October 28, 2026 Submitted By Geri Duff
This photo is from Jim Kimball’s photo album. According to Kimball, Herb Beal’s Hingham Fish Market carried a full line of fish, clams, and lobsters and rented boats for smelt fishing.
The original building was constructed in 1825. In 1875, a fire was discovered at the rear of the building and spread to the east (left), where Solomon Dyer’s shoe shop stood, and to the west (right), where a house was owned and occupied by Miss Michael Cobb. The other half of the house was owned by David Cobb and occupied by his son, George W. Cobb.
Dyer’s shoe shop was destroyed, although its contents were saved. Beal’s Hingham Fish Market and all its contents were destroyed. Miss Cobb lost all her furniture, while George Cobb saved most of his, although the building was badly damaged. Across the street, their father, David Cobb, had his house scorched by the fire.
On the other side of Dyer’s shoe shop, a building owned by Royal Whiton and used by teamster John Beal for storage also caught fire and was destroyed, along with its contents.
Insurance paid out $400 for the fish market, $500 for Capt. Beal’s stock and furniture, $400 for Miss Michael Cobb, $400 for David Cobb, $112 for Solomon Dyer, and $100 for Royal Whiton.
Copies of this photograph are held at both the Bare Cove Fire Museum and the Hingham Historical Society.