Sandwich Historical Society: Author Talk with Dr. Tilar Mazzeo

In recent years Dr. Mazzeo has been working on a series of books on female heroes of the past. Her current project has brought her to Sandwich as she researches the first woman to have taken command of a merchant vessel. After her husband’s untimely death in 1856, off the coast of Peru, Hannah Rebecca Burgess took control of the ship, The Challenger, and captained it back to port. At age 22, Rebecca had already spent several years traveling with her husband, Captain William Burgess, and had learned to navigate the ship using the instruments on board. After William’s death, Rebecca returned home to Sandwich where she spent the remainder of her days honoring her husband’s legacy and the adventures they shared. She donated her collection of journals and artifacts she collected around the world to the Sandwich Historical Society, where they are currently on display.

The talk will be held in the Sandwich Glass Museum’s Auditorium.