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In 1909 Morris Bell and Max Leavitt started a business to make oiled clothing for the Gloucester fishermen. Its famous “sou’wester” led to the production of other items such as work clothes, work gloves, heavy wool and leather outerwear and even mattresses (the old excelsior stuffed cotton ticking kind) for fishing vessel bunks.

Over time the original business, set up as the Gloucester Manufacturing Company with factories at 31 Commercial Street and 21 Main Street, evolved into the Cape Ann Manufacturing Company, which eventually evolved into the Mighty-Mac Company.

In the first World War the company made ponchos, lace breeches and shelter-tent halves (affectionately called pup-tents) in addition to the famous lines of oil cloths and rugged outerwear. In the late 1920s the company introduced its “collegiate slicker” and oilskin reached its peak demand. The depression marked the beginning of the demise of the oil clothing business but fortunately the company’s outerwear business remained strong. Style development and improved fit led to strong growth in the demand for outerwear garments and Mighty-Mac became the trademark for these products.

From 1940 to 1945 the company was almost totally committed to the war program and made field jackets for the army, life jackets for the navy, and fragmentation bomb parachutes for the Army Ordinance. Research and development work on the Eisenhower jacket helped earn the coveted Army & Navy “E” award for excellence in production and quality for the company.

After World War II the Mighty-Mac trademark and its supporting symbol, the Fisherman at the Wheel, became the mark of quality and good fashion throughout the clothing industry. Sales offices were opened in the Empire State Building in New York City and the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. Salesmen were added and marketing territories were expanded. Production facilities were expanded in 1953 by acquisition of a plant in Lawrence, MA., and in 1956 by building a new Gloucester plant at Emerson Ave, near the Annisquam river. Mighty-Mac remained a leader in style, quality and craftsmanship of its sport and spectator, summer and winter, men, women and children’s outerwear clothing for the next three decades. The company was sold to the Haddad Group, Ltd. of New York in 1985

BIOGRAPHIES

Morris Bell and Molly Broder Bell were the parents of Richard S. Bell and Harold Bell. Morris Bell was the co-founder with Max Leavitt, in 1909, of the Gloucester Manufacturing Company. Morris Bell died in 1933.

Richard S. Bell was born in 1912. He graduated in 1934 from Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania, and joined the family clothing company. He served as President and Director until the company was sold in 1985.

Harold Bell was born in 1914. He attended the University of Maine at Orono for a year to study Forestry. He transferred to Yale University, New Haven, CN, and earned a degree in Economics in 1936. He began with the family clothing company on graduation and served as Treasurer and Director until the company was sold in 1985.

Gift of Richard & Mac Bell, July 17, 2008. Richard Bell was the former president of the company and the collection has been in his possession since the sale of the company in 1985. The collection was stored in a basement and garage, which has resulted in damage to part of the material.

The collection provides a unique insight into the evolution of a small company. Located in Gloucester, MA., Mighty-Mac started primarily as a maker of oil clothing for the fishermen back in the horse and buggy days (1909), and grew into a world-wide corporation recognized as a leader and innovator in the fashion clothing industry and the Mighty-Mac trademark became a symbol of quality, style and craftsmanship for foul-weather gear and fair-weather wear. Included in the collection is business correspondence from the 1940s through the 1980s; numerous awards; scrapbooks and catalogues; and information on trademarks. A large part of the collection includes photographs of models and product designs, mounted design sketches and advertising promotions.

We have attempted to arrange the collection in subject series and chronological order, as much as possible. The photographs will be scanned and catalogued. The scanned images are stored digitally and the original photographs and negatives are kept in archival storage.

1. Richard Bell Boxes 1 - 4 (1940 - 1985)
2. Legal and Business Boxes 5 - 9 (1945 - 1987)
3. Scrapbooks Boxes 10 - 13 (1953 - 1982)
4. Photographs, film & audio tapes Boxes 14 - 19 (nd)
5. Product design Boxes 21 - 22, 39, 40, 43 - 48, 50 (nd)
6. Advertising Boxes 23 - 30, 37, 38, 41, 42, 49, 51 - 55 (1940s - 1970s)
7. Miscellaneous Boxes 31 - 36, signs & small ‘cabinets.’ (1940s - 1970s)

