Jim Nolan's Blog

Isabella Bannerman Cartoon #8

More at thesixchix.com or click here. Click on cartoon to enlarge.

The Blochers

John Blocher and his wife Elizabeth Neff, eternally standing beside Nelson. The monument was designed by John himself and carved by Italian sculptor Frank Torry.

The Mystery of the Blocher Memorial: Is Katherine Sullivan Down There?

A beautiful photo of the memorial by Dave Pape, Assn't Professor of Media Studies at U.B. You can see the sculpture of Nelson's mother to the right. One of the glass slabs is hinged, and the way in. It's locked, of course. The granite bed he lies upon swings away to give entrance to the vault below. Legend has it the family left space for the Nelson's unrequited love, Katherine Sullivan, should she decide to spend eternity with them. The cemetery denies this. I'd love to see for myself. The granite bell on the top weighs sixty tons.

 Image by katreader at fanpop.com

The Blocher Memorial, honoring Nelson who died of a broken heart

Buffalo's Forest Lawn was designed by Olmsted and is endlessly fascinating. This is my favorite, and weirdest, monument there. The Blocher (rhymes with "poker") Monument was designed by wealthy Buffalo merchant John Blocher to honor his son Nelson, who died of a broken heart. Well, that's the story anyway. I'm not sure that diagnosis is in any medical textbook. In 1881 Nelson fell in love with their maid, Margaret Katherine Sullivan, but John and wife Elizabeth didn't approve and sent him to Italy on business. When he returned, Katherine was gone, and he pined away. According to Douglas Keister's great site, "his only solace was the bible Katherine has left behind." (In the marble sculpture, he's clutching it.) Out of guilt for sending him away, and perhaps for sending the maid away, they built the monument. You can't see it in these photos, but they stand on either side of him. The angel hovering over his head is said to resemble Katherine. The angel is scantily clad. 

MS Stockholm leaving Gothenburg, 1955

Taken by my grandfather Bengt Paul. He took the train down from Stockholm with my mom to see her off to the U.S. for graduate studies. Below is Mom with her luggage in snowy Sweden in April. Click on either image to enlarge.

On Board the MS Stockholm

Shots I found on http://www.ssmaritime.com/Stockholm.htm or click here.

MS Stockholm

Actually, I think Mom was on the MS Stockholm on her first trip in 1955. In 1956 she took the MS Kungsholm. Here's an old postcard I found on the web. It hit the Andrea Doria a year later with loss of life of five crew members on the Stockholm, and 40 altogether on the Andrea Doria. Here's a picture of the damage to the Stockholm. 

Photo from http://www.ssmaritime.com/Stockholm.htm or click here. It has lots of info on the liner and the collison.

Tali Paul Painting

First, here's a photo of Sweden in winter (1940s?) that looks like the place in the painting. 

Now, here's the painting. Tali Paul was my grandfather Bengt Paul's sister, and the twin of Hedda Paul, who was also a painter. I love this painting. A close-up follows so you can see the brushwork. Click on any image to enlarge.

MS Kungsholm Leaving Gothenburg, 1955

My mother's on board, traveling to the U.S. for the first time. Back then, people traveled by ocean liner. And they didn't have to take their shoes off before boarding. Click on image to enlarge.

Boarding the MS Kungsholm, 1955

Christa Paul Nolan's first trip to America in 1955. Shots taken by her father Bengt "Benekiki" Paul and mailed to her in the U.S. Here she is waiting to get on in Gothenberg, Sweden. Click on image to enlarge.