Cradock, Portsmouth, Virginia

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The following pages are extracted from a two volume, hard-covered collection of newspaper articles, literary compositions, personal lists, and personal interest items belonging to Mr. and Mrs. James F. Freed who lived at 59 Bainbridge Ave., Cradock, Va.

Mr. and Mrs. Freed came to Cradock after Mr. Freed received a disability discharge from the Navy while in the Portsmouth Naval Hospital. They edited and published a quarterly newsletter named "The Ship's Bell" for Cradock residents.

Their collection includes items other than Cradock related articles. They were subscribers to the Philadelphia Enquirer (apparently their home city) and saved many articles from that paper. Among their collection are  several  monthly newspapers from The National City Bank of New York, the complete Williams Information Book on Gardening and Farming, many of their Engagement Calendars, several writing contests they entered, personal photos from several angles and statistics of each including Mrs. Freed's father, William Adams.

Mrs. Freed was instrumental in the opening of the Cradock Library by the Woman's Club. There are papers she submitted to the Norfolk library in reference to cataloging the books and the reply she received. According to the Portsmouth Star, Cradock news section, the library was to be located  in the Women's Club on Aylwin Road on the grounds of the Methodist Church immediately in the rear of the church building. It was to open Jan. 15, 1929.

Mr. Freed wrote a detailed description of their home and lot, including diagrams. He also wrote an article on the heating system used in their home. The name of the article is How To Run An "Ideal" Arcola Heating Plant and very lengthy.

Mr. and Mrs. Freed were active in many functions in Cradock and fought for a cleaner Cradock, sidewalks, curbing, trash collection, surface drainage, rutty streets, unsanitary conditions, eyesores and petty theft improvements.

This two volume collection, The Ship's Bell, can be found in the Cradock Library and the Main Library on Court Street, Portsmouth, Virginia.  There is no ISBN number. The collection is not in any particular order and the pages are not numbered. The earliest date I found was Nov. 1926, the latest date 1929.

On the following pages you will find the original document and a transcription of the original document. I have transcribed for two reasons. First, to make this website searchable for genealogist and second, to ease the eyes of visitors who might be interested in the content of the original documents.

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