Andrew's Last Cut

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 4:18 pm

I thought Andrew's barber, who shaved him that fateful morning of August 4th, was Pierre Leduc.

But I ran across this the other day as a photo caption:

"Whitehead's Market, circa 1898. Pierre Leduc, standing in the front door, is wearing the typical work frock and hat worn by sales clerks in this period ...."

I would have scanned the photo, but the figure of the man is too small to make out his face.

Did he give up barbering? Was he a barber and also a sales clerk? Was his barber shop close by Whitehead's Market and the photographer just happened to take the photo when he was over there eating a pear? Is this another person entirely?

(Source: "Fall River - A Pictorial History" by Judith A. Boss, 1982, Donning Company/ Publishers Norfolk/Virginia Beach. Page 110.)

diana · Post by **diana** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 5:02 pm

Did he give up barbering? Was he a barber and also a sales clerk? Was his barber shop close by Whitehead's Market and the photographer just happened to take the photo when he was over there eating a pear? Is this another person entirely?

That's a fun find!

Although sometimes it does seem as though everyone in the 1800's had the same name -- I, personally, don't want to think that there are two Pierre LeDuc's. (And I'm not buying into the pear either, Augusta -- once bitten etc. ....)

Can you speculate as to whether there's a chance that the captioner may have confused a barber's smock with a shopkeeper's "work frock"?

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 12:16 am

I'd like to see that book.
Sometimes even the dates are wrong.

Maybe Pierre went out of business and the Whitehead store gave him a job?

Would that he could have sold Andrew's shaving mug on E-bay and retire!

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Mon Jun 28, 2004 8:41 pm

Unfortunately the guy in the photo is too small to see. But maybe if I post it, we can blow it up some and see his face better. I'll try. (Now I'm sounding like the FR Police Department...)

Watch, Diana. It'll probably turn out there are two Pierre LeDucs. I'll tell you, that wouldn't surprise me in this case. Just when you think you've got something solid ...

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Mon Jun 28, 2004 8:54 pm

Okay. I will now attempt to post the picture of the so-called "Pierre LeDuc". If nothing shows up, as knowing me I'd bet on that outcome, I'll have to get a lesson on posting pictures from my Tech Support friend.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Mon Jun 28, 2004 10:34 pm

Turned out well! Hurray!

(If one clicks on the picture it is bigger still).
This guy looks young to me...
Har, don't you have a picture with which to compare?

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Mon Jun 28, 2004 11:42 pm

Good post Augusta.

It definitely looks like a boy to me. Maybe Pierre had a son, a junior. I have a small photo of Pierre from the FRHS report but there is not enough detail in the store photo to compare.

Here's a blow-up of that portion of the photo:

I couldn't help but notice one of the items for sale. We can't avoid them.

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 11:53 am

Great post, Harry. You made a valiant effort to blow up Pierre LeDuc, or his imposter. "Pierre LeDuc, Junior"???

I would think if the person doing the caption, who may or may not have been Judith Boss, knew enough that it was "Pierre LeDuc, Jr." it would have been mentioned that his dad was the barber who cut Andrew's hair that last time.

I vote that it's just wrong. Unless it's an older photo than we think and Pierre is younger, before he went into barbering. (And people wonder how Borden rumors get started ...)

There is a good photo of Pierre LeDuc somewhere that I've seen. I think it's in one of the books most of us have. I can still remember his face, because I looked at it with much interest as it was the first time I'd ever seen a picture of him. Could be an old LBQ. Could be The Knowlton Papers. Hoffman? I've seen it only in the last year or two. That doesn't mean the publication was printed in the last year or two. Sometimes it takes me that long to get to my email!

Pears. Pears, pears, pears. I wonder if Andrew sold those to the stores? I'll bet he tried.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 12:20 pm

Augusta said: "There is a good photo of Pierre LeDuc somewhere that I've seen."

This is the only one I've seen. It was in a Fall River Historical Society newsletter.

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 12:50 pm

That's the photo, Harry! You so smart!

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 12:08 am

Harry, all your pictures are gone- or have little red squares!

I posted a Pierre Leduc at:
viewtopic.php?t=234

Not knowing it had been done here.
I think we have duplicate info between this topic and the "Fall River" section "Sawdust" topic, so no one can miss it!.

BTW: It should probably be mentioned at least once that there is no testimony that Andrew was shaved that Thursday morning.
What we have collected comes from the newspaper.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 12:12 am

I believe Photobucket where the pictures are stored is doing some maintainance.

Hopefully they'll be back up soon.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 1:24 pm

They are up there now and I should thank someone- you?

I now see the PEAR sign.

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Andrew's Last Cut

Andrew's Last Cut

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