My Moynahan Genealogy Blog: 52 Ancestors #42: Trick or Treating .

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

52 Ancestors #42: Trick or Treating .

No Story Too Small has issued a New Year's Challenge: "Have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.”

This post is about Hallowe'en love through the generations.

I love that I have photographs of my grandmother Rhea (Coughlin) Moynahan (1902-1992) dressing up for Hallowe'en! It's a family tradition that has been loved through all the generations. My best guess for dating these two photos would be between the mid 1910 to the mid 1920s. That's roughly one hundred years ago!

The practice of Guising at Halloween in North America is first recorded in 1911, where a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario reported children going "guising" .. According to the Atlantic, trick or treating is a relatively recent phenomenon starting around the 1940s.

Rhea Fern (Coughlin) Moynahan dressed up (wearing a wig) for Hallowe'en

Could this costume be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz?
This photo would have pre-dated the famous Judy Garland movie (1939)
but not the 1900 illustrated book?

Close up of "Dorothy"

Rhea Fern (Coughlin) Moynahan dressed up (wearing a wig) for Hallowe'en II

Above, Rhea (in an earlier photo) is dressed as a maid.

Trick or Treating 70's style

The photo above was taken in the 1970s.

It is me (far left) with my sister and brother

Back of photo says: "

Sergeant Frisk and the two cooler queens - Droopy Pants and Truthful.

(Clearly Kelly was truthful)

Newspaper clipping of my brother and sister dressed up for Hallowe'en around 1967
"WITCHES AND GOBLINS who want a trick or treat handout this Hallowe'en are welcome at the Lakeshore Fire Halls - firemen have laid in a supply of treats. Shown here from left to right are: Capt. Bristes, Ricky Lang, Lori Lang and John Lang of Elma St. and Kelly and Patrick Moynahan of Melville Ave."