Creator: Allen B. Sanderson
Dates: 1872-1991 (bulk, 1965-1976)
Quantity: 0.75 linear feet (2 manuscript containers)
Acquisition: Accession #: 2009.32 ; Donated by: David Sanderson
Identification: A61 ; Archive Collection #61
Citation:  [Document Title]. The International Schooner and Dory Races 1965-1976 Collection, [Box #, Folder #, Item #], Cape Ann Museum Library & Archives, Gloucester, MA.
Copyright: Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be addressed to the Librarian/Archivist.
Language: English
Finding Aid:  Processed by Peter J. Brown, 2009. Updated by Karla Kaneb, June 2020.

View the collection here.

 

This material was donated by David Sanderson on behalf of his brother Allen B. Sanderson who died May 16, 2006.

Allen B. Sanderson was born in Boston January 22, 1931, grew up in Littleton, MA, and graduated from Weslyan College, Middletown, CT. After military service he obtained a Master’s Degree from Boston University School of Journalism, and came to Gloucester to work as a reporter for the Gloucester Daily Times. Although the job did not last Allen spent the rest of his life in Gloucester.

He worked as a technical writer at Raytheon and Sylvania, and as a grant writer at the Perkins Institute for the Blind. Throughout this time his first love was his 58’ wooden sloop the Cytheria, which he co-owned with Julian Hatch. She was berthed at Beacon Marine in East Gloucester for many years and he devoted many hours to her care and restoration, with brief intervals of sailing along the coast.

He also acted as publicity agent for the Dory and Schooner races in the 1960s and 70s.

 

This collection is a gift of David Sanderson of Portsmouth, NH. The donation was made on behalf of his brother, Allen B. Sanderson, and was part of Allen B. Sanderson’s estate.

 

Dory races between Gloucester and Lunenburg, Nova Scotia are on a home and away series held on July 1 (in Gloucester) and September 15 (in Lunenburg) annually. This material covers the years 1965, 1966, 1967.

Dory competitions began in 1947. Originally held only in Gloucester, they were later expanded to include a match race of the Gloucester winner against the winner of the Lunenburg races. The senior division race is one nautical mile and the junior division (18 and under) is over a half nautical mile course. The dories belong to the Dory Committee, but the oars belong to the individual racers. Training for the race is taken seriously with coaching by local Coast Guard Station personnel.

The International Schooner Race was also a competition between Gloucester and Lunenberg, Nova Scotia. The first race for a trophy and prize money was put on by a group of Boston fish dealers over a thirty-three mile course off Boston in 1886. Gloucester entered the race for the first time in 1888 and took second place. The first Gloucester race was held August 16, 1892 as part of the city’s 250th Anniversary celebration. The cup, donated by Henry S. Hovey, Commodore of the Eastern Yacht Club, was won by Capt. Maurice Whalen in the Harry L. Belden. These events were followed by a race for the Lawson Cup in 1901 and the Lipton Cup in 1907.

In 1920 the Halifax Herald and Mail put out a challenge taken up by the Gloucester Daily Times and the International Schooner Races began. The schooners were true fishing vessels over 100’ in length at the water-line, and manned by the fishermen themselves.

The competition was at its most intense during the 1920s and 1930s and in 1923 the races between the Bluenose, Capt. Angus Walters, of Lunenberg and the Gloucester schooner Gertrude L. Thebaud, Capt. Ben Pine, approached mythic proportions in both communities. When Capt. Walters died in 1968, it was front page news in the Gloucester Daily Times.

The demise of the fishing schooner, engines being more efficient than sail, and the onset of World War II, combined to end the competition.

In 1969, the races were resumed as the Great Schooner Race, although the vessels were smaller and used for recreation rather than fishing. The competition is open to all gaff-rigged schooners of at least twenty-five in length. The Gloucester winner then competes against the Lunenburg winner in a best out of three competition. This material covers the years of the Great Schooner Races between 1969 and 1976.

Racing Schooners - Background to International races

It was a tradition for fishing schooners with full loads to race each other into port. Beyond the competitive spirit of the vessels, the first ship into port received the highest prices for its catch. Since most of the fishing took place off the coast of Nova Scotia, it was not unusual for Gloucester schooners to have many Nova Scotians on their vessels.

