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Collected a lot of notes today–notes needing sorting. I just don’t have it in me tonight, but I want to do a little something tonight. So here is what I’ll put here (stuff that’ll be put elsewhere soon):

Watson was meticulous in his retention of notes. Two sheets of interest found today are handwritten notes (for someone, not sure who) detailing his itinerary for his 1959  journeys including dates, hotel/lodging locations, flight numbers, and addresses at which he could be contacted.

Detail for travel in 1959

All departures and arrives are assumed to be by air.

January 11, 1959 – Depart from New York, USA

January 12, 1959 – Layover in London, England

January 13, 1959 – Arrive in New Delhi, India

January 13 – 28, 1959 – Hotel Janpath, New Delhi, India

Watson remained in India following January 28, 1959, but details are not currently known regarding his locations. August correspondence between Watson and Killick, Nixon & Co., Private Ltd. of Bombay seems to suggest he also intended to visit and stay in Mysore, Hyderbad, Nagpur, and Bangalore.

March 14, 1959 – Depart from New Delhi, India

March 15 – 16, 1959 – Layover in Rome, Italy

March 17, 1959 – Arrive in Kano, Nigeria

March 17 – April 3, 1959 – Compass Travel, Compass House, 42 Victoria Road, Kano, Nigeria

April 3, 1959 – Depart from Kano, Nigeria

April 3, 1959 – Layover in Accra, Ghana

April 3, 1959 – Layover in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

April 3, 1959 – Arrive in Bamako, French West Africa

April 3 – May 6, 1959 – Bureau de Pass-ages de Bamako, Attn: Roger Autter, R.C. No. 916, Square de Gure, Buite Postule 1422, Bamako, French West Africa (present day Mali)

May 6, 1959 – Depart from Bamako, French West Africa

May 6, 1959 – Layover in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

May 6, 1959 – Layover in Accra, Ghana

May 6, 1959 – Arrive in Lagos, Nigeria

May 6 – June 1, 1959 – Compass Travel (Nigeria) Ltd., Attn: Mrs. Irene R. Nielsen, 41 Broad St., Lagos, Nigeria

May 30 June 1, 1959 – Depart from Lagos, Nigeria

May 30 June 1, 1959 – Arrive in Cotonou, Dahomey

June 1 – June 19, 1959 – Cotonou, Dahomey (present day Benin)

June 19, 1959 – Depart from Cotonou, Dahomey

June 19, 1959 – Arrive in Accra, Ghana

June 19 – July 3, 1959 – Ghana Travel Agency, Attn: Mrs. J.E. Nason, PO Box 974, Accra, Ghana

July 3, 1959 – Depart from Accra, Ghana

July 3, 1959 – Layover in Lisbon, Portugal

July 4, 1959 – Arrive in New York, USA

More to come…

Today was an equally productive day in the Archives of the University of Pennsylvania Museum. I spent a lot of time going through Watson Kintner’s passports trying to put a timeline of his travels (and his life) together. This proved to be most fruitful providing (at times) far-too-detailed daily events (and often contradictory) particularly for the 1950s. In addition, information handwritten (probably by Watson) on the backs of photographs filled in a lot of blanks.

So far, I have put together information on his first two extended voyages in 1955 and 1957.

A little more information on Watson’s education, family, and career was also added. Figured out when he retired! April 1955. Still nothing more on that weird singular mention of his first names as “Frank” yet.

Tomorrow, we try to put together his Penn career, family, Uncle Watson, Scranton, Hamilton, and and bit more on his RCA/Victor and Westinghouse career(s).

Please follow along at colinhelb.com/watson where I am keeping track of all the new information I discover. It may not be the best read in town, but it isn’t supposed to be. This is archival research at its rawest! Changes every day!

As of today, March 8th, 2010, I am officially on “Spring Break” in the sunny locale of the University of Pennsylvania Museum Archives. I am there to collect research on Watson Kintner. I began this stuff about five years ago. I have had the same, poorly written biographical passage up for far too long.

In honor of returning to the archives for any sort of prolonged time (aside from a visit or two) since about 2004 (when I first discovered Watson’s films and began investigating him), I will be collecting all new information here over the next few months as I develop a “dear-grant-providers,-please-consider-some-sort-of-humble,-but-substantial-financial-contribution” video. Please feel free to correct, use, derive, cite, and/or add-to.

I am indebted to the staff of the University of Pennsylvania Museum Archives, University of Pennsylvania Archives, and the Department of Communications at Elizabethtown College for their support.

Please visit the Watson Kintner Project page for more information.