Milk Row Cemetery: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
The Powder House: History Unlocked Drop-in Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Prospect Hill Tower: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Your Home is a Museum
Your home is full of treasures! In Your Home Is a Museum, participants are invited to bring a meaningful object from home - something you were given, something you found in the floorboards or the backyard, something you inherited, or something that has always been important to you for whatever reason. An object with a full-bodied 5-10 minute story.
We’ll create a display together from all the objects and then listen to each other's stories. Think the “Moth” radio hour or “Antiques Road Show.”
Explore how personal stories become part of shared history.
No museum experience required, just curiosity and a story to tell.
An object storytelling event. Bring an object. Curate a mini exhibition. Tell its story.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1987287517461?aff=oddtdtcreator
Milk Row Cemetery: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Haus Party 003
Join us on May 15th for an immersive evening at the Somerville Museum, featuring a dynamic mix of visual art, live performances, and evocative sonic landscapes presented by Partridge Haus and Idle Hands Theatre Collective. This multi-sensory gathering brings together artists and audiences in a shared space of exploration and reflection. Food provided by the Fox Den and beverages will be available for purchase throughout the night.
Duo Maresienne | The King of Denmark’s Health: Renaissance Music from Denmark-Norway
Celebrating Bach. Ensemble Chaconne (Peter H. Bloom, baroque flute; Carol Lewis, viola da gamba; Olav Chris Henriksen, baroque lute) perform works by Johann Sebastian Bach, including flute sonatas, a prelude and fugue for lute, and a cello suite transcription for viola da gamba.
The Powder House: History Unlocked Drop-in Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Prospect Hill Tower: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Milk Row Cemetery: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
The Powder House: History Unlocked Drop-in Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Prospect Hill Tower: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Milk Row Cemetery: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
The Powder House: History Unlocked Drop-in Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Prospect Hill Tower: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Milk Row Cemetery: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
The Powder House: History Unlocked Drop-in Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Prospect Hill Tower: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Milk Row Cemetery: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
The Powder House: History Unlocked Drop-in Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Prospect Hill Tower: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Milk Row Cemetery: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
The Powder House: History Unlocked Drop-in Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Prospect Hill Tower: History Unlocked Drop-In Chats
HISTORY UNLOCKED: DROP-IN CHATS
Select THURSDAYS 6-8 pm
Select SATURDAYS 10 am-12 pm
THE POWDER HOUSE, MILK ROW CEMETERY & PROSPECT HILL TOWER will be open to the public on select dates and times from May through October, as part of HISTORY ON THE LINE, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville.
Break up the Rosenblums! Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of America’s First and Strangest Professional Basketball League with Dan Breen at Aeronaut Brewery
Celebrate 100 years of U.S. pro basketball championships with a lively look at America’s first and strangest professional league.
Join us for another lively Tavern Talk with Dan Breen. Dan will explore the story of America’s first and perhaps strangest professional basketball league, bringing its colorful teams, characters, and history to life.
Tickets available on Eventbrite
Revolutionary Line Trolley Tours
A 90-minute tour of critical revolutionary sites such as Paul Revere’s ride through town and the marching route of the Redcoats! Board the Trolley at Powder House park, 24 Liberty Ave. You will be dropped off in the same place at the end,
Patriot's Day Colonial Fair
History In The Park:
Somerville Patriots' Day Colonial Fair 2025
Join us for the 250th Patriots’ Day Commemoration at Foss Park! Enjoy
colonial games and activities, delicious refreshments, and a chance to greet Paul Revere.
Somerville Stories at Mt. Auburn Cemetery
Walk with docent Robin Hazard Ray through Mt. Auburn Cemetery to discover Somervile’s legacy: Tufts, “Missy” LeHand, Henry K. Hadley, and more.
(Rain date: April 19)
Collage from the Collection
Dig through images of old Somerville, art magazines, books, and programs from our collection and reinvent them in a collage!
Take home a piece of the museum when you create a collage from our collections! Join us for this special Friday add-on event.
Volunteer Docent Training Session
Volunteer docents are needed at our History Unlocked Drop-in Chats: at the Powder House, Prospect Hill Tower and Milk Row Cemetery.
Free training session offered Saturday, April 4th! Find out more!
Crafting the Mind Closing Reception
Crafting the Mind Closing Reception
“Crafting the Mind” is an exhibition of contemporary fiber art that speaks to the early history of crafts as a therapeutic practice at McLean Hospital, the country’s first psychiatric hospital. McLean was opened at Somerville’s Barrell Mansion in 1818, and today the Somerville Museum holds the mansion’s original flying staircase. McLean patients created textiles and other crafts for therapeutic benefit as part of the hospital’s “moral cure,” an approach to treatment that emphasized compassionate care, access to nature, and patient activities. “Crafting the Mind” explores the evolving definitions of “care,” “health,” and “treatment” in different cultural contexts, as well as today’s advocacy movement for mental healthcare equity.
Curators: Danielle Krcmar and Rachel May.
