What about the other Wareham, U.S.A.?
Interview with Claire Smith, former Moderator of Wareham Massachusetts about her town and its historical links with Wareham in Dorset
By Malcolm Lewis, editor of Love It Local magazine
Being interested in local history and having spent so much time researching about our Wareham in Dorset for visitwareham.com I’d often wondered about the ‘other’ Wareham – the town in Massachusetts in the good old U.S. of A.
So I stretched a digital hand of friendship over the Atlantic and asked the question: What are the historical links, if any, between these two towns, separated by 3000 miles and nearly 300 years of history since Wareham’s founding in the U.S?
My initial inquiry was directed to a group I thought should be able to help, the Wareham Historical Society in Massachusetts. I wondered who would email me back, a local school teacher, a museum curator perhaps, or even a local author of Wareham history books? However, it wasn’t from anyone like that, the response came from someone not unfamiliar to this Wareham or even to me.
It was Claire Smith who had visited the town a few years ago as Wareham Massachusetts’ official Goodwill Ambassador. We had first reported about the possibility of such a visit in late 2019, but it wasn’t to happen for a further two years because of Covid restrictions. Of course when Claire and her husband, Howie, did finally arrive in October 2021, Wareham and the whole Town Council were delighted to welcome them to our town.
As Claire told me that she had been sent a copy of the magazine that featured her visit over here, and crucially had enjoyed reading it, I felt emboldened enough to ask her a few supplementary questions. Could I add to the article I was planning to write about the history of the U.S. Wareham her opinions about the two towns, their similarities and differences? Luckily she agreed, and what follows are my questions and her replies.
Historical links between Wareham Dorset and Wareham Massachusetts
Q. What are the historical links between Wareham, Dorset and Wareham, Massachusetts? Are there any records of settlers that came to your part of Massachusetts from Wareham (or nearby)?
‘The town in the USA was formed by a Dorset Association headed by Sir Walter Erle ((1586 – 1665) of Charborough Park and Reverend John White 1574/5 – 1648) of Dorchester.
During the early 17th Century there was a great deal of religious persecution in England resulting in the Puritan and Separatist movements, both of whom sought greater freedom of worship. John White did not agree with the Separatist movement believing that the Church could be reformed from within, but saw immediately the business and religious possibilities that New England represented. John White built a company which mainly consisted of merchants and investors from Dorset and the West Country.
Wareham USA incorporated in 1739!
Sir Walter Erle was a friend of John White, and like many of the other leading citizens of Dorset, was an early investor in projects to colonise New England. He became a founder member of the Dorchester Company, and was described as ‘Governor of the New England Plantation’. Sir Walter’s son, Thomas, and their descendants, the Drax family, provided members of Parliament for Wareham UK for more than 200 years until the constitiency was abolished in 1885. Then, as now, they were based in Charborough House, outside Wareham, Dorset.
So from 1630 to 1640 about 10,000 English colonists sailed to the New World and many Dorset families moved to Massachusetts. Many towns here near Wareham USA have Dorset names.
Although the area that was to become Wareham was first settled by Europeans in 1678 it was officially incorporated and named after the town of Wareham in England on July 10, 1739.
1877: Wareham U.S.A. visits Wareham U.K.
For over a century there was little or no contact between the two Warehams, until in 1877 two wealthy and important Americans recovering from the trauma of the Civil War arrived unheralded in Dorset after having traveled much of the British Isles. They traveled from Salisbury and stayed at the Red Lion Inn in Wareham. This was kept by Cornelius Yeardsley, a former Mayor. The arrival of American visitors was so rare that it was said that a lad peeped into the Red Lion Inn and was disappointed to find that that the two visitors wore neither head feathers or war paint!
The two American visitors were Gerald Tobey, President of the Wareham National Bank and a Captain Besse, a prominent ship owner. The American banker wrote to say that he was sending by fast sailing ship a barrel of nails, the manufacture of which was the town’s main industry (and is still in business making nails today), and the other was a barrel of corn. Apparently Mr Tobey explained to a Mr. Filliter (who had been Mayor of Wareham), that he would be able to heat the corn over a hot fire using the corn popper which was included in the barrel, sprinkle sugar over it and produce a delightful confectionary which appeals to all.
So picture the scene then of Mr Filiter, surrounded by his family, producing the first popcorn in England – what an historic scene!
1975: Wareham U.K. visits Wareham U.S.A.