Box 1

Series I Richard Bell - Personal & Advertising

Folder 1 Speech, sales notebook, Beauport 1961-85

Folder 2 Photographs

Folder 3 Correspondence 1973-87

Folder 4 Newspaper Ads & Articles

Folder 5 Boston Conference on Distribution, 1961

Folder 6 Advertising, 1966-71

Box 2

Series I Richard Bell - Personal & Business

Folder 1 Desk calendars, 1946 & 1955

Folder 2 New York Times calendar, 1982

Folder 3 History of Cape Ann Manf. Co. & Mighty-Mac

Folder 4 Calendar entries, 1940-81

Folder 5 Patents, 1982-87

Folder 6 Financial statements, 1979-80

Box 3

Series I Richard Bell - Personal & Awards

Folder 1 Personal papers & misc., 1951-85

Folder 2 Photographs, personal & business

Folder 3 Mounted photographs

Folder 4 Magazines, Trade Mission, 1963 & New England Business, 1968

Folder 5 Plaque, Apparel Hall of Fame

Folder 6 Plaque, 1980 U.S. Ski team

Folder 7 Plaque, Young Presidents Organization

Folder 8 Scrapbook, c.1968

Box 4

Series I Richard Bell - Trade Mission, 1962

Folder 1 Do It Yourself, 1962

Folder 2 London, Nov 17-24

Folder 3 Milan, Nov 27-30

Folder 4 Paris, Nov 30-Dec 9

Folder 5 Dept. Of Commerce.

Folder 6 Scrapbook, Nov 17-Dec 13

Box 5

Series II Legal & Business Acquisitions & Finances

Folder 1 Merger, 1953-72

Folder 2 Cape Ann Manf. Co., 1946

Folder 3 Finances, 1945-46

Folder 4 Sales, cash & markets, 1965-69

Folder 5 Sale of Mighty-Mac, 1985

Folder 6 Scrapbook, Fashion Show, 1960

Box 6

Series II Legal & Business Documents & Press Kits

Folder 1 Office supplies

Folder 2 Advertising & Insignias

Folder 3 Draft Export Marketing for Smaller Firms.

Folder 4 Press kits, 1965-66 & 1970

Box 7

Series II Legal & Business Correspondence

Folder 1 1940s & 1950s

Folder 2 1960-65

Folder 3 1966-69

Folder 4 1970s Folder 5 1980s

Box 8

Series II Legal & Business Catalogues & Work Sheets

Folder 1 1963-70

Folder 2 1971-78

Folder 3 1979-80

Folder 4 1980-83

Folder 5 1983-85

Folder 6 1986-87

Box 9

Series II Legal & Business Patents & Trademarks

Folder 1 Exercise garments, 1981-82

Folder 2 Bagolets, 1978-84

Folder 3 Infringements, 1969-82

Folder 4 Trademarks & Patents, 1975-85

Folder 5 USA & Canada Trademark approvals, 1969-83

Folder 6 Additional

Folder 7

Folder 8

Folder 9

Folder 10

Box 10

Series III Scrapbooks, 1953-64

Book 1 Inventory data Fall Line, 1953

Book 2 Salesman catalogue, 1962

Book 3 Photo Book Vol. 1, 1964

Box 11

Series III Scrapbooks, 1969-76

Book 4 Pelt Belt, 1969

Book 5 Season Proof Merchandising Program, 1976

Box 12

Series III Scrapbooks, 1971-82

Book 6 Challenger, Successful, 1971

Book 7 Photo file, Picnic, 1982

Book 8 Tags & Labels

Box 13

Series III Scrapbooks, 1979

Book 9 Tags & Labels

Book 10 Jim Lynch Store, Iron Mt., Michigan, 1979

Book 11 Publicity pictures with captions

Box 14

Series IV Photographs Sales Promotion Models

Folder 1 Promotions

Folder 2 Models - boys

Folder 3 Models - men

Folder 4 Models - Description & price

Folder 5 Numbered product designs

Folder 6 Models - Dick Bell, Claude Kilby & others.