Artists: Betty Antoine, Amy Caliri, Cicely Carew, Mimi Clark, Alison Doucette, Leah Dunn, Farah Faustin, Samantha Fields, Ifé Franklin, Kate Holcomb Hale, Jan Johnson, Kayla Johnson, Lauren Leone, Joetta Maue, Michele Moran, Loretta Park, Carl Phillips, Darryl Richards, Carter Shocket, Josie Sosa, Matthew Treggiari.
Tickets available via Eventbrite.
Mapping Your Neighborhood Family Program
Create your own neighborhood map!
Go on a mini walking tour of the Museum’s neighborhood
Make a communal map of the neighborhood based on what you remember
Cut out different types of Somerville homes and buildings, and design a map of your neighborhood!
Duo Maresienne | Hunts, Bagpipes & Scots Tunes: Music of the Scottish Renaissance & Baroque
Duo Maresienne (Carol Lewis, viola da gamba; Olav Chris Henriksen, lute & English guitar) play works by Black, Lauthian, Beck, Bremner & Geminiani, including ports, lilts, battles and jigs from Caledonia, and “Pibrock, a Highland Battel” by Oswald.
Echoes in Ink: Found Poetry from the Collection
Join the Somerville Museum for a hands-on creative workshop where historic letters, newspapers, maps, and documents become the raw material for art. Using reproduced archival texts, participants will craft found and blackout poetry, revealing hidden voices, emotions, and stories already embedded in the words of earlier generations.
Crafting the Mind Curator Tour
Curators Danielle Krcmar and Rachel May, along with participating artists, will lead a walkthrough of the exhibition. They will discuss the connections between the historic craft processes used for therapeutic treatment at McLean, and the contemporary fiber works in the exhibit that speak to how the artists process grief, reflect on labor and care for loved ones, and reconnect with cultural and ancestral practices.
Tavern Talk: Snowbound! The Blizzard of '78
We survived the Blizzard of ‘26! In this Tavern Talk, we revisit the devastating Blizzard of ‘78, which dumped a then-record 27” inches of snow in Greater Boston and an incredible 40” on the South Shore.
Good Neighbor Open House & Bagel Brunch
Start your Sunday morning with neighbors, coffee, bagels, and a behind-the-scenes look at all the ways you can connect with the Somerville Museum community!*
Meet neighbors, volunteers, and museum supporters.
Learn about our exhibits and programs.
Explore volunteer opportunities, membership, and more.
Take the next step to get involved—and take home a Your Neighbor is a Museum T-shirt!
Join the Good Neighbor Monthly Giving Program and be entered to win a cooking lesson from the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts!
RSVP on Eventbrite
Your Home is a Museum
Bring an object. Curate a mini exhibition. Tell its story.
Think the “Moth” radio hour or “Antiques Road Show.”
Explore how personal stories become part of shared history.
Crafting Care : A Community Quilt Workshop with Lauren Leone
This participatory workshop invites attendees to reflect on the concept and practice of care through embroidery and fabric collage, in dialogue with the Crafting the Mind exhibition. We'll explore questions like "how do we give and receive care– in the day-to-day and also in moments of crisis and distress?", "how do we create communities of care?", and "how can community craft practices support belonging, wellbeing, and interdependence?" Participants will be taught some simple embroidery stitches and will be supported in creating individual quilt squares reflecting their personal understanding of care.
Valentine's Day Mixer
Bring a special someone, a friend, or treat yourself to special pre-Valentine evening at the Museum with live latin music from CuraSón, that promotes love and connection by playing original music that comes from the heart. Enjoy mocktails,, a chocolate tasting, sweet and savory snacks, and a free digital portrait while exploring our galleries featuring our current exhibit: Crafting the Mind. Sip and chat, dance and laugh, or sit and craft at the weaving table while meeting new people.
Purchase single or 2-for-1 tickets on Eventbrite
Tavern Talk: Part Two of Henry Knox and His Noble Train of Artillery
This talk continues the journey of Henry Knox, the 25-year old Boston bookseller who, against considerable odds, somehow oversaw the transport of 59 pieces of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga across the Hudson, over the Berkshires and across the length of Massachusetts to the American army camped outside of Boston. It was those cannons that finally forced Lord Howe to abandon Boston and sail off to Halifax, bringing at last a successful conclusion to the eleven month siege that had begun in the aftermath of Lexington and Concord. Join us as we celebrate that 'Noble Train' of artillery that gave Americans their first major victory of the Revolution.
Tickets Available on Eventbrite.
Archivist Terry Bragg on the Founding and History of McLean
Terry A. Bragg, Archivist of the McLean Hospital in Belmont since 1981, will present an illustrated lecture tracing the remarkable history of New England’s first psychiatric hospital. From the time it opened in 1818, McLean Hospital followed the principles of “moral treatment” for the mentally ill, in distinct contrast to the prevailing practices at the time. Patients with mental illness were most often hidden and housed in jails, almshouses, and private homes.
