I do not know a lot about my family’s history in Newport. Because of its richness and mystery I am drawn to the City. I feel an intense sense of belonging there. I am a Buckley family descendant.
My mother and her sisters were taken from my grandmother at an early age. They were raised in an orphanage run by the Catholic Church in Smithfield, Rhode Island. My mom and my aunts were sent to Bristol to live with the sister of one of the orphanage’s nuns. My mom met my father in Bristol, and my roots are here. I learned a lot from my deceased Uncle William F. Buckley. We often met for lunch. He gave me letters from “Uncle Harry” that gave much detail. The family was quite large. as shown by this family photo taken during a wedding celebration. My great grandfather Patrick Buckley is seated to the bride’s left. It saddens me to know I have many relatives from descendants of these souls who have no idea I exist.
Here is another picture of my great grandfather.
Two years ago, I found the home site where my mother grew up. It is on the hill east of Newport’s Spring Street. It was a two-decker from which my grandparents ran a small market. The home was torn down and a replica colonial home now sits on the site. The home was built by students from Rogers High School as a work study project. I met the owners, and from their understanding, the area was a mixed ethnic bag containing commercial and residential uses. To the north of my grandparents’ property was a prominent sail loft.
My Uncle Bill always spoke of a building my great grandfather owned called “Buckley’s Block”. I knew it was on Broadway. This weekend I returned to Newport on a quest to find more details from my past. I performed a Google search about Patrick Buckley in Newport and came across a historical post about Buckley’s Block. My cousin Susan Buckley Scott commented to the author in 2020 and my thanks now sit below hers. The building is at the corner of Broadway and Oak Streets.
This photo of the property shows it during the time of my great grandfather’s ownership. I learned from the internet post that he owned the property until 1928.
On the left corner of the building was “P Buckley & Sons”. It was an Irish market run by my great grandfather. The “&Sons” part means my grandfather David Patrick Buckley likely worked in the store. P. Buckley & Sons apparently owned three Irish markets, two in Newport and one in Jamestown. Here are some images of what I believe to be the location depicted in the above photograph. My great grandfather casts a commanding presence.
Today, the site of my great grandfather’s market is an oriental restaurant. Next door is an antique shop and on the other street facing corner is a popular lunch and breakfast restaurant. On the north side of the property there is a tattoo parlor. Here are present-day images of the building and storefronts. I took these yesterday using my Hasselblad and Fujifilm Acros.
I know that our family had a home on Catherine Street in Newport. My next hope is to find and photograph it.
On this day, I also found the home of my great grandfather’s brother John Patrick Buckley. The address is 41 Rhode Island Avenue. The photos I took are poor so they are not shared.
My late cousin Christopher Buckley has a memorial plaque set on a precipice on Ocean Drive. Chris attended naval officer training for a short time in Newport. I often go there in remembrance of him.
In the remote chance an unknown descendant of my Newport Buckley family reads this post, please contact me!
Love ❤️ this