In 1975 the Town Clerk of Wareham UK revived the connection between the two towns and two of Wareham UK’s Mayors visited Massachusetts and found that the folks in the US were proud of their Dorset roots.’
2021: Wareham U.S.A. visits Wareham, U.K.
Q. What were your impressions of Wareham in the UK – was it as you imagined?
‘Given that our visit was our first trip to the UK, I really wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of what the area would look like, but as we drove from the airport in London to Poole, naturally the first thing we noticed was everyone driving on the “wrong side of the road” compared to the US! Even though we knew that was the norm, it felt strange.
When we got to the neighborhood where we were staying, it wasn’t all that different than what we have in some of our smaller cities/town. Some of our residential developments are very similar. As we drove into Wareham it reminded me of opening the first pages of a book where the author set the stage for the rest of the novel by setting the stage of what was to come.
Of course, I was very nervous and suddenly felt the enormity of the situation, that I was going to be representing my community and hoped that I would make a good impression. As we drove into town, it was so charming and inviting and I immediately felt welcome and more at ease.
The townspeople were friendly and welcoming especially since, as I joked later, they once literally built a wall around themselves!
As I walked into the meeting with the Mayor and Council members, the nervousness came right back, but within a minute it felt as if we were visiting some very good friends whom we had known for a long time. After the formalities, we spent the afternoon having a walking tour of Wareham.’
Comparison between the two Warehams!
What are the main differences? You clearly enjoyed your visit, were there any stand out memories for you?
‘The history of your town is so much older than the history of Wareham US and it was interesting to feel the age of the historic difference by walking around the streets and touring the centuries old churches. Many of your structures date back far earlier than what we see in our town. In fact, we have very few old historic buildings or even older homes here; most our community are new modern builds. Most of your housing is of brick and joined together, our homes are single individual homes, with large yards and trees.
We have fifty-four miles of coastline bordering the Atlantic ocean, so lots of different public beach areas for swimming, and we have four rivers which go through our town; the Weweantic, the Agawam, the Wankinquoah and the Wareham River which is behind our Main Street.
What did stand out was that like your Wareham, we have a bridge which crosses into our Main Street much like the small bridge that comes into your main street by the Quay. When we walked down to the Quay, there were kayak boats along the river and we also have many areas where there is the ability to kayak and navigate our rivers. here is a long history of shellfishing comparable to this town’s involvement in salmon fishing.
We do celebrate the anniversary of Wareham’s history to the UK but mostly it centers around the anniversary of our incorporation in 1739 or when the British invaded our town, burned our cotton factories, and took hostages – we won’t let it go, will we?!
We have a park in the center of town called British Landing, which sits on the waterfront of the Wareham River. The British came into town looking for some privateer ships which they believed were hidden in the harbor during the Revolutionary War. (They were not anywhere to be found but were hidden far up river and the British did not find them).
We have so many wonderful memories that we treasure. Being made to feel welcome will never leave us. Even though we only spent one day in Wareham, the friendliness of everyone was amazing and one of the major reasons why we would like to come back for another visit. Having afternoon tea at the Priory, which was so typical “English” is another!’
Oh, and following Gerard Tobeys gift of the American snack of popcorn, I presented the Council with a bag of microwave popcorn!’
Local goverment in Wareham U.S.A.
Q. You were a Town Moderator in your Wareham. What role is that, and how different is local government in your part of the States?
The Moderator’s job is to facilitate our process of government, the Town Meeting, with fairness and respect, independence and accountability.
The Town Meeting is a very pure form of democracy given that it’s the town’s voters who decide and vote on the town’s budgets, both the School budget and the Town budget, as well as being able to vote and create by-laws, local rules, zoning, and town purchases such as equipment for the Town Maintenance department and Police departments. Rather than, as you do, have elected representatives doing all that.
Town meetings have been practiced in New England since colonial times. The most common theory is that it was adapted from local vestry meetings held in 17th century England. In fact the English Governors weren’t particularly happy with these Town Meetings, and after the famous ‘Boston Tea Party’ Lord Germaine in England declared “This is what happens after their wretched town meetings.” Indeed, the role of Town Moderator was introduced very early on because of what was said as “…intemperate clashings in our Town Meeting”!’
This article was first published in Love It Local magazine, summer 2023
If you are interested Wareham Twinning Group and could host guests from Wareham U.S.A. then email Hilary Goodinge at: hilarygoodinge@btinternet.com
