Over the course of 2020, we have been following the travels of Francis Kelsey and his team as they made their way across Europe. They arrived in 1919 and stayed through August 1920. The past few months here on “From the Archives,” we went back to the start of their journey, recounting the team’s arrival in Europe in 1919. We have watched them land in England, travel about, and make their way to the mainland.
For this month’s “From the Archives,” we join the team as they end 1919. In early December, they were still in Bulgaria, where we left them last month. By December 3, they started their train trip from Sofia to Istanbul. In this series of photographs, we see the train and the sights along the way. It seems that Swain was fond of capturing their entire adventure, which so often meant their modes of transportation. Thus far on this trip, we have seen trains, and ships, cars, and more trains.
Swain also made sure to capture life as they saw it. People working, people milling about, people living their lives. We have seen his attention to architecture, or the remains of it after the ravages of war. On their way to Turkey, we see the same. Men at the station, the landscapes, and buildings along the way.
Once in Istanbul, Swain continued his relentless capture, giving us glimpses of the sites of the city, such as the Hagia Sophia, the bazaar, the Galata Bridge and Tower, the Blue Mosque (Mosque of Ahmed), and the “Bosporus” (Bosphorus). Along the waters, we see numerous ships and boats, including military ships from Italy, the US, and Greece.
After Christmas, the team left Istanbul (“Constantinople”) and traveled some more. More trains, more train stations, more views of the countryside. And more people they met along the way. We see Francis and Easton Kelsey, as well as George Swain himself, posing throughout. We are also allowed to see some of the repercussions of recent events. Miss Cushman’s “relief” kindergarten and all the children there. In photo 7.0156, we see an Armenian refugee camp. Francis Kelsey was heavily involved in the relief effort following the Armenian genocide. Later on this trip, they would spend more time with Armenians and with refugees in Syria.
For their last day of 1919, Kelsey and team were in Adana, not far from the modern Syrian border (and near Aleppo). Here they got more views of the locals, the buildings, the station, and life in general. And more relief work.
Swain was quite prolific with his photo capture. For December 1919 alone, we have records for 376 Swain photographs. We are presenting only 99 this month, but even these show the range of his photographs.
By this point, we have covered the majority of their visit to Europe and beyond, recounting the start of the journey as well as the tail end of the trip. Since the majority of their trip occurred in 1920, and we have already accompanied them throughout 2020, we will take our leave of the team here in Turkey. For glimpses of how the journey continued, be sure to go back and view previous blog posts from 2020, where we present their visits to Turkey, Syria, and elsewhere.
Wherever you find yourself this coming new year’s eve, we wish you the best and a happy holiday. Thank you for following Kelsey and Swain’s adventures this year. In 2021, we will return with new series and memories from the archives. Happy new year!
December 2, 1919: Sofia, Bulgaria
“Residence of the Archibishop near the cathedral.” KS040.05.“General view, from the steps of the new cathedral, across the square to the mountains beyond — latter clearly shown.” KS040.11.“Interior of the new cathedral, toward one transept; Christ in the Temple.” KS040.07.
December 3–4: Train ride from Sofia to Istanbul (“Constantinople”)
“One of the three engines that pulled us up out of the Sofia plain. Made in Germany in 1917.” KS041.05.“Dining and sleeping cars on the train — express.” KS041.07.“Just over the divide — train, station, mountains.” KS041.09.“The engine that pulled us into Constantinople. Had to stop to get its breath at the foot of one small grade.” KS042.02.“Typical group at a station, men and women.” December 4. KS042.03.
