By: Lawrence J. O'Brien

Lawrence J. O'Brien — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:41:19 +0000

Sarah: It is a delight for me to have discovered your video on Fillmore Place. My mother grew up in #18, raised from the age of 2 years by her great aunt and uncle. Her uncle, William J. Dailey, owned a fish market around the corner on Grand Avenue. He also owned several of the houses on Fillmore Place other than #18. Sisters from Barbados, named Alleyne, lived in #16 for years as tenants of Uncle Dailey. Dailey also kept his black gelding, Blackie, in a stable at the end of the street, on the opposite side from #18. The last time I visited, about five years back, you could see that the present structure there is a converted stable. The horse pulled Dailey’s wagon to and from the Fulton Fish Market every morning except Sunday. On Friday nights, Dailey had 12 men opening oysters and clams at the “raw bar” in his store, trying to keep pace with the working men who gathered there to celebrate the end of the week. They brougt their “growlers” with them — tin cans filled with beer from the bar next door. The houses on Fillmore Place were called “parlor floor and basement” in those days, and my Mom lived at #18 very comfortably until she married at age 26. There were always at least two maids, and sometimes three. When Bill Dailey died in 1928 he left $150,000 to a variety of Catholic charities that Aunt Dailey (nee Mary Shelley), who pre-deceased him, had been fond of. The individual gifts were kept small — #10,000 or less — so that there would be little public notice of the overall size of his gift. That was a lot of money in 1928. He left my mother #5000, which she used to pay off the mortgage on the house I grew up in, in Queens Village. I have a million stories about Fillmore Place, a unique spot, and about Grand and Driggs Avenues. I am so pleased that you have celebrated this little street. All good wishes, Larry O’Brien
PS: My son Thomas is a solo video producer/director. If you ever need help on Brooklyn projects, he would love that. L.

Comments on: Fillmore Place Update

By: Lawrence J. O'Brien