Watson Funeral Home Collection
Collection
Identifier: CHC059
Collection Description
The Watson Funeral Home Collection consists of photographs, certificates, clippings and ephemera related to the Watson Funeral Home, a local 20th century business in Cambridge. The collection also possesses blueprints of the first and second floors of the funeral home when it was located at 11 Magazine Street. The blueprints were provided by Robert Reid, a local architect.
Dates
- 1847-1994
Language of Materials
Material is in English.
Access
Collection is available for research under the CHC rules of use.
Copyright Notice
Copyright for materials resides with the creators of the items in question, unless otherwise designated.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to understand and observe copyright law and to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyright. Questions concerning copyright and permission to publish should be directed to the Cambridge Historical Commission Archives.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to understand and observe copyright law and to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyright. Questions concerning copyright and permission to publish should be directed to the Cambridge Historical Commission Archives.
Historical Note
Charles Burnett Watson (1895-1963) was born to David L. and Jennie P. Watson of Ellsworth Ave. in Cambridge. His first career was managing J. S. Waterman & Sons’ Harvard Square location in Cambridge. He later graduated from the New England Institute of Anatomy, Sanitary Science, and Embalming. In 1926 he founded the Watson Funeral Home at 71 Pearl Street. Two years later, in 1928 he married Alice F. Morrell, also a Cambridge resident, and they moved to 277 Mt. Auburn Street. They would go on to have a daughter, Jannett W. Harnish.
In 1941 Watson relocated his funeral services to 11 Magazine Street, a Greek Revival house near Central Square. The building had once been situated at Franklin Street behind the current location of the First Baptist Church, but it was moved in 1847 by Frederick Clapp. It was once again relocated in 1898 to make room for 9 Magazine Street. Upon his purchase of the 17-room house, Watson equipped it with a reposing room, a consultation room, a chapel with an electric organ, air conditioning, and a workroom with rubber floors and walls. Watson was accompanied in his move by Joseph T. Butler, George N. Guptill, and Guy H. Harnish. In 1947 the funeral home added stained glass windows to the chapel that depicted Christ in biblical scenes. Further improvements were conducted in 1954 when a parking lot was built.
In 1963 Watson died at the age of 67 and the funeral home was taken over by President Guy Harnish, Treasurer George Guptill, and Clerk Henry Boucher. The funeral home conducted services up until the 1990s.
Resources consulted:
In 1941 Watson relocated his funeral services to 11 Magazine Street, a Greek Revival house near Central Square. The building had once been situated at Franklin Street behind the current location of the First Baptist Church, but it was moved in 1847 by Frederick Clapp. It was once again relocated in 1898 to make room for 9 Magazine Street. Upon his purchase of the 17-room house, Watson equipped it with a reposing room, a consultation room, a chapel with an electric organ, air conditioning, and a workroom with rubber floors and walls. Watson was accompanied in his move by Joseph T. Butler, George N. Guptill, and Guy H. Harnish. In 1947 the funeral home added stained glass windows to the chapel that depicted Christ in biblical scenes. Further improvements were conducted in 1954 when a parking lot was built.
In 1963 Watson died at the age of 67 and the funeral home was taken over by President Guy Harnish, Treasurer George Guptill, and Clerk Henry Boucher. The funeral home conducted services up until the 1990s.
Resources consulted:
- "Watson Funeral Home."Cambridge Chronicle 137, no. 7, February 17, 1983. (Printout available in collection)
- Cambridge Tribune articles, December 4, 1926.
- Cambridge Sentinel articles, May 17, 1941, July 20, 1946.
- Cambridge Chronicle articles; August 29, 1946, August 12, 1954, October 17, 1963.
Extent
1 flat box
1 vertical file
Abstract
The Watson Funeral Home Collection consists of photographs, certificates, clippings and ephemera related to the Watson Funeral Home, a local 20th century business in Cambridge. The collection also possesses blueprints of the first and second floors of the funeral home when it was located at 11 Magazine Street. The blueprints were provided by Robert Reid, a local architect.
Scope and Content
This small collection does not require separated series to organize the informational content of the records. However, due to the dispersal of the records in multiple storage locations and the existence of missing statuses for some of the items, the inventory has been written to reflect the physical locations of the records.
Physical Location
Collection is stored on-site
Provenance
Donated by Donated by Kirk Higbee-Barzola, February 2004.
Processing and Arrangement Notes:
For preservation purposes, the blueprints/floorplans have been removed from the main collection box and have been housed vertically in the flat files. Additionally, due to the fragile nature of the Old Farmer’s Almanac, some of the loose pages have been placed in plastic sleeves.
Since the time of the collection’s original donation, some items have been separated from the rest of the items and their current locations are unknown. The missing status of the records is reflected in the Scope and Content section. However, the CHC survey file cited in the Related Materials section has copy records of some of the items. These duplicates are reflected in the Scope and Content section
Since the time of the collection’s original donation, some items have been separated from the rest of the items and their current locations are unknown. The missing status of the records is reflected in the Scope and Content section. However, the CHC survey file cited in the Related Materials section has copy records of some of the items. These duplicates are reflected in the Scope and Content section
Processing Information
Initial inventory by Molly Alexander, February 13, 2004. Updated inventory and finding aid by Brittany Fox, November 2019. Encoded by: Brittany Fox, October 2020.
- Title
- Inventory of the Watson Funeral Home Collection, 1847-1994
- Author
- Initial inventory by Molly Alexander, February 13, 2004. Updated inventory and finding aid by Brittany Fox, November 2019 Machine-readable finding aid by Brittany Fox, November 2020.
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Was Prepared Using Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Cambridge Historical Commission Archives Repository
Contact:
831 Massachusetts Avenue
2nd Floor
Cambridge Massachusetts 02139 US
617-349-4683
histcomm@cambridgema.gov
831 Massachusetts Avenue
2nd Floor
Cambridge Massachusetts 02139 US
617-349-4683
histcomm@cambridgema.gov