WAUHillFrancisPH2007_021.xml Guide to the Francis Hill Photograph Albums 1940s-1980s Hill (Francis) Photograph Albums Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries © 2015 (Last modified: 4/13/2018)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written inEnglish. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard). University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections PH1028 Hill, Francis E., 1927-2001 Francis Hill photograph albums 1940s-1980s 1950s 2 albums containing 158 photographs (1 box, 1 folder) ; sizes vary 2 greeting cards Collection materials are inEnglish. Photographs of Seattle female impersonators in the 1960s and 1970s and of Frances (Francis) Hill who was a transvestite who was among the first to attend parties at the Double Header bar, the oldest gay bar in Seattle

Francis E. Hill (1927-2001) was born in Spokane, Washington, where he worked making railroad tracks until his mid twenties, when he relocated to Seattle in the early 1950s. Hill became one of the first transvestites to attend parties at the Double Header in Pioneer Square, the oldest gay bar in Seattle.

The photographs are arranged in folders by album, in page number order

Two albums of photographs of Seattle transvestite Francis Hill, showing Hill as a child and as a soldier, but largely in his later female persona, Francine. Many of the photographs depict Francine, other drag queens, and others at private parties. Some were taken at The Double Header in Pioneer Square, Seattle's oldest gay bar, and at the Casino Pool Room, nicknamed Madame Peabody's Dance Academy, in the basement of the Double Header. Also includes several photographs of other servicemen from Hill's time as a soldier.

For this collection, when gender is unknown, it is determined by the clothes the individual is wearing. In reference to Francis Hill, the name Francine is used when Hill appears in drag. Francis Hill is used when he appears in men's clothing.

The collection is open to the public.

Request at UW

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Francis Hill gave Christine Suter the albums to make them available for researchers. Suter donated the albums to the Pacific Northwest Lesbian Archives, which donated them to Special Collections because the subject was not within their collecting scope.

Donor: Pacific Northwest Lesbian Archives, June 25, 2007.

Processed by Claire Tally-Foos, 2014.

The photographs were removed from the albums for preservation purposes and placed in folders in album page order. Photocopies were made of the album pages to show the original arrangement of the photographs on each page.

 Hill, Francis E., 1927-2001--Photographs Transvestites--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington) Photographs Gays and Lesbians Seattle

 

Album 1 1/1 1-1a Francis Hill posing with motorcycle circa 1930 1/1 1-1b Francis Hill seated on bench circa 1930 1/1 1-1c Francis Hill standing with three horses October 6, 1934

Written on verso: To Mama. Oct. 6/34.

 1/1 1-1d Francis Hill kneeling in field circa 1930 1/1 1-1e Francis Hill seated in front of rock circa 1930 1/2-1/9 1-2a - 1-9c Female impersonators in various costumes at a house party October 1956 1/10 1-10a Two men sitting at a bar 1978 1/10 1-10b Man wearing white western-style shirt 1978 1/10 1-10c Men and a female impersonator at a bar or party circa 1950 1/11 1-11a Countess Estelle standing in front of a curtain circa 1961

Countess Estelle began performing in drag in high school and performed in USO shows in 1946 and 1947. She was a regular performer at the Garden of Allah. Estelle worked as a cook in Seattle until her death in 1995.

 1/11 1-11b Female impersonator in glasses seated in front of a curtain 1972

Written on verso: 10/10/72. To my daughter, True I am older, but don't you think your mother looks well preserved. Love you Rony. P.S. Call me one of these week-ends soon & lets get your hair done.

 1/11 1-11c Female impersonator standing indoors holding a clutch purse undated 1/11 1-11d Countess Estelle on stage in front of a microphone circa 1961 1/11 1-11e Man singing on stage with pianist behind him 1961 1/12-1/16 1-12a - 1-16c Female impersonators in various costumes at a house party circa 1956 1/17 1/17a Francine in a party dress undated 1/17 1-17b-d Female impersonators standing indoors undated 1/18 1-18a-b Francine wearing glasses undated 1/18 1-18c Countess Estelle with two people in dresses undated 1/19 1-19a-d Men sitting in a bar circa 1976-1978 1/20 1-20a-b Polaroid photo of two men sitting at a bar undated Loose photos from Album 1 1/21 2 Studio portrait of young child January 10, 1903

Written on verso: Hill, Jan 10, 1903.

 1/21 3 Portrait of man in navy uniform undated 1/21 4 Portrait of Francis Hill in uniform 1950

Written on photo: All my love Francis, 50.

 1/21 5 Francine on stage wearing a waitress costume circa 1970s 1/21 6 Francine seated indoors undated 1/21 7 Female impersonator perched in the back of a convertible circa 1980s 1/21 8 Female impersonator and a man serving drinks undated

Color photo

Written on verso: Lucie & Mike, 505 1 #58 285-2704, work 611 2 ave. 345 9430.

 Album 2 1940s-1970s 1/22 9-1a-b Female impersonator in costume in basement undated 1/22 9-1c Person in head scarf standing in front of a door undated

Written on the verso of one of the photos: With Love Bobbie.

 1/22 9-1d Person in head scarf standing in front of a door undated

This is a picture of the individual in the previous photo from the back.

 1/22 9-1e Person seated at a counter undated

The photo is cut so the person's head is not visible.

