of 2009 (see post above for details). Many details related to the tours were discussed and decided upon. Everyone who attended the meeting is excited about the upcoming tours of 2009.

Kathy Cochran of the Center for the Arts graciously provided coffee and lemonade as well as delicious home made, "gourmet" mini-muffins and some truly irresistible chocolate cookies purchased at Safeway. Thank you, Kathy!

Photo of family, including baby in stroller and toddler, getting some fresh air at Tudor Hall on March 11, 2009.