Of the 5,378 men memorialized at the dedication of the cenotaph in 2007,1,596 were born in the Canadian Maritimes. The close ties and natural competitiveness of the two fleets led to the International Fishermen's races of the 1920's and 1930's.

One cannot overemphasize the excitement generated by these schooner races. Thousands of spectators converged upon Cape Ann, elected official from all levels of government were present, banquets were prepared, formal balls were held and newspaper coverage was extensive and widespread.

1920 The Esperanto (Captain Marty Welch) defeats the Delawana in Halifax. Welch was born in Nova Scotia. The Esperanto was lost in 1921 on Sable Island off Nova Scotia.

1921 Elsie (Capt. Marty Welch) vs. Bluenose (Capt. Angus Walters). Bluenose is the victor. Elsie lost in 1935 off the Gulf of St. Lawrence

1922 The Puritan, built in 1921, judged to be the fastest of American schooners, lost at Sable Island. Henry Ford (Capt. Clayton Morrisey) vs. Bluenose (Angus Walters). Capt. Morrisey was born in Nova Scotia.

In Gloucester

{ 1st race - Ford wins but is disqualified - too much sail 

{ 2nd race - Ford wins 

{ 3rd race - Bluenose wins

{ 4th race - Bluenose wins

Major controversy over outcome - Bad blood among crews

1923 Lipton Cup - Henry Ford defeats Eliz. Howard and Shamrock

1923 Columbia (Capt. Ben Pine) vs. Bluenose in Halifax. Capt. Pine born in Newfoundland. Bluenose disqualified in Race #1 (fouls Columbia); disqualified in Race #2 (went inside buoy). Walters refuses to race again - Pine refuses cup and prize money

1926 Columbia (Pine) vs. Henry Ford (Morrisey). Columbia wins

1927 - Columbia lost - Sable Island

1928 - Henry Ford lost - Newfoundland

1929 Local race - Progress (Capt. Manuel Domingoes

1930 - Progress lost off Cape Cod

1930 Gertrude L. Thebauld (Ben Pine) vs. Bluenose (Angus Walters)

(Gloucester - Thebauld wins - Lipton Trophy only)

1931 International Fishing Trophy, Halifax - Gertrude Thebauld vs. Bluenose - Bluenose wins

1938 Gertrude Thebauld vs. Bluenose. Bluenose winner (3 out of 5)

1948 - Thebauld lost off Venezuela

1946 - Bluenose lost off Haiti

 

I. Dory races

II. Schooner races

III. Miscellaneous papers

IV. Photographs

V. Fishermen’s Races Scrapbook

 

Box #1

Series I

Folder 1

Dory Race Bulletins 1965 - 1967

Newspaper clippings of race results

Series II

Folder 2

Schooner Race Committee Bulletins

Entry Lists 1971-76

Newspapers

Folder 3

International Schooner Race Bulletins

Entry List 1970

Newspapers

Folder 4

International Schooner Race Bulletins

Entry List 1969

Newspapers

Articles on Capt. Angus Walters

Folder 5

International Schooner Race Bulletins 1972 - 75

Newspapers

Series III

Folder 6

Essex Ship Building Museum publicity bulletins, 1994 - 95

Folder 7

Brochure: History of Gloucester, 350th Anniversary

Pamphlet: History of Hammond Castle

Photos Storm of 1872

Folder 8

Photographs

Storm of 1991

Windjammer 1962

 

Box #2

Series IV

13 slide containers 7 envelopes of photographs

 

Oversize Box #3

Series V

Fishermen’s Races Scrapbook

 

Scrapbook contents:

