To the editor:

In response to a letter "Do you know more about a social club" I offer the following: The building at 194 Church St. was a club and a Republican gathering place. It was run by Harry Mancino who was born in Barrington in 1889 and operated that club from 1940 to the 1960's. He was my uncle and a very generous man. The members would play cards and drink there and Harry would prepare food for them often and feed them.

He was a good cook and baker. During the 1920's he had a bakery at the corner of Maple Ave. and Wood St. at the site of the present Vienna bakery

His family had a general store at 95 Maple Ave. There is a picture of that in the foyer of Barrington Shaws Market. Harry is the man holding the baby. The other people are my father, uncles and aunt. I gave that photo to the Barrington historic group and unfortunately the labeled the Mancini by mistake. It should have been spelled Mancino.

Th e club on Church Street, was the location of many St. Michaels' day celebrations. St. Michael was Harry's patron saint and every fall he conducted a weekend celebration consisting of a carnival, band concert and a Sunday Mass at Holy Angels church.

These celebrations were also conducted for The Acension (Aug. 15) and St. Rocco and took the establishment of the church in the late 1800's through the 1990's. I think Holy Angels still observes the Acension.

Getting back to the activity at club, it consisted of working men socializing, playing cards and some drinking. Harry died in the late 1980's and the most recent ownership of the that I remember was Joseph Cioe.

Al Mancino

Barrington