 1/22 9-1f Three people posing in a basement undated

Two of the people are seated and the third is standing next to them, wearing joke glasses with a fake nose and mustache.

 1/23 9-2a Portrait of Freddie Stewart circa 1940s-1950s

Written on recto: Sincerely, Freddie Stewart.

Freddie Stewart was a band singer and lead actor in a series of movies starring Freddie Stewart and the Teen Agers, a group of wholesome, clean-cut high schoolers in the 1950s.

 1/23 9-2b Portrait of man in uniform circa 1950s

Written on recto: To Fran From Terri, True Friends Always.

 1/23 9-2c Man in uniform standing by a mantle Adrian DeVries, Spokane WA circa 1950s

Written on verso: To A. Swell Guy Vergie. Also stamped on verso: Adrian De Vries Photographer R. 1739 227 W. 21st Spokane, WA

 1/23 9-2d Man with arms crossed seated on couch undated

Written on verso: AW Douglas. To a real good friend.

 1/23 9-2e Two men, one in uniform, standing in front of a car undated 1/24 9-3a Portrait of a young man, possibly Victor undated 1/24 9-3b Victor with puppy, Lady, sitting on a porch August 1955

Written on verso: Victor & Lady, August 1955. To Fran, From a "drag" to a "hag"!! Hehe. Vic.

 1/24 9-3c Young man with hands on hips standing in front of a house undated 1/24 9-3d Photobooth portrait a woman undated 1/24 9-3e Portrait of a young man undated 1/24 9-3f Photobooth portrait of a man undated 1/24 9-3g Young man with hands in pockets standing in front of a house undated 1/24 9-3h Female impersonator lounging on couch holding a dog and a cat December 1952 1/25 9-4a-d Female impersonators posing indoors 1959-1964 1/26 9-5a-b Female impersonator 1955 1/26-1/27 9-5c - 9-6d Men and female impersonators at a party circa 1960

One of the people pictured is Countess Estelle.

 1/28 9-7a-b Female impersonator in an evening gown undated 1/28 9-7c Bartender reading a magazine behind the bar undated 1/29 9-8a-b Female impersonator posing indoors undated 1/29 9-8c Two men seated at a bar Oct. 1961 1/29 9-8d-e Female impersonator posing indoors undated 1/30 9-9a Man and two women outside undated 1/30 9-9b-d Men and female impersonators at a party undated

Countess Estelle is pictured in some of the photos.

 1/31 9-10a Man and woman standing behind a bar undated 1/31 9-10b Man with glasses seated at a bar Feb. 1962 1/31 9-10c Woman and two men seated at a table undated 1/31 9-10d Female impersonator looking at a hand mirror in a living room undated 1/32 9-11a Man and three female impersonators 1961 1/32 9-11b Three men in a field holding a large dog and a puppy undated 1/32 9-11c Francine Hill sitting on a couch undated 1/33 9-12a Two people hugging, one is African-American 1956 1/33 9-12b Man and woman behind a Chrysler convertible 1957 1/33 9-12c Man in sunglasses in front of a building 1957 1/33 9-12d Two people hugging in front of a sign circa 1950s

Sign behind the couple reads: Warning, Dangerous, No life guard patrol beyond this point.

 1/34 9-13a Bartender pouring drinks at a bar undated 1/34 9-13b Man holding a snake standing in front of a ferris wheel undated

Written on verso: To F.E. Hill, My one and only Friend, Gene II.

 1/34 9-13c Vern in polka dot shirt undated

Written on verso: To my sincere friend Francis. Written on photo: Vern.

 1/35 9-14a Man and woman sitting indoors undated 1/35 9-14b Man with his arm around a female impersonator undated

Photo is scratched and creased.

 1/35 9-14c Three female impersonators and possibly a male impersonator at the Golden Horseshoe 1961

In the early 1960s, the Golden Horseshoe became the first regular hours bar where men could dance with men.

 1/35 9-14d Female impersonator sitting in front of a brick wall circa 1971 1/36 9-15a-d Female impersonator with microphone on stage undated

Countess Estelle is the performer in two of the photos.

 1/37 9-16a Man with two female impersonators in evening gowns undated 1/37 9-16b Man standing in living room January 25, 1981

Written on photo: Jan. 25, 81 - Kim.

 1/37 9-16c Man and two children standing on a porch undated

Written on photo: Jim.

 1/37 9-16d Close-up photo of a man and a woman undated 1/38 9-17a-d Countess Estelle posing and performing undated 1/39 9-18a Two men at a bar 1984

Written on verso: To Fran with much love and respect! Kim Tutt.

 1/39 9-18b Female impersonator wearing white feathered hairpiece undated 1/39 9-18c Man with two female impersonators undated 1/39 9-18d Francine Hill sitting on a couch undated 1/40 9-19a-e Female impersonators including Countess Estelle undated 1/41 9-20a-c Female impersonator wearing evening gown circa 1961 Loose photographs and ephemera from Album 2 1972, undated 1/42 10 Hand colored studio portrait of a man in a suit circa 1930s-1940s Dojacs, Spokane 1/42 11 Hand-drawn greeting card addressed to Francine undated

Drawn inside the card is a partially naked man wearing a heart crown. Card reads: To the Queen of Hearts! Francine. From Brad. Happy Valentines Day.

 1/42 12 Holiday photo greeting card 1972

Card reads: To Francis, Season's Greetings. Tokyo Rose 1972.