Duo Maresienne | La Folia: Renaissance and Baroque Masterpieces from Spain
(This concert was rescheduled from January 25 due to the snowstorm)
Carrie Cheron, mezzo-soprano, joins Très Maresienne (Lisa Brooke, baroque violin; Carol Lewis, viola da gamba; Olav Chris Henriksen, vihuela & baroque guitar) in pasacalles, recercadas, romances and tonos humanos by Ortiz, Cabezón, Milan, Sanz, Durón and Hidalgo
Story Quilt Workshop
Children in grades K–8 and their caregivers will create story quilts using fabric collage in a hands-on workshop
Tavern Talk: Henry Knox and His Noble Train of Artillery, a 2-Part Series
Somerville Museum presents a 2-part Tavern Talk with Dan Breen on January 26th and February 9th, 7pm at Aeronaut Brewing in Somerville.
Crafting the Mind Curator Tour
Curators Danielle Krcmar and Rachel May, along with participating artists, will lead a walkthrough of the exhibition. They will discuss the connections between the historic craft processes used for therapeutic treatment at McLean, and the contemporary fiber works in the exhibit that speak to how the artists process grief, reflect on labor and care for loved ones, and reconnect with cultural and ancestral practices.
Collage with the Collection
Dig through images of old Somerville, art magazines, books, and programs from our collection and reinvent them in a collage!
Take home a piece of the museum when you create a collage from our collections! Join us for this special Friday add-on event. There will be one limited time slot for you to craft for an hour and a half: 5:30-7 pm. Limited seats available, so bring a friend or meet someone new!
Recommended for teens and up; younger children can participate with an adult to use scissors.
Crafting the Mind Opening Reception
Join us for the opening reception of Crafting the Mind on Thursday, January 15th, 6pm - 8pm.
“Crafting the Mind” is an exhibition of contemporary fiber art that speaks to the early history of crafts as a therapeutic practice at McLean Hospital, New England’s first psychiatric hospital. McLean was opened at Somerville’s Barrell Mansion in 1818, and today the Somerville Museum holds the
mansion’s original flying staircase. McLean patients created textiles and other crafts for therapeutic benefit as part of the hospital’s “moral cure,” an approach to treatment that emphasized compassionate care, access to nature, and patient activities. “Crafting the Mind” explores the evolving definitions of “care,” “health,” and “treatment” in different cultural contexts, as well as today’s advocacy movement for mental healthcare equity.
250th First Flag Raising Celebration
11:30am: Procession from City Hall (all are invited)
12-1pm : First Flag Celebration at Prospect Hill Park (bring your own - or a neighbor’s national flag)
This year's milstone 250th anniversary expands the traditional military ceremony to better reflect the full diversity of people whose labor, courage and aspirations shaped the Revolution.
Program is free, but please register at Eventbrite.
Tea and Tales for a. Winter’s Night
Step into the warm glow of the Somerville Museum this December for Tea & Tales for a Winter’s Night.
On December 18th, join us by the fireside for a comforting cup of tea and an evening steeped in the centuries-old tradition of telling ghost stories during the darkest days of the year.
Together, we’ll wander through Somerville’s own winter folklore—including the mysteries of the Ursuline Convent and the spectral lore surrounding the Somerville Theatre—as we uncover why the holiday season has long inspired eerie tales. Long nights, crackling hearths, and deep winter quiet have always stirred the imagination, giving rise to stories meant to thrill, unsettle, and bring people closer around the fire.
Cozy, atmospheric, and just a touch spooky, this intimate evening invites lovers of folklore, history, and seasonal storytelling to settle in and savor the magic of winter ghost lore.
Come for the tea—stay for the spirits.
Collage from the Collection
Dig through images of old Somerville, art magazines, books and programs from our collection and reinvent them in a collage!
Take home a piece of the museum when you create a collage from our collections! Join us for this special Friday add-on event. There will be one limited time slot for you to craft for an hour and a half: 5:30-7pm. Limited seats available, so bring a friend or meet someone new!
Recommended for teens and up, but littles can participate with an adult to use scissors.
Barcode Journeys Closing Reception
Join us for the Barcode Journeys closing reception and a final look at the art behind our everyday scans.
Join us for the closing reception of Barcode Journeys on Saturday, December 6th from 3-5pm
Everyday six billion black and white barcodes are scanned as they parade, barely noticed through our lives, stamped on practically everything. Today, a mind-boggling mass of invisible electronic data records our existence. Barcode Journeys explores the pervasiveness of barcodes in our daily lives—discovering the humor, awe, meaning, and aesthetics in our coexistence with barcodes, algorithms, and now, AI, ultimately asking what it means to stay human.
Participating Artists: Lesley Bannatyne, Lynn Cannici, Greg Duerhr, Nathan Fash, Janine Fay, Kyle Huffman, Barbara Jo, Olga Mesa, Elizabeth Pacini, Cindy Ramírez, Leddy R. Saenz, Charlie Warren, Sandra Wascher, and Woolsey Cole Chesterman, Lydia Fash.
Tavern Talk with Dan Breen: From Belmont Street to Brisbane
Somerville's own Rear Admiral Ralph Waldo Christie, and the technical glitches that drove his fellow submariners to distraction in WW2
Join us for a presentation on Somerville's own Rear Admiral Ralph Waldo Christie, and the technical glitches that drove his fellow submariners to distraction in the darkest days of World War Two.