Date Page Article
10/24/22  1 1st official race - Henry Ford wins (1st race - Ford disqualified - too much sail)
10/26/22 2 Bluenose wins (2nd official race)
10/24/22 3 1st official race - Henry Ford wins - Ford claims victory with two wins, but disqualification stands
10/24/22  4 Controversy - will Ford race again
10/26/22 5 Bluenose wins 2nd official race
10/26/22 6 Bluenose wins 3rd official race - wins cup (2 out of 3)
10/27/22 7 Bluenose wins
10/27/22  8 Protest of Bluenose win
10/27/22  9 Walters refuses to race against Mayflower disgusted with Gloucester; Walters agrees to race against Mayflower
10/27/22 10 Formal appeals to Bluenose victory
10/27/22  11 Protest filed after Bluenose victory - Bluenose to race Mayflower
10/27/22  12 Bluenose wins (over Ford)
10/27/22  13 Bluenose wins - Bluenose to race Mayflower
10/27/22  14 Bluenose wins - Walters refuses to race Mayflower in Gloucester
10/27/22  15 Protest by American committee
10/27/22  16 Protest continues - no Mayflower race
10/27/22  17 Protest continues - no Mayflower race
10/27/22  18 Halifax cheers Bluenose victory - declares Mayflower not a fishing vessel
10/27/22  19 Editorial (Canada) on Mayflower
10/27/22  20 Bluenose victory - Canadian papers
10/27/22  21 Bluenose victory - Canadian papers
10/27/22  22 Victory celebrations in Lunenburg - Canadian papers
10/27/22  23 Victory celebrations in Lunenburg - Canadian papers
10/28/22  24 Canadians cheer victory - protest fails
10/28/22  25 Protest of Ford fails - nephew of Angus Walters drowns in Gloucester
10/28/22  26 Death of Bluenose sailor
10/29/22  27 Photos of Bluenose and Henry Ford
10/28/22 28 Protest disallowed
10/29/22 29 Story of hard feelings in Gloucester toward Bluenose
10/28/22  30 Protest disallowed
10/30/22  31 Bluenose at home
10/30/22  32 Drowned sailor (Captain Demone) - body returns home
10/31/22 33 Demone article - controversy continues on 1st race
10/31/22 34 Article on Lunenburg history vis a vis Gloucester
10/30/22  35 Why 1st race was declared unofficial (Ford exceeded sail limits)
10/30/22  36 Post race analysis
10/30/22  37 Relief for Demone family
11/3/22 38 Mayflower challenges Bluenose - Walters declines
11/2/22 39 Race committee - winding up affairs
11/2/22 40 Charity appeal for Demone family
11/4/22  41 Expert (John B. Kelly) says comm. wrong in 3rd race - Bluenose should have been disqualified
11/5/22 42 Article on Bluenose designer - W.J. Rowe
11/8/22 43 New rules for Fisherman trophy
11/26/22 44 New rules - should favor genuine fishing vessel
12/8/22 45 New rules - magazine article on race
3/9/23 46 Rules - Puritan - new challenger (Capt. Ben Pine)
10/22  47 Advertisement - Rules - Bluenose vs. Ford
4/23 48 Columbia launched - Puritan lost at Sable Island summer of 22
4/22 49 Henry Ford launched
1/22 50 Comparison of Puritan and Mayflower
2/19/22  51 Mayflower conceded to be fastest vessel
8/27/23 52 Ad - 300th anniversary
10/24/22 52 Halifax Herald - Bisquit named after Bluenose
10/23/22  53,54 Bluenose defeats Henry Ford - Morning Chronicle, Halifax
10/26/22  55,56 Bluenose defeats Henry Ford - Boston Globe
10/26/22  57,58 Bluenose defeats Henry Ford - Boston Post
10/26/22  59,60 Bluenose wins
10/25/22 61,62,63 Bluenose wins
10/21/22  64 Ready to race - Bluenose vs. Ford
10/21/22  65 Ford wins over Bluenose
10/24/22 66 Race continues
10/9/22 [sic] 67 Bluenose wins
10/21/22  68 Preparations - Ford ordered to cut sails
10/21/22  69 Preparations