Box 15

Series IV Photographs Photos & Transparencies

Folder 1 Models - female

Folder 2 Multiple shots per sheet

Folder 3 Advertising & Outings

Folder 4 Models - transparencies

Folder 5 Models - transparencies

Box 16

Series IV Photographs Photos & Transparencies

Folder 1 Advertising - small photos

Folder 2 Advertising - design

Folder 3 Advertising - models

Folder 4 Advertising - models

Folder 5 Advertising - transparencies

Box 17

Series IV Photographs Negatives & Transparencies

Folder 1 Advertising - negatives

Folder 2 Advertising - photo mock-ups

Folder 3 Advertising - photo mock-ups

Folder 4 Photos - models - youths

Folder 5 Mounted photos of designs

Folder 6 Advertising photos - color

Box 18 

Series IV Photographs Advertising

Folder 1 Models

Folder 2 Models - youth

Folder 3 Models

Folder 4 Copies of Ads (9” x 12”)

Box 19

Series IV Photographs

Mounted - of designs

Box 20

Series V Product Design

Mounted sketches - boys

Box 21

Series V Product Design

Mounted sketches - men

Box 22

Series V Product Design

Mounted sketches - men & youths

Box 23

Series VI Advertising Sales & Esquire registration

Folder 1 Solicitation & misc.

Folder 2 Magazine - Teen & Boys Outfitters, 1967

Folder 3 Sales bulletin & misc.

Folder 4 Esquire registration, 1967 Small box containing photographs of:

2” x 3” Product display

4” x 5” Product display

4” x 5” Jean Claude Killy & Ethel Kennedy

2.25” x 2.75” negatives, aerial shots & sailing

2.25” x 2.75” transparencies, female model

1.5” x 4” stereo transparencies, misc.

Box 24

Series VI Advertising Newspapers & Magazines

Folder 1 Magazine - business

Folder 2 Newspaper ads, 1960-68

Folder 3 Newspaper ads & articles, misc.

Folder 4 Report of Trade Mission, 1962

Box 25

Series VI Advertising Mounted Layouts & Fashion Sketches

Folder 1 Sales material

Folder 2 Fashion sketches

Folder 3 Mounted layouts

Box 26

Series VI Advertising Catalogues, brochures, photos

Folder 1 They That Go Down to the Sea, brochure, 4 copies

Folder 2 Photos - models & misc.

Folder 3 Newspaper ads, 1969-73

Folder 4 Magazines: Life, Apr. 1961, Dec. 968; True, 1969

Folder 5 Catalogue & 1973 Anniversary calendar

Box 27

Series VI Advertising Catalogues

Folder 1 Men’s & Women’s Wear, 1988

Folder 2 Boy’s Wear, 1976-79

Folder 3 Worksheets & economic policy, 1973

Folder 4 Retail Folder 5Misc.

Box 28

Series VI Advertising

Magazines

Box 29

Series VI Advertising Press kits, catalogues, misc.

Folder 1 Press kits, 1961, 1976

Folder 2 Catalogue & misc.

Folder 3 Catalogue, worksheets & misc.

Folder 4 Mounted photos of designs

Box 30

Series VI Advertising Insignias, labels & toy pistol

Folder 1 Insignia & clothing labels

Folder 2 Customer labels

Folder 3 Toy cap pistol & misc.

Box containing 8” x 10” photographs & negatives, models, Fall & Winter 1965.

Box 31

Series VII Miscellaneous Tuna Tournaments, 1963-67

Folder 1 Insignias, tags & press kits, 1964

Folder 2 Preparation materials

Folder 3 Correspondence, 1977-78

Folder 4 Time standards & wage incentives

Folder 5 Job evaluation manual

Folder 5a Employee list and labeled photographs

Folder 6 Guide to Fashion Sources

Folder 7 Work sheets

Audio tape (reel to reel) Cape Ann Tuna Tournament, 8/21/1963

Box 32

Series VII Miscellaneous Awards

Folder 1 Esquire Fashion Design Award, 1963

Folder 2 Army & Navy “E” Award - photos

Box 33

Series VII Miscellaneous

Printing plates

Box 34

Series VII Miscellaneous Artic trip & Advertising

Folder 1 Schooner Bowdoin logbook, newspaper clippings, 1934

Folder 2 Arctic trip - photos

Folder 3 Advertising sales brochures, 1963-76

Folder 4 Advertising bach covers & misc.

