Scope and Contents
This collection contains a travel diary kept by Alice Baker MacIntosh from 1927 to 1928 and a typed transcript of the diary created by Alice’s grandson, Richard Allan Baker. The diary chronicles Alice’s travels across England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Tunisia, Algeria, Spain, and Belgium with her second husband, David MacIntosh. David was a student at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and received the James William Paige Traveling Scholarship that funded the couple’s time abroad.
Alice MacIntosh recorded her day-to-day activities during their travels, which often included visiting art museums and galleries, calling on friends, seeing movies, writing letters, and visiting local attractions. Her diary entries also frequently make note of David’s daily activities, the weather, chores and errands, her mood, and her health.
The transcript of the diary includes a chronology of Alice and David’s early lives, marriage, and travels from 1927 to 1928.
Alice MacIntosh recorded her day-to-day activities during their travels, which often included visiting art museums and galleries, calling on friends, seeing movies, writing letters, and visiting local attractions. Her diary entries also frequently make note of David’s daily activities, the weather, chores and errands, her mood, and her health.
The transcript of the diary includes a chronology of Alice and David’s early lives, marriage, and travels from 1927 to 1928.
Dates
- Creation: 1927 -- 1928, 2011
Conditions Governing Use
Some material in this collection may be protected by copyright and other rights. Please see “Reproductions and Use” on the Digital Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permission to publish. No documentation is available regarding the intellectual property rights in this collection.
Biographical / Historical
Alice Baker MacIntosh (circa 1885 -- July 3, 1979), born Alice Crawford Marshall, was raised by Hannah Bullard Marshall and John Marshall, a cabinet maker, in Malden, Massachusetts. Alice was adopted by the Marshall family when Hannah and John were approximately 53 and 63, respectively, but the circumstances of Alice’s adoption are unclear. Alice MacIntosh married Joseph Baker, a traveling salesman for a paint company, on April 18, 1906. The couple had two sons, Deane Marshall Baker, born on November 23, 1906 and Harold Allan Baker, born on May 22, 1912. Sometime in 1924 or 1925, Alice left the family home, presumably divorcing Joseph, and settled in Everett, Massachusetts. She married David MacIntosh, a student at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, on June 2, 1926. Joseph Baker was remarried, to Maude L. Paine, sometime prior to 1930.
David MacIntosh (1901 -- February 11, 1941) was a student at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and received the James William Paige Traveling Scholarship in 1927. He lived in Malden, Massachusetts with his mother, Matilda, and sister, Ruth. Matilda was an artist who worked with watercolors. David studied drawing in evening courses while he was a student at Malden High School. Around this time, David became tennis partners with Deane Baker, Alice Marshall Baker and Joseph Baker’s son. David studied life drawing under Ernest Major at the Boston Normal Art School, was a printing apprentice, and worked at Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Company in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
In 1921, David enrolled at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. After moving to Everett, Massachusetts, he married Alice Baker MacIntosh in 1926. The couple eventually relocated from Everett to Huntington Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts. David won the James William Paige Traveling Scholarship in 1927. The James William Paige Traveling Scholarship, known today as a Traveling Fellowship and awarded to SMFA alumni, was established in 1894 in order to provide funding for SMFA students to travel to Europe where they could study art for two years. After winning the scholarship, David and Alice traveled extensively across Europe and North Africa from August 1927 until April 1929. During this trip, Alice and David visited England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Tunisia, Algeria, Spain, and Belgium. Ship passenger lists from their travels reveal that Alice often misrepresented her age, even reporting that she was born as late as 1898.
Following their return to Boston, David continued to show his artwork, including portraits, studies of the nude form, landscapes, and etchings. He worked as an illustrator for The Boston Post from 1932 to 1934 and 1935 to 1941. From 1934 to 1935, David was the director of the fine arts department at the Swain School in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Alice and David divorced around 1935. David MacIntosh remarried and with his second wife had one daughter, Jane, who was born in 1939.
David MacIntosh died in Arlington, Massachusetts on February 11, 1941, at the age of 40, due to a cerebral hemorrhage. Alice MacIntosh lived to the age of 94 and died in Boston on July 3, 1979.
David MacIntosh (1901 -- February 11, 1941) was a student at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and received the James William Paige Traveling Scholarship in 1927. He lived in Malden, Massachusetts with his mother, Matilda, and sister, Ruth. Matilda was an artist who worked with watercolors. David studied drawing in evening courses while he was a student at Malden High School. Around this time, David became tennis partners with Deane Baker, Alice Marshall Baker and Joseph Baker’s son. David studied life drawing under Ernest Major at the Boston Normal Art School, was a printing apprentice, and worked at Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Company in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
In 1921, David enrolled at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. After moving to Everett, Massachusetts, he married Alice Baker MacIntosh in 1926. The couple eventually relocated from Everett to Huntington Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts. David won the James William Paige Traveling Scholarship in 1927. The James William Paige Traveling Scholarship, known today as a Traveling Fellowship and awarded to SMFA alumni, was established in 1894 in order to provide funding for SMFA students to travel to Europe where they could study art for two years. After winning the scholarship, David and Alice traveled extensively across Europe and North Africa from August 1927 until April 1929. During this trip, Alice and David visited England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Tunisia, Algeria, Spain, and Belgium. Ship passenger lists from their travels reveal that Alice often misrepresented her age, even reporting that she was born as late as 1898.
Following their return to Boston, David continued to show his artwork, including portraits, studies of the nude form, landscapes, and etchings. He worked as an illustrator for The Boston Post from 1932 to 1934 and 1935 to 1941. From 1934 to 1935, David was the director of the fine arts department at the Swain School in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Alice and David divorced around 1935. David MacIntosh remarried and with his second wife had one daughter, Jane, who was born in 1939.
David MacIntosh died in Arlington, Massachusetts on February 11, 1941, at the age of 40, due to a cerebral hemorrhage. Alice MacIntosh lived to the age of 94 and died in Boston on July 3, 1979.
Extent
.5 Linear Feet (1 document box)
Language of Materials
English
Overview
This collection contains a travel diary kept by Alice Baker MacIntosh from 1927 to 1928 and a typed transcript of the diary created by Alice’s grandson, Richard Allan Baker.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in one series.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Transferred from Museum of Fine Arts Archives in 2019, accession MS-2020-006. Originally donated to the Museum of Fine Arts Archives by Richard and Hanele Baker, grandchildren of Alice Baker MacIntosh, in 2014.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Records and Accessioning Archivist, Jane Kelly, in March 2020.
Repository Details
Part of the Tufts Archival Research Center Repository
Contact:
35 Professors Row
Tisch Library Building
Tufts University
Medford Massachusetts 02155 United States
617-627-3737
archives@tufts.edu
35 Professors Row
Tisch Library Building
Tufts University
Medford Massachusetts 02155 United States
617-627-3737
archives@tufts.edu
