Historical Commission’s Monthly Tales of Our Town
Historical Commission’s Monthly Tales of Our Town
Taxidermy: From the Wilds to Interior Décor
August’s Minute History is about one of the hobbies popular in West Newbury in earlier times. Of the peculiar hobbies enjoyed in Victorian times, not least creating art from seaweed and human hair, taxidermy is perhaps best documented in West Newbury. One author explained that in the 19th century, taxidermy was everywhere from natural history museums, to home décor, fashion, art and popular culture. In West Newbury, the hobby often was a family affair. Brothers Frank and William Sharples, both shoemakers, were locally renowned for their taxidermy skills. The father-daughter taxidermy team Alonzo and Jesse Jaques specialized in small mammals and birds, respectively. The Town’s most prolific and professional taxidermist was West Newbury-born and -bred Charles Frederic Newell, who started his taxidermy career in Maine and New Brunswick and later opened a shop in Merrimac, where he stuffed all creatures great and small, ranging from armadillos to sturgeon.
Click here to read all about it.