10/21/22  70 Race postponed
10/21/22  71 Race postponed
10/24/22 72 Race postponed
10/12/22  73 Ford favored to win American trials
10/9/22  74 Canadian elimination - Bluenose wins
10/9/22  75 Bluenose wins Canadian trials
10/10/22  76 Bluenose wins Canadian trials
10/10/22  77 Bluenose and Henry Ford prepare for races
10/4/22 78 Early preparations for race
10/9/22 79 Early preparations for race
10/16/22  80 Pre-race excitement
10/16/22  81 Bluenose arrives in Gloucester
10/16/22  82 Pre-race festivities
10/16/22  83 Mayflower to race winner of International Cup
10/17/22 84 Mayflower challenge to winner
10/14/22  85 Ford defeats Eliz. Howard in trial race
10/18/22 86 Pre-race - Bluenose vs. Ford
10/18/22 87 Pre-race
10/18/22 88 Trial runs
10/19/22 89 Preparations
10/18/22 90 Pre-race fests
10/18/22 91 Pre-race trial spins
10/18/22 92 Pre-race
10/25/22 93 1st race - Ford ahead - declared no contest (Ford sails too large)
10/25/22 94,95 No contest 1st race
10/22 96 Official passes - invitations
10/7/22  97 Mayflower challenge in American races upheld Canadian elimination begins
10/5/22 98 Henry Ford out for trial run
10/6/22 99 Henry Ford out for trial run - Bluenose in Halifax for Canadian races
10/6/22 100 Canadian races - Bluenose wins 1st race
9/8/22  101 Article by owner of Eliz. Howard
10/6/22 102 Halifax - Canadian elimination
10/6/22 103 Halifax - Canadian elimination
10/8/22  104 Bluenose wins Canadian race
10/9/22  105 Bluenose wins Canadian race
10/9/22  106 Canadia leads Bluenose but Bluenose wins
10/9/22  107 Mayflower challenge
10/10/22  108 Preparation for race (U.S.)
10/10/22  109 Bluenose 2nd race unofficial - Bluenose picked
10/10/22  110 Bluenose wins - analysis
10/12/22 111 U.S. race - Henry Ford, Eliz. Howard, Yankee, C.H. Dunton
10/13/22 112 Ford wins - 1st U.S. elimination races
10/10/22  113 Pre-elimination races
10/11/22 114 Bluenose on way to Gloucester
10/11/22 115 U.S. races to begin
10/11/22 116 Bluenose to defend title - American trials begin
10/13/22 117 Bluenose expected - Mayflower challenges
10/13/22 118 Preparations - Bluenose arrives
10/13/22 119 Preparations
10/11/22 120 Bluenose in Gloucester
10/13/22  121 Henry Ford wins 1st race (U.S. elimination)
10/11/22 122 Pre-race preparations (U.S.)
10/13/22 123 Henry Ford wins 1st race (U.S. elimination)
10/13/22 124 Henry Ford wins 1st race (U.S. elimination)
10/7/22  125 Halifax Herald - Preparation for Nova Scotia elimination race
10/9/22 126 Bluenose wins (Halifax Herald)
10/13/22 127 Ford prepares for 2nd U.S. race - Ford wins
10/14/22 128 Ford wins (U.S. race)
10/14/22 129 Ford wins - Bluenose arrives
10/12/22  130 Halifax Herald - Ford favorite to win U.S. trials
10/14/22  131 Bluenose arrives in Gloucester
10/14/22  132 Ford wins U.S. trials
10/21/22 133 Ford sails over the limit - must be cut
10/14/22 134 Ford wins U.S. trials
10/15/22 135 Bluenose in harbor (10/20/22) - Sec'y of Navy Denby on hand
10/15/22 136 Ford to meet Bluenose
10/15/22 137 Ford to meet Bluenose - excited city
10/20/22 138 Preparations for race (Essex) 
10/15/22  139 Ford to meet Bluenose
10/21/22  140 1st race - Ford wins
10/21/22 141 1st race - Ford wins
10/19/22 142 Pre-race excitement
10/20/22 143 Pre-race excitement
10/20/22 144 Pre-race excitement
10/19/22 145 Mayflower conceded to be fastest schooner
11/6/21 146 Bluenose defeats Elsie
4/18/23 147 Columbia launched (Essex) - rigging (Gloucester) Picture of Columbia
