ALBERT E. DUTRIEUILLE CATERING

1873-1975

15 inches, 1 oversize folder

MSS 52

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Afro-Americans of French West Indian descent, the Dutrieuille family owned and operated a successful catering business in Philadelphia for almost a century.  The Dutrieuille catering operation was founded in 1873 by Pierre Albert Dutrieuille.  Although Dutrieuille married into the Baptiste family, owners of the internationally known Philadelphia catering firm Augustin-Baptiste, his business remained separate.  Originally located at 108 South 18th Street, the operation later moved to 4001 Spring Garden Street where it remained until its close in 1967.

Albert E. Dutrieuille (1877-1974), Pierre's son, took over the business when his father retired in 1917.  He catered dinners and banquets attended by upper class Philadelphians, in both the black and white communities.  Dutrieuille developed particularly close connections with Philadelphia Roman Catholic Churches, and much business came from church related events and celebrations.

Albert married Florence May Waters in 1900, and together they raised four daughters, none of whom carried on the business.  Albert E. Dutrieuille's catering firm closed with his retirement in 1967.

PROVENANCE

The Albert E. Dutrieuille Catering Records were donated to the Balch Institute in 1973 by Bernice Dutrieuille Shelton.  Artifacts were separated to the Balch Museum.  The photographs are organized in Photo Group 36 and are cataloged in the visual catalog.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Albert E. Dutrieuille Catering Records (15 inches, one oversize folder) document business activities between 1920 and 1957.  Two daybooks and a financial ledger make up the largest and most useful part of the records.  These volumes and the materials interleaved in themcorrespondence, receipts, invoices, and newsshow the day to day transactions and activities of the firm for the early part of Albert E. Dutrieuille's career.  Other items include a few brief biographies of the Dutrieuille family personal correspondence, and news clippings relating to Afro-American affairs.

Accession #M73-29, M88-08.