Costume Ideas for the Portsmouth Halloween Parade
Continued

RUTH BLAY’S BOYFRIEND
Poor Ruth Blay was the last woman hanged in Portsmouth in 1768 for the crime of concealing the death of her stillborn child. Nothing funny about that. A recently published book suggests that Ruth was also concealing the name of the father of her child. She died to save his reputation. It has been suggested that her lover was the local minister, and a married man. Any clerical outfit will do here. Add horns, hooves, and a forked tail, since this guy clearly went to Hell.  

NICHOLAS NEWMAN
Aldrich described Nicholas Newman of Portsmouth as cross-eyed, very short and bowlegged. The last of the Portsmouth town criers, he carried a gigantic bell and had a booming voice. Newman walked sideways through town like a land crab shouting "Hear All! Hear All!" Wear a Revolutionary-style three-cornered hat and throw in some salacious local news as you wander the city streets.

BABB THE BUTCHER
Another exploited figure in local lore, this ghostly “murderer” from the Isles of Shoals reportedly wore a bloody apron and carried a butcher’s knife. That’s because Phillip Babb of Smuttynose Island was actually a butcher. Despite the legend, there is no evidence he harmed anyone. Buy a big rubber blade and an apron smeared with ketchup. Cover yourself with fish guts to capture that authentic 17^th century Shoals scent.

MOLLY BRIDGET
A poor woman driven from town to town, Molly Bridget was staying at the Portsmouth almshouse in 1782. Testing to see if she was truly a witch, the townspeople burned a few pig tails in the fireplace there. Molly suddenly died on the spot, proving to the superstitious locals that she was indeed a witch. A pair of those large, greasy, dried, pig ears sold as dog treats are required here. Also pick up a pork snout from the butcher. These appendages should be worn, not by the person portraying Molly, but by everyone else in the town that condemned her.

CAPTAIN JACK RINGBOLT
This fictional character comes from an 1848 ballad by Portsmouth poet James Kennard, Jr. Jack Ringbolt was a sailor who died in Portsmouth but insisted on being buried at sea. Some friends wrapped his corpse in a blanket and weighted it with iron. They rowed Jack’s body to the mouth of the PiscataquaRiver and tossed it overboard. According to Kennard’s poem (he was a highly religious invalid who could neither move nor talk) Jack’s body burst into flames and hovered above the ocean. Then it disappeared over the horizon. For this costume you will need an old mummy sleeping bag (with a hole cut out so you can walk on tip-toes). Rig up some lights that make your head glow.

MARY BAKER
As in Hollywood, there aren’t many great roles for women here. Our weirdoes tend to be men, and the women are usually their victims. At least Portsmouth “madam” Mary Baker made a successful living in the city’s Combat Zone. She dressed in fine outfits, wore large hats, reportedly had a diamond in her teeth, and exploited underage girls in her brothel off Water Street.

LOUIS WAGNER
I hate to see Karen and Anethe Christiansen, the 1873 Smuttynose Murder victims, exploited any more than they already have been. So please, leave them alone. But Louis Wagner was a bad man and he deserves to be remembered as a monster. Despite a boat-load of conspiracy theories, trust me, Wagner was guilty. All you need to portray him is a knit fisherman’s cap, a hatchet, an oar, and a bible – since Wagner found religion moments after his arrest. The character will be more convincing if you declare your innocence with a thick, 19^th century Prussian accent.

LADY GHOST
Legend says that the pirate Blackbeard left his 14^th wife on the Isles of Shoals to guard his stolen gold. The facts in the life of Edward Teach belie the wife, the location, the timing, and the treasure itself. But it’s still a good story. Descriptions of the imaginary “Lady Ghost” usually show her in a diaphanous gown that does not blow in the breeze. So be sure to starch and iron your outfit flat. If you endlessly repeat the sentence "He will come back! He will come back!” all devoted Shoalers will get the message.

CAPTAIN WALDRON
Residents of Dover will recall that their early leader Richard Waldron cheated the local Indians. They took revenge during the famous Cochcecho "massacre". For those into gory makeup, the Natives cut off Waldron’s nose and ears, which they put in his mouth before slashing him across the chest and forcing him to fall on his own sword. Waldron was 74 years old so this costume is ideal for seniors.

THE ROCK THROWING DEVIL
In 1682 George Walton's house in New Castle was pelted repeatedly with a shower of rocks. According to reports, the rocks even fell from inside the house. The cooking spit and candles flew up the chimney. Another new scholarly book, The Devil of Great Island, suggests that the so-called supernatural events were caused by very human hands. Family members had strong motivation for killing the wealthy Mr. Waldron to inherit his property. Since the legendary “Rock Throwing Devil” was invisible and never seen by witnesses, it makes the perfect costume for adults who prefer to stay home on Halloween.

Copyright © 2010 by J. Dennis Robinson, all rights reserved. Robinson writes books on local history that are available in selected bookstores and on Amazon.com. His history column appears every other Monday in the Portsmouth Herald and can also be seen online exclusively on Robinson’s history Web site at SeacoastNH.com.