4/11/22 148 Henry Ford launched
4/26/23 149 Columbia sails on maiden trip - rules dispute
11/12/22 150 Controversy: Mayor Wheeler vs. Race Committee
10/22/23 151 Columbia defeats Ford for right to challenge Lunenburg - Canada
10/26/23  152 Columbia at Halifax - Capt. Ben Pine Editorial (Moncton Express) calls Angus Walters a poor sport
10/31/23 153 2nd race - ended by committee - fail to finish on time
10/30/23 154 Bluenose wins 1st race
11/1/23  155 Analysis of Bluenose victory
11/1/23  156 Analysis of Bluenose victory
11/1/23  157 Bluenose wins trophy
11/2/23  158 Bluenose wins trophy
11/2/23  159 Analysis of Bluenose
11/2/23  160 American protest upheld - Bluenose refuses to race again
11/2/23  161 Columbia declared winner of 2nd race
11/3/23 162 Bluenose crew (Angus Walters) refuses to sail another race
11/10/23 163 Review of controversy
11/2/23 164 Review of controversy
11/22/23 165 Angus Walters may take case to court
9/14/26  166 Plans to review schooner races - Columbia to race Ford 10/2/26
9/28/26 167 Discussions - rules
9/28/26 168 Preparations - invite to Nova Scotia schooners to participate
10/2/26 169 Preparations for race
10/2/26 170 Preparations for race - no Canadian boat
10/5/26 171 Canadian boat decides to enter - Haligonian
10/8/26 172 Haligonian decides not to enter
10/8/26 173 Preparations - tryouts - U.S.
10/9/26 174 Preparation
10/10/26  175 Preparation
10/11/26  176 Race begins - Columbia vs. Henry Ford
10/12/26 177 Columbia wins 1st race
10/12/26 178 Columbia wins 1st race
10/12/26 179 Columbia wins 2nd race
10/12/26 180 Columbia wins 2nd race
10/13/26 181 Columbia wins trophy
10/13/26 182 Columbia wins trophy - Ben Pine - challenge to Canada
10/13/26 183 Trophies awarded
10/15/26 184 Canadian trial races begin
10/20/26 185 Magazine Atlantic Fisherman
10/20/26 186 Pre-race excitement
10/16/26 187 Bluenose wins Nova Scotia trials - picture of Columbia
10/6/26  188 Bluenose wins
10/2/26 189 Columbia defeats Henry Ford - U.S. trials - Capt. Ben Pine
10/13/26 190 Controversy with Bluenose - refuses to race in Gloucester
10/21/26 191 Bluenose wins Canadian race - doubts as to challenge
8/25/23 192 Lipton Cup race - schooners Shamrock/Henry Ford/Eliz. Howard/Mayflower
8/25/23 193 Race for Lipton cup - excitement
8/30/23 194 Henry Ford wins Lipton Cup
9/1/23 195 Trophy awarded to Ford
7/9/26 196 Columbia defeats Ford
7/7/28 197 Columbia lost at sea 8/24/27
8/27/29 198 Columbia lost
8/27/29 199 Gloucester race - Elsie/Thomas Gorton/Arthur Story/ Progress
8/31/29 200 Gloucester race - Picture of Progress winning 1st race
10/29/27 201 Columbia lost off Sable Island/schooner Avalon rammed by ocean liner
11/2/27 202 Fund raising for Columbia and Avalon
1/7/28 203 Trawler Venosta snags sunken Columbia - raises schooner for a few minutes
7/17/29 204 Plans to resume racing
8/21/29 205 Schooners compete - Elsie/Josephine DeCosta /Progress/ Thomas Gorton/Arthur Story 
8/29/29 206 1st race called off - light wind
9/3/29 207 Progress wins
9/8/29 208 Future of schooners race discussed - problem: schooners not built anymore
10/15/29 209 Pre-race jinx - 4 schooners lost - Esperanto/Puritan/Eliz. Howard/Columbia
8/29 210 Gloucester races (see p.205)
9/1/29 211 Pre-race news - article by James Connolly
9/1/29 212 Race #1 and Race #2 cancelled - light air
9/2/29 213 Progress wins 3rd race (no more races)
9/2/29 214 Mysterious helmsman of Progress - Prof. George Owen, M.I.T.
