Photograph

Windham Textile and History Museum

Photograph of Alice Bibeau Morrissette

The image is a sepia-toned portrait of a person with short, wavy hair, wearing a dark top adorned with a striking ornament on the shoulder that resembles a cluster of curled, light-colored embellishments, possibly made of fabric or material designed to mimic a floral or abstract pattern. The expression on the person's face is serious and contemplative, adding a sense of introspection to the photograph. The portrait is framed with a decorative border, giving it an antique, vintage appearance, possibly from the early to mid-20th century, as indicated by the photographic style and attire. The background is soft and blurred, ensuring the focus remains on the subject’s face and the distinctive ornamentation on the shoulder, which contrasts sharply with the dark clothing. The photo is mounted on a cardboard backing with a subtle beveled edge, and an inscription at the bottom right reading: "Desmarais. 325 Main St. Norwich, Conn.," presumably the name of the studio where the photo was taken.

Name/Title

Photograph

Entry/Object ID

2025.16.03

Description

Black-and-white studio photograph of Alice (Marie Alice Albertine) (Bibeau/Bibeault) Morrissette, c. 1931. The photo is brown sepia tone, non-glossy paper, in a gray/tan cardboard matte. The matte is stamped "Desmarais, 325 Main St., Norwich, Conn.", presumably the name of the studio where it was taken. The subject is a young woman, well dressed in a dark-colored garment, with styled, short curly hair. She is wearing no jewelry, but has an ornate pompom on her left shoulder. The donor identified her as "Alice Bibeau Morrissette, who worked in eastern CT textile mills c. 1920."

Photograph Details

Type of Photograph

Black and white print

Subject

Morrissette, Alice (Marie Alice Albertine) (nee Bibeau/Bibeault). Marie Alice Albertine Bibeau/Bibeault was born in St. Cyril/Cyrille, Quebec, Canada in 1906. Typical of French-Canadian girls of the time, she received a grade school education but did not attend high school. In 1923 at the age of c. 17 she migrated to the United States, entering at St. Albans, VT. On her 1940 application for naturalization, she said that she came by herself. She spelled her maiden name "Bibeault on her application. Seven years later in 1930, as Alice M. Bibeau, she was recorded in the Norwich, CT, city directory, living at 4 Terrace Ave. in Norwich's industrial suburb of Taftville, an employee at the Vast Ponemah cotton mill. Early the following year, 9 Feb. 1931, when she was 24-going-on-25, she married Patrick (Joseph Patrick) Morrissette. Like Alice, Patrick had been born in Quebec, in 1907. He was about a year younger than Alice. And like Alice, he worked in a large textile factory, the American Thread Company in Willimantic, CT, only a few miles from Norwich. Patrick was a "card stripper" or "card grinder." Alice and Patrick moved into ATCO company housing at 421 Main Street in Willimantic, where they resided in 1932. In quick succession, they had three daughters: Solange, Yvette, and Jeanne, all born in Willimantic. As the family grew, they moved into a privately owned rental at 42 Jackson Place, a street that no longer exists, having been demolished in urban renewal in the 1970s. Later, they moved out of the city and into a more rural part of Windham. Alice left factory work and became a full-time homemaker. In 1940, when she was 33, Alice filed for naturalization and became a U.S. citizen, following Patrick, who had been naturalized a few years earlier. She died in Windham in 1998 and is buried in Willimantic/Windham's Roman Catholic St. Joseph Cemetery.

Context

At first glance, it looks like a high school graduation photo, but Alice never attended high school. Possibly, it is a wedding photo. The Desmarais Studio appears in the 1930 Norwich city directory. It was owned by Hector Desmarais and his wife Ida, and was located in their home at 325 Main Street in Norwich, CT.

Collection

Colbert-Johnson Collection

Made/Created

Artist

Desmarais, Hector

Studio

Desmarais Studio

Date made

1931

Place

City

Norwich, CT

Region

Northeast

Continent

North America

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Print, Photographic

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Photograph

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Graphic Documents

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Includes matte

Height

8-1/2 in

Width

5-1/2 in

Colors

Color

Gray, Tan, Cream, Sepia

Color Notes

Black-and-white print, but printed in a sepia tone on cream-colored paper

Location

Box

Document Box 1

Room

Dunham Hall Library Reading Room

* Untyped Location

Main Museum Building

Date

February 1, 2025

Condition

Overall Condition

Very Good

Date Examined

Feb 1, 2025

Examined By

Eves, J.

Copyright

Type of License

None

Copyright Date

circa 1931

Created By

historian@millmuseum.org

Create Date

February 1, 2025

Updated By

alexbrydon99@gmail.com

Update Date

March 9, 2025