Box 35 (flat)

Series VII Miscellaneous Tuna Tournaments, 1963-71

Folder 1 Scrapbook, 1963

Folder 2 Press kits, 1963

Folder 3 Publicity, 1963-71

Folder 4 Cape Ann Summer Sun, Aug. 8, 1963

Folder 5 Gloucester Daily Times, Aug. 26, 1964

Box 36 (flat)

Series VII Miscellaneous Signs & Awards

Folder 1 Ten-man series, Out O’Gloucester, 10 small signs

Folder 2 Cape Ann Sportswear

Folder 3 American Arbitration Assoc., 1965

Folder 4 National Outerwear & Sportswear Assn., 1974

Folder 5 President of “bama,” 1960-62

Box 37 (flat)

Series VI Advertising

Folder 1 Newspaper ads & articles, 1940s

Folder 2 New York Times magazine, 1947-48

Folder 3 Magazines (2)

Folder 4 Mounted designs

Box 38 (flat)

Series VI Advertising

Folder 1 Series - Product layouts

Folder 2 Photos - T-bar zipper - Mike Ditka

Folder 3 Sketches

Folder 4 Color photos - Ski Outfits

Box 39 (flat)

Series V Product Design

Folder 1 Mounted layouts

Folder 2 Design sketches

Box 40 (flat)

Series V Product Design

Folder 1 Mounted layouts

Folder 2 Design sketches

Folder 3 Campaign signs (2)

Folder 4 Group photo

Box 41 (flat)

Series VI Advertising

Folder 1 Mounted design photos

Folder 2 Mounted design mock-ups

Folder 3 Models - photos

Folder 4 Consumer ads, 1966

Box 42 (flat)

Series VI Advertising

Folder 1 Mounted design photos

Folder 2 Mounted design mock-ups

Folder 3 Models - photos

Folder 4 Negatives

Box 43 (flat)

Series V Product Design

Folder 1 Mounted advertising design

Folder 2 Design sketches

Folder 3 Men’s designs, 1977-78

Folder 4 Sign - leather on wood

Box 44 (flat)

Series V Product Design

Mounted advertising designs - mostly youth

Box 45 (flat)

Series V Product Design

Folder 1 Mounted design photos

Folder 2 Mounted design mock-ups

Folder 3 Advertising design materials

Box 46 (flat)

Series V Product Design

Folder 1 Advertising design materials

Folder 2 Advertising design materials

Folder 3 Mounted design photos

Folder 4 Magazine advertising, 1968, 78 & 84

Box 47 (flat)

Series V Product Design

Folder 1 Mounted layouts

Folder 2 Design sketches

Box 48 (flat)

Series V Product Design

Folder 1 Mounted layouts

Folder 2 Design sketches

Box 49 (flat)

Series VI Advertising

Folder 1 Mounted design photos

Folder 2 Mounted layouts

Folder 3 Models - photos

Folder 4 Scrapbook - Dick Bell 1950s & 1960s

Box 50 (flat)

Series V Product Design

Folder 1 Mounted layouts

Folder 2 Design sketches

Box 51 (flat)

Series VI Advertising

Folder 1 Boston Daily Globe, Apr. 27, 1900 pp. 1, 2, 13, 14

Folder 2 Scrapbook - Army & Navy Production Award, 1945

Folder 3 Scrapbook - Tuna Tournament, 1964

Folder 4 Scrapbook - loose pages of ads, 1960-61

Box 52 (flat)

Series VI Advertising

Folder 1 Mounted design photos

Folder 2 Mounted design mock-ups

Folder 3 Misc. mock-ups & ads

Box 53 (flat)

Series VI Advertising

Folder 1 Mounted layouts

Folder 2 Design sketches

Folder 3 Tracing paper

Box 54 (flat)

Series VI Advertising

2 binders of 35 mm slides

#1 Dick Bell collection 1973

Transparencies Sailing -scenic - misc.

#2 Best Fashions April 1962, May 1975, May & July 1975, July 1974

Aerials

Box 55 (Tall)

Series VI Advertising

Binder of 35 mm slides Sailing - Boating - Gloucester scenes

Extra Fashion

35 mm Negs & photographs of schooners & harbors

16mm film Paved Vacation

Loose

Series VII Miscellaneous

2 (2) Drawer Cabinets, 7” x 13” x 5”

Miniature Burgee Code Flags

Plywood sign, 6’ x 2.5’

Best Employee sign

Wood sign, 10” x 34”

Mighty-Mac Boatware.

Wood sign, 8” x 6’

Mighty-Mac Out O’Gloucester

Plastic sign 6” x 28”

Mighty-Mac Outerwear

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Div. 4 Grandmarshall Mighty-Mac