8/21/29 215 Pre-race - Progress wins
8/27/29 216 Pre-race
8/29/29 217 Pre-race
8/30/29 218 Boston Globe - Pre-race (Saturday is race day) - Josephine DeCosta out
8/31/29 219 Saturday - race is on
8/31/29 220 Race called off - lack of wind
9/3/29 221 2nd race - wind fails - 3rd race - Progress wins
7/20/29 222 Back articles leading up to race
8/29/29 223 Back articles
8/31/29 224 Back article - lack of wind - 1st race
9/2/29 225 Back articles - Progress wins
3/20/30 226 Gertrude L. Thebaud launched at Essex
3/18/30 227 Gertrude L. Thebaud - challenge to Bluenose
3/16/30 228 Boston Sunday Post - story of Gertrude L. Thebaud
4/29/30 229 Oct. 8 set for race between Thebaud and Bluenose in Gloucester
6/1/30 230 Progress sunk off Cape Cod
6/2/30 231 Progress sinks - crew safe - Bluenose goes ashore on rocks 6/18 - Bluenose pulled off - not seriously damaged
10/2/30 232 Bluenose reception planned
10/4/30 233 Bluenose coming - interest intense - Ben Pine of Thebaud
10/6/30 234 Bluenose arrives - parade
10/7/30 235 Welcome to Angus Walters - City Hall - parade
10/8/30 236 Final tune ups
10/9/30 237 Past history of races
10/10/30 238 Lipton trophy delivered
10/9/30 239 Thebaud wins (times)
10/10/30 240 Thebaud wins (times)
10/11/30 241 Race called off - lack of wind
10/11/30 242 Ball (Dance) - Ben Pine in hospital, replaced by Charlie Johnson
10/14/30 243 Second race postponed - no air 10/15/30 - race called off
10/16/30 244 Repairs to Bluenose
10/17/30 245 Race again postponed - flat calm 10/18 - Thebaud wins
10/20/30  246 Lipton trophy awarded 10/21
9/27/30 247 10/1/30 - Pre-race preparations Halifax papers
10/7/30 248 Bluenose in Gloucester - repairs on Thebaud Halifax papers
10/7/30 249 Article on Thebaud Halifax papers
10/14/30 250 Races postponed Halifax papers
10/15/30 251 Fog, wind cause calling off race with Bluenose ahead Halifax papers
10/16/30 252 Fog, wind cause calling off race with Bluenose ahead Halifax papers
10/19/30 253 Thebaud wins - but Canadian paper claims it was a fluke Halifax papers
9/24/30 254 Trial runs for Thebaud
10/11/30 255 Race with Bluenose called off
10/12/30 256 Race - calm (no race)
10/13/30 257 Race - calm (no race)
7/27/30 258 Thebaud crashes into boat in Marblehead
8/24/30 259 Bluenose to race Thebaud
9/3/30 260 Race confirmed
9/22/30 261 Pre-race
9/24/30 262 Thebaud out for spin
9/24/30 263 Pre-race - finances
9/25/30 264 Pre-race
10/28/30 265 No race at Halifax
10/14/30 266 Pre-race
10/17/30 267 Pre-race
10/30 268 Press releases - Canada
10/30 269 Press releases - Canada
10/30 270,271,272,273 Press clippings - Luce's Press Clipping Bureau
10/30 274,275 Press clippings - pictures
10/30 276 Picture - Gertrude Thebaud Misc. - Race chart, advertisements for race List of newspapers - clippings
10/30 277 Invitation cards
  278 (Blank)
9/30 279 Repeat of pre-race
  280 Repeat articles - pre-race
9/30, 10/30 281 Repeat articles - pre-race
10/10/30 282,283 Repeat - Thebaud wins 1st race
10/11/30 284 2nd race called - no wind
10/16/30 285 3rd race called - too much wind
9/16/31 286 New race scheduled - International Fishermen's Trophy
9/29/31 287 Trial race between Thebaud and Elsie
10/9/31 288 Thebaud wins 2nd race over Elsie
10/13/31 289 Thebaud heads to Halifax
10/13/31 290 Thebaud in Halifax - pre-race preparations
10/15/31 291 Article - Thebaud Capt. John Matheson, sailed Gloucester to Halifax
10/16/31 292 Race is doubtful - fog
10/21/31 293 Bluenose wins 2 out of 3