LECTURE: SEPTEMBER 2 @ 6 PM with arnold robinson
Bristol’s Industrial Demographics and the Workers of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company with speaker Arnold Robinson
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IN PERSON AT ROGERS FREE LIBARY (525 Hope Street, Bristol) OR ON ZOOM. REGISTRATION REQUIRED.
Robinson’s research aims to expand and complicate the story of the HMCo workforce. Beginning with the workers who labored in HMCo workshops, the talk will present the overall demographics of workers in Bristol in and around 1900. Robinson’s research into census data, newspapers, property records and other primary sources offers new details into a range of topics that includes:
The Global Faces of Bristol: Bristol’s workers truly came from a wide spectrum of birthplaces; those “born in Bristol,” those from RI and New England, and those from across the globe.
Workforce Integration: The HMCo workforce was part of, but also a subset to, the larger workforce in Bristol, including those employed in local rubber, cotton, and woolen mills.
A National Mirror: Bristol’s local experience reflects the broader regional and national context, such as the era's immigration debates, political shifts, and labor movements.
This talk offers a unique opportunity to connect Bristol’s industrial history to the larger story of American immigration. Whether you are a genealogy enthusiast, a history buff, or a resident curious about the diverse roots of our community, please join us for this deep dive into the lives and labor of the people who helped make Bristol what it is today.
Arnold Robinson is a historian, historic preservationist, and community planner from Rhode Island. He is Principal of Robinson Consulting, LLC, which provides services in community planning, climate adaptation and resilience, public process design and facilitation, and historic buildings and community preservation. He has served in leadership positions at Fuss & O’Neill, Roger Williams University, Newport Collaborative Architects, and the Providence Preservation Society. Robinson holds an M.A. in Preservation Studies from Boston University and a B.A. in American Studies from Bates College. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and holds certifications from the National Charrette Institute and the Waterfront Alliance.