Pemberton Mill and the Irish

On Saturday, March 20, 2010, Father Jim Wenzel, OSA of Merrimack College will be giving a talk entitled,The Pemberton Mill Disaster: its effect on the Irish of Lawrence and the role of the Augustinians and Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur who ministered to them. This talk, which will be given at the Heritage State Park, One Jackson Street, Lawrence, is part of Irish Heritage Month.
The talk is scheduled to begin at 2:00 pm and will include lecture and images.

A companion exhibit about the Pemberton Mill Disaster is also on display in the Heritage State Park Gallery, 3rd floor.

The Pemberton Mill which employed over 600 workers, collapsed in January 1860."Many were immigrants from the British Isles, Ireland and Canada. More than half were females - women and girls twelve and younger. Before rescuers could explore the thousands of tons of heavy machinery and building materials, fires broke out and roared through banks of cotton and planking covered with machine oil. *Oikle, Introduction.

As immigrants, many spoke in their native language- Gaelic- and the priests and sisters were able to communicate with them." The clergy of Lawrence...encouraged survivors and families, conducted funerals and burial services and preached Sunday homilies aimed at bringing consolation to the thousands in their churches. *Oikle, p 63 Father Wenzel will speak about the vital role the Catholic religious undertook during this tragedy - one of the worst industrial accidents ever experienced. Photos from the Catholic cemeteries, taken by LHC volunteer Kathleen Flynn, will also be part of the lecture.

*Author Alvin Oikle has written companion books about the disaster: The Pemberton Casualties and the Disaster In Lawrence. Books are available at the History center and at the State Park.