Boutilier Collection, a PMM gem

PMM_Boutilier_AboardDELCA

It’s amusing how my little neighborhood on the back side of Camden—once the home of those who manned mills powered by the Megunticook River, and hence called Millville—is now home to some weirdly modern worker bees. While I’m plugging away at Panbo World Headquarters, a good neighbor, Peter Lindquist, is around the corner scanning and cataloging an enormous collection of marine photographs taken by a character named Red Boutilier back in the 60’s and 70’s (when the mills were winding down). The collection belongs to the Penobscot Marine Museum, where it will be part of this summer’s feature exhibit: “Through the Photographer’s Lens: Penobscot Bay and Beyond.” 
  This particular shot shows a man aboard the sardine carrier Delca making a call on what I think is an early VHF (?). A typed note in the negative box states that the 78’ Delca was built in 1936 as a minesweeper, then rigged over when the Port Clyde Packing Company bought her after WWII. Then she “worked steady until she sunk on Sept. 7, 1989, 1 mile northeast of Old Cilley Ledge Bell. She was loaded with 1,418 bushels of herring when she went down {due to losing a plank}. Capt. Peter Grew {perhaps above} and mate Dennis Tupper were rescued by the crew of the F/V Diane and James.”



Ben Ellison

Ben Ellison

Panbo editor, publisher & chief bottlewasher from 4/2005 until 8/2018, and now pleased to have Ben Stein as a very able publisher, webmaster, and editing colleague. Please don't regard him as an "expert"; he's getting quite old and thinks that "fadiddling fumble-putz" is a more accurate description.

3 Responses

  1. linklind says:

    ben,
    You rock…
    Thanks for posting that awesome Boutilier photo.
    Of course, I’ve had more than a few comments around town and up at the Penobscot Marine Museum. I look forward to sending you more, as I complete scanning the last 5,000 negs this summer

  2. guntis says:

    The radio is a GE business mobile radio that first came out in early 60’s. For that day, it was quite reliable and easy to repair. Just find the cold vacuum tube (35 cents), replace and give a bill for $25. This radio may have 2 channels.

  3. Floyd Conant says:

    The man on the radio of the Delca is Clyde Peabody. Clyde and his brother Milford Peabody ran the Delca for Port Clyde Packing Co. until the fall of 1967 when Clyde transfered to the purse seiner Ocean Delight.From then to the mid to late 1970’s Milford and his son Bertrom Peabody ran the Delca.
    Some of the Port Clyde Packing co. Boats were registered under Pauline Fisheries,a sub. of Port Clyde Packing.

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