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And finally, a little piece of history… In 1923, as part of Gloucester’s epochal 300th Anniversary Celebration, a Fisherman’s Race was planned, featuring three of Gloucester’s fastest and most successful schooners – the Henry Ford, the Elizabeth Howard, and the Shamrock. Thomas Lipton, the irrepressible English yachtsman, came down from Boston where he was visiting, and gave his imprimatur to the race. He offered to provide a silver trophy made in England to the winner of the race. Not to be out done, prominent banker Colonel John J. Prentiss offered as second prize “a fine cup of American craftsmanship.” In fact, this “Prentiss Cup” was made in New York by Louis Tiffany, and contained a hefty 99 ounces of silver. Of course such races were part of Gloucester’s DNA. The 250th Anniversary celebration in 1892 was the occasion of the legendary “race it blew” and this event itself simply commemorated the custom of Gloucester’s highliners racing to port with their catch.

So it was no surprise that, early in the morning of August 27th, 1923, tens of thousands of spectators lined the Back Shore to watch the race. Unfortunately there was a dense fog and not a breath of wind. The race was postponed. They tried again a week later, and this time things looked a little better. The starting gun went off and the Henry Ford, known to be superior in light airs, took the lead. However, the breeze pooped out completely in the third leg and all three contestants were left adrift. The race was canceled again. Finally, the next day, conditions had improved. By this time anticipation had built to a fever pitch. As she had done before, the Henry Ford took a substantial lead in the light morning breeze. However as the race went on the breeze freshened to 15 knots with choppy seas. These were conditions the Elizabeth Howard found to her liking. She leapt off after the Henry Ford.

THE BOOK OF THE THREE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OBSERVANCE describes the scene: “If, as some fancy, there be a spirit which abides in inanimate things, it seemingly was exemplified in the case of the Howard for she came on from behind with the élan of a thoroughbred bent on retrieving his race. Fathom by fathom intervening water was lessened.”

Alas, the ghostly white Elizabeth Howard ran out of race, and the sleek black Henry Ford crossed the line a mere fifty seconds in the lead. But imagine the treat it must have been for the onlookers to witness these two great schooners slugging it out. The Henry Ford was awarded Lipton’s cup, and the Elizabeth Howard was given the Prentiss Cup, engraved with city seals, and the names of skipper Ben Pine and all the Howard’s crewmen.

By a rather involved process, I have come into possession of the Prentiss Cup, and I’m hoping to bring this piece of Gloucester’s proud history back home where it belongs. We need to raise $3000 – little more than the cost of the silver alone – so that the trophy can find a permanent home at the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center. Please contact me for information about your tax deductible donation to this worthy cause.