December 5–25: Istanbul (“Constantinople” / “Stamboul”)
“The umbrella mender sitting on the sidewalk on a typical street.” December 5. KS043.04.“Typical view on one of the modern streets. At this time, signs in French were allowed.” December 5. KS043.05.“Up the Golden Horn from the Galata Bridge, ferry steamer in the foreground.” December 5. KS043.07.“View toward Pera and the Galata Tower.” December 5. KS043.11.“The Galata Bride, looking toward Pera.” December 5. KS043.12.“From the Galata Tower, toward Stamboul, into the light. Mosques on sky line. Glint of Sea of Marmora in distance.” December 5. KS044.09.“Pair of buffalo oxen with loaded cart, probably sacks of grain.” December 5. KS045.03.“Men unloading a small boat.” December 5. KS045.06.No caption. Group of men. December 5. KS045.08“Sancta Sophia, from the square.” December 5. KS045.09.“A view on Pera Street, the great tourist shopping district, and the modern part of Constantinople.” December 7. KS045.12.“Another view of St. Sophia.” December 7. KS046.01.“The mosque of Ahmed, near St. Sophia.” December 9. KS046.08.“Turkish houses with wooden screens at the windows, in Stamboul.” December 9. KS046.09.“Shop where they pressed the Turkish tabbooses or fezes.” (With the passing of the fez this must be a vanished industry in 1927). December 9. KS046.10.“A tiny cobbler’s shop by the street in Stamboul.” December 9. KS046.11.“Street view with Turkish women — little off focus.” December 9. KS046.11.“Glimpse into courtyard in Stamboul.” December 9. KS047.02.“Men washing their feet before entering a mosque.” December 9. KS047.03.“Entrance to the shop of the antiquarian. Andronicos M. Kidaoglou, Imameli Han No. 10, (Merdjan), Stamboul.” December 9. KS047.07.“A busy corner near the Egyptian bazaar.” December 9. KS047.09.“Young man having a letter written by the old public letter writer. Near the Egyptian bazaar.” December 9. KS047.10.“Crowd of people by the booths of the Egyptian bazaar.” December 9. KS047.11.“A.C.R.N.E. (later “N.E.R.”) bakery, exterior. Formerly an Armenian bakery. Capacity 10,000 loaves a day, but could be doubled with full supply of flour. Bread furnished free to orphan establishments, balance of bread sold for 10 piastres a loaf — ‘about half the cost when stealing is deducted’ — Maj. Arnold.” December 18. 7.0096.“N.E.R. bakery, sacks of flour in the storeroom up stairs.” December 18. 7.0099.“Scutari. Bargaining for charcoal.” December 21. KS049.03.“Scutari. Row of old wooden Turkish houses near the cemetery — of such are fire hazards made.” December 21. KS050.12.“A pile of mine sweepers on the dock.” December 22. KS051A.01.“An Italian destroyer at an anchor in the harbor.” December 22. KS051A.02.“U.S.S. GALVESTON moored to the dock. Taken from the shore.” December 22. 7.0095.“Looking up along the shores of the Bosporus from the U.S.S. Galveston.” December 22. KS051A.03.“The old U.S.S. Mississippi, now Greek.” December 22. KS051A.04.“Bosporus. Anatoli Hissar, Castle of Asia, from the water.” December 22. KS051B.01.No caption. Bosphorus. December 22. KS051B.06.“Bosporus. Roumeli Hissar at sunset, into the light.” December 22. KS051B.10.“Two of the men servants at the Continental Hotel. Duplicate of KS052.02.” December 24. KS052.02.“Bread for sale.” December 24. KS052.07.“Porter carrying a large bureau with mirror, on his shoulders.” December 24. KS052.08.“Front of the Continental Hotel.” December 24. KS052.09.“Scene in a fruit market.” December 24. KS052.11.“Easton Kelsey by the parapet of one of the Seven Towers.” December 24. KS053.12.“Bosporus. From the hill back, looking through between the two outer towers of Roumeli Hissar, across the Bosporus toward Anatoli Hissar and the surrounding country. Long focus lens — better view than the preceding — 70127.” On the verso of the photograph is written in Swain’s hand: “Roumeli Hissar where Mohammedans crossed into Europe. Bosphorus 1/2 mile (west?).” 7.0129.“The crew of the U.S.N. launch that took us down to the Seven Towers.” December 24. KS054.01.“Easton Kelsey by the flag in the stern of the launch.” December 24. KS054.08.“G.R. Swain by the flag in the stern of the launch. Undertimed.” December 24. KS054.09.“Mr. Perry, Mr. Bristol and Mr. Stevens, photographed in the yard of the Y.M.C.A.” (Last picture taken of Mr. Perry before he was shot on the Aintab road.) Second copy of photo has its own caption: “Left to right: James Perry, killed near Aintab, February 1; Secretary Bristol and Associate Secretary Stevens, of the Y.M.C.A. Association in Constantinople, photograph made December 25, 1919. Photograph by George R. Swain.” December 25. 7.0012.
