Photo of the Abbot Worsted Band on a 8″ x 10″ mat. Abbot Worsted Co was founded by 1855 by John W.P. Abbot (1834-1897) and his son, John W. Abbot (1834-1897) in the Graniteville portion of Westford. The company expanded into Forge Village in 1879, and the Brookside (Nabnasset) Mills in 1919. In 1956, the company moved out of Westford, just prior to going out of business.
This was the first band to play at the WEEI radio station in Lowell. The band also marched in parades in Lowell in at least the 1930s. According to an article from the Eagle Independent, many of the 1930’s band members were from Forge Village. One band member then was Ayer resident, and later Abbot employee, Ralph Winslow (1919-2016), who played the clarinet.
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