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James E. Winward was the man Lizzie Borden wanted immediately to undertake the funeral of her father. On the day of the murders, just a very short time after Lizzie said she found her father on the sofa, she requested the services of Mr. Winward, who at the time had his business address at 13 South Main Street. Even before the body of Abby Borden was found on the second floor, Lizzie was voicing the opinion that she would be the one to go down to Oak Grove Cemetery to arrange her father’s funeral and burial. This may be construed as a curious statement as Mrs. Borden would have had this task herself-did Lizzie already know Mrs. Borden was lying dead upstairs?
Young Mr. Winward (aged only 38 on the day of the murders) came as requested, and was to find not one, but two bodies at #92 Second Street. He and his assistant had the grisly task of removing the heavily blood-stained sofa from the sitting room later in the day.
Mr. Winward enjoyed a successful career in his field, and fitted the ideal of a funeral director in every aspect of appearance and decorum. A photograph of Mr. Winward is soon to be published. At the end of his life, Mr. James E. Winward lived in a prosperous section in the north end of the city on Madison Street. He is buried with his wife Annie, his daughter Helen Winward Brown and his son-in-law in the cemetery where he spend so many years organizing funerals for so many city clients- Oak Grove. The role of Mr. Winward was ably performed by funeral director Andrew Correia for the recent August 4th re-enactments at # 92 Second Street.
BIG thanks and orchids go to Miss Ellen Borden, who helped on Sunday with set dressing, and hairdressing for Monday’s nine performances. Ellen is an actual relative of Miss Lizzie and a Jill-of-Many-Trades. Many thanks, Ellen from all the P.E.P. crew!
After the 1992 Lizzie Borden Centennial was but a memory, six people who had met at the event decided to form an armchair sleuth society which would meet about every 8 weeks. Dubbed The Second Street Irregulars in homage to the Sherlockian society, the group would soon form the core of the Pear Essentials Productions troupe, an amateur band of would-be thesbians dedicated to bringing the Borden story to life. The original six would grow over the years, and so did their projects and creative endeavors- from singing costumed quartets to large cast productions at the Second Street house on August 4th. We live what we love.
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