More on Reg and Arlaine

Pat Mulcahy, owner of Tillie's, emailed me some information on the subjects of the Wallabout Memorial I spotted recently: Robin, I am so glad you posted the pic of the planter honoring the memories of Reg and Arlaine because they were real Bohemians in the best tradition of the neighborhood.

Reg was a respected painter who in his later years tended the lawns and flowers at Pratt. He lived in a loft on Washington near the Yard that he decorated with great flair with pieces from the Salvation Army warehouse at Quincy and Downing Streets. His place featured a large collection of radios from the 30s and 40s. A lover of African music and a fine cook, Reg knew a great deal about the Navy Yard and its history and we often walked the perimeter of the Yard to take in the sights and the changes there. A native of Canada, he was full of stories of meeting Jackson Pollock in the Hamptons in the 50s and of his days in the Village -- or maybe it was the Lower East Side - before he moved to Brooklyn.

Arlaine was his daughter. In the wake of Reg's death a few years back, she moved down from Canada to the loft to look after his affairs. She sold vintage clothing and was trying to set up a business here in that trade. She was a charming and shy woman with a lot of style and flair. She hosted a lovely memorial party for Reg in his place about six months after his death, where many neighbors congregated to tell stories about Reg's salty and occasionally outrageous ways. We were all shocked and truly taken aback when she died suddenly. I believe she was only in her mid-forties. The explanation I heard had something to do with a change in medication for an old injury she'd sustained when she fell from a horse.

I don't know who lives in the loft now but am very glad that there is a memorial of this kind to two very special people.

Thanks again for posting! Pat M.

Thanks, Pat, for solving that mystery!