December 27–28: Train ride from Derince (“Derindje”) to Konya (“Konia”)
“The A.C.R.N.E. restaurant at Derindje. Derindje was the landing point for stuff by steamer from the U.S.A. and other places at this time.” December 27. KS056.01.“Approaching Affiun Kara Hissar, the junction point for the line from Smyrna. High bluffs near the line.” December 28. KS056.05.“Just a crowd by the train at a station.” December 28. DKS056.06.“Just a snap shot on a station platform. Professor (Francis W.) Kelsey at the left. Well built station.” December 28. KS056.08.“Line of five Hindoo soldiers at a station.” December 28. KS056.09.“Group of native men at one of the stations.” December 28. KS056.10.“A native omnibus — araba. This is a four-wheeled vehicle.” December 28. KS056.11.“Party that travelled down through Asia Minor in freight cars. Same as 7.147, except that in this one the Armenian cook is standing in the door of the Diner.” (Figure on left with hat and topcoat looks very much like F. Kelsey. DSB.) Ula Kushla, Turkey. December 28. 7.0148.“Our four freight cars de luxe. The Armenian cook is standing in the door of the dining car.” December 28. KS057.05.“Five of the party in the door of the dining car. The man is Major Arnold.” December 28. KS057.04.
December 29: Konya (“Konia”)
“A poverty stricken woman in the street.” KS057.09.“A group of ‘relief’ kindergarten children. Miss Cushman’s work.” KS057.10.“A new boy coming to the school. Miss Cushman’s work.” KS057.11.“Miss Cushman talking to some boys.” KS057.12.“Children doing kindergarten exercises.” KS058.01.“Another kindergarten exercise — little out of focus.” KS058.03.“General view of Miss Cushman’s ‘plant’, the American Polyclinic.” (Used as a hotel in September 1924). KS058.05.“Some native women, veiled, going by the fountain in front of Miss Cushman’s.” KS058.07.“The Reo Speed Wagon in front of the entrance to Miss Cushman’s – the American Polyclinic.” KS058.08.“Street view — shutter too slow.” KS058.09.“Women by a mosque — likely beggars.” KS058.10.“General view of the approach to the Museum.” (Practically unchanged in 1924). KS059.02.“Ruins of the Armenian church.” KS059.05.
December 30: Train ride from Konya to Adana
“A caravan encamped, somewhere south of Konia.” KS059.09.“A near view of some camels.” KS059.10.“Crowd on the station platform at Eregli.” KS059.11.“Shepherd with wide coat — moved a little.” KS060.05.“Group, most of the men of our party, in front of the A.C.R.N.E. house at Ula Kushla.” KS060.09.“A glimpse into the heart of the Taurus range.” KS061.05.“The station at Tchefte Khan.” KS062.01.“Station and mountain, taken from top of train.” KS062.09.
December 31: Adana
“General view of part of Armenian refugee camp at Adana. Armenians were moved here from Aleppo. Tents were ditched and comfortably dry.” 7.0156.“Demobilized Turkish soldiers at the Adana station.” KS062.12.“Car with BAGDAD in metal letters on the side — railway car.” KS063.02.“Camels by the station.” KS064.02.“Group of fairly well dressed natives, probably mostly Turkish.” KS064.06.“Exterior of the Adana station. Expanse of sloppy mud, woman with basket walking through it.” KS063.05.“Woman (Armenian?) and child in street by wall.” KS063.07.“Group of natives bolling cotton by hand, on the sidewalk just outside the hospital.” KS063.09.“Gateway to the hospital, American.” KS063.08.“Very similar to the preceding, KS063.10, but group in slightly different position.” KS063.11.“General view along the corridor (arcade) of the Hospital.” KS063.12.“An English industrial “plant” — relief work. Interior, time exposure, some moved.” KS064.08.“Group of Miss Webb’s girls in the courtyard with looms, machines, etc. Three or four Armenian girl-mothers at the left in the foreground.” 7.0154.“At Miss Webb’s school. Three Armenian girls and the rugs they had been weaving.” On the verso of the photograph is written in Swain’s hand: “Girls of Adana, weaving rugs.” 7.0153.
