A collection of 336+ historic bookplates and corresponding material from local artist and musician Helen Pearson. These bookplates were accumulated from her travels, acquaintances, other collectors and membership into several national and international bookplate societies. The collection was initially created and organized by Pearson. It arrived at Portsmouth Public Library as a bequest upon her passing on August 19, 1949. The collection was added to and at least partially mounted by then…

A series of drawings created between 1908-1913 by local artist and Portsmouth native, Helen Pearson (1870-1949). In 1993, local historian and long-time editor of the Portsmouth Herald, Ray Brighton called Helen Pearson “…one of the best artists Portsmouth ever produced whose talent has been largely forgotten.” Born in Portsmouth on Nov. 13, 1870, Pearson was trained as a concert pianist and attended Boston’s Cowles Art School. She played piano with the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra in New…

The Higgins Family Photograph Collection consists of over 300 digital images primarily taken in the late 1800s through the first half of the 20th century. The images capture the everyday moments as well as the celebratory occasions of a family living in Portsmouth’s South End neighborhood.The original photographs come from the collection of Kathryn (Casey) Higgins (b. 1882). She is credited with the photography of much of the collection. The photos were provided to the library by the late J.…

Women Singing OUT! formed in 1999 as a lesbian-based choir focused on social change. They promoted tolerance, diversity, peace, and hope. WSO performed a wide range of musical styles and held biannual concerts in winter and late spring. Led by artistic directors Claudia Frost and later Dr. Deirdre McClure, they practiced weekly at Christ Episcopal Church in Portsmouth. WSO disbanded in 2017.There are eight albums represented in this collection: The Beauty Around Us (2002), We Are Family (2005),…