Ladies' Tuesday Club records, 1888-<1990>

EXTENT: .42 linear ft. (1 container)

ORGANIZATION AND ARRANGEMENT: Organized into four series: I. Organizational records, 1888-<1990>; II. Correspondence, 1935-<1984> ; III. Anniversary celebrations, 1913-<1988> ; and IV. Photographs, 1960-<1988>.

HISTORY: The Ladies’ Tuesday Club, a Concord, Mass. social club, was formed in 1888 by the wives of men in the Social Circle in Concord and the Men’s Tuesday Club. It is still active today. There were thirty-two members when the club was founded, but membership was later raised to forty, with five honorary members. Mrs. John Chapman was elected president at the first meeting, and served for six years, after which the office of president was abolished. By 1963, the only offices were secretary and treasurer. The first version of the constitution was drawn up in 1896 to facilitate the election of new members. It has been revised several times since. The meetings have traditionally been held informally at member’s houses from early fall to late spring. At the club’s centennial celebration in 1988, Secretary Margaret G. Little stated, “The genius of this club lies in the absence of any stated purpose other than the pleasure of being together once a month.”

SCOPE AND CONTENT: Records, 1888-<1990>, include: two bound volumes of meeting minutes, 1888-1963, in the hand of several secretaries (including minutes, membership, schedules, and the 1896 constitution); membership lists, 1942-1990; schedules, 1942-1990; five versions of the constitution and by-laws; financial records, 1942-1983; correspondence, 1963-1964 (including resignations and thank-you notes); history of the club written by Marion Hudson for the twenty-fifth anniversary in 1913; fiftieth anniversary celebration records, 1938 (including a speech, correspondence, invitations); 75th anniversary celebration records (including correspondence); seventy-fifth anniversary historical chronology of the club, 1888-1962; one hundredth anniversary booklet and drafts, 1988 (including histories from past anniversaries, speeches, poetry); one hundredth anniversary celebration records, 1988, (including financials, invitations, celebration plans, RSVP letters, and thank-you notes); photographs and negatives of the club membership, 1960 and 1988; and photographs of Mrs. William B. Bartlett’s birthday celebration.

SOURCE OF ACQUISITION: Most of the collection was presented to the library by Marian B. Miller, May 3, 1978. The one hundredth anniversary celebration records were the gift of Barbara Gifford, June 1, 1998.

NOTES/COMMENTS: Barbara Gifford gift accessioned June 1, 1998; AMC 023.

PROCESSED BY: Colette Rasmussen; finding aid prepared 11/14/2002. Prepared for the Internet by Peter K. Steinberg, 05/07/2006.

CONTAINER LIST

SERIES I. ORGANIZATIONAL RECORDS, 1888-<1990>:
Folder 1:
Minutes: 1888-1906 (one volume) (includes membership lists, schedules, and the 1896 constitution)

Folder 2:
Minutes: 1907-1962 (one volume)

Folder 3:
Membership and schedules: cards, 1942-1974

Folder 4:
Membership and schedules: membership, 1963-4, 1974-1990

Folder 5:
Membership and schedules: schedules, 1974-1990

Folder 6:
Constitution, 1904, 1933, 1983, 1987 (1896 in volume, see Folder 1)

Folder 7:
Financial, 1942-1983

SERIES II. CORRESPONDENCE, 1935-<1984>:
Folder 8:
Resignations, 1966-1984 (some undated)

Folder 9:
Thank-you notes, 1963-1984 (many undated)

Folder 10:
Invitations, 1935, 1968

SERIES III. ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, 1913-<1988>:
Folder 11:
25th: History by Marion Hudson, 1913

Folder 12:
50th: 1938

Folder 13:
75th: Celebration, 1963

Folder 14:
75th: Chronology, 1888-1962

Folder 15:
75th: Correspondence, 1963

Folder 16:
100th: Booklet and drafts, 1988

Folder 17:
100th: Financial, 1988 (consisting of receipt for printing booklets)

Folder 18:
100th: Invitation, 1988

Folder 19:
100th: Correspondence: planning, 1988

Folder 20:
100th: Correspondence: RSVP letters, 1988

Folder 21:
100th: Correspondence: thank-you notes, 1988

SERIES IV. PHOTOGRAPHS, 1960-<1988>:
Folder 22:
1960 (negatives included)

Folder 23:
1963

Folder 24:
1988