A Familiar Face at Niagara Falls

A recent post, "A Familiar Face," we can now enjoy in connection with this photo:

Click to enlarge for lots of nice details, including coolest eyewear.

This photo is the bottom one in the post "Niagara Falls." Thanks to Tye for drawing attention to this image.

Christening Dress, 1951

Marty's Christening was in the early summer of 1951.  Look, there he is, the cutest Mr. Magoo ever, obviously, in the lap of his great-grandmother Victoria Zdrojewska.  To their left are his grandparents, John and Eleanor.  To their right are his great-grandfather Ludwig and Dad, our EJZ.  Directly behind them is his Mom, our CAMZ, with corsage.

Marty's Christening gown has ruffles in plenty, as well as blue ribbons; you can see blue ribbon on Great-grandmother Victoria's lap, right next to the gown.

                                     
What a fine day!  They photographed 4 generations of Zdrojewski gents.

Clara made that Christening gown.  After the big day, she packed it up in a box, labeled it, and put it away.  It stayed put away for more than 60 years.

Marty last summer brought it over here to the Historical Preservation Society HQ, where I've finally brought it into the photographic studio so we can take a look at it. You ready?

The overdress of gauzy material, ornamented, is worn over a plain, sleeveless undergown of white satin.

A piece of white satin gives shine and substance to the upper part of the overgown yoke; lace borders that part, as well as the collar and cuffs.  White satin bows attach the satin ribbon streamers, two blue and two white, on each side.

Now let's examine the gauzy overdress by itself, followed by a few details.

Clara handstitched lace to satin collar band.

The satin underdress is collarless and sleeveless, with plain yoke and a couple of buttons at the back.  Both pieces have a great big vertical slit in the back, for uninstalling and reinstalling Marty in greatest possible comfort to him as well as ease to the installer.  That is way better than having to draw both long garments over his head.  I hope you are grateful for that considerate detail, Marty.

The box has a top of heavy, textured paper; it is dirty and uncleanable from sitting in attics all those decades.  But not only did it keep the gown quite clean, it also is the original box, which is something, and to top that off, it is labeled in Mom's handwriting.  So we keep the gown in its box.

I've had it hanging around here for a few weeks, so now I am going to miss the sight of it.  Come visit me here at Hx HQ and we can get it out again to give it  more study and admiration.

Richard Mazurowski

Richard Mazurowski (1925-2017) was son of Pearl Haremska Mazurowska, nephew of Clara Haremska Matynka, brother of Genevieve Mazurowska Stroinska, cousin of Clara Matynka Zdrojewska. He was Dad to Debbie, and he was Uncle Dick to Sharon and to Marty and me.

Below, we see him acting as groomsman in a wedding party sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s. Richard (Ryszard) is third from the right. Sorry, I have no idea who the couple are. But first from the left is Clara Adamina Matynka, aka Mom.  Clara and Richard and Genevieve are first cousins; their mothers were sisters.

We can zoom in a little here, to the curly locks, 3-piece morning dress, and proper cravat.

Below we see another wedding party. The print is on deckle-edge paper. I like the ordinary houses with the Italian Renaissance-style campanile in the background. It houses the belfry of the parish church.

Genevieve and Edward Stroinski are the couple this time. Richard appears as Best Man. Isn't that Florence with him? I think it is. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Cabinetry and the making of fine furniture was Uncle Dick's profession. Below is a bookcase he designed, built, and installed for Gene and Clara. This is in the G&C house in Bowmansville, the year being between 1950 and 1956. Here in the Trove are at least three prints just of this bookcase. They were happy to have it; mayhap it was their Christmas gift to themselves.  See the bits of Christmas tree at the right of the photo?

1957 was the year of G&C moving into the Marilla house. Below is a scene at one of the early parties there. Proper parties always included 40 people or thereabouts, and went on in several rooms, including the finished part of the basement. Below we see, left to right, Casimir Zdrojewski, Adam Matynka, and Richard. The item of furniture in the background is a cobbler's bench done up by him.

The house on Poplar Street was similarly a noted party venue. Below we have New Year celebrations featuring dancing, lots of dancing, here with Florence and Richard.

Fourth of July featured culinary special ops, such as BBQ at the tent site in Marilla. Dick and Gene do not mess around.  I'm guessing 1960s here.

Below we see a very patient, as well as very stylish, Uncle Dick, in the dining room at another Marilla party, c1969.

(No snake is climbing up that wall. That is the stem of a split-leaved Philodendron, the leaves of which had, um, split the scene, for some reason.)

Left to right, below,  we have Clara Matynka, Uncle Dick, some idiot blowing out candles and looking like Oscar Wilde, Aunt Florence aka Auntie 'Lossie, Clara Zdrojewska aka Mom, and Uncle Eddie Stroinski. We also appear to have a fruit-Jello mold. 

But look at the wall behind Mom and Uncle Eddie. See those red-and-black encyclopedias? They are the same Compton's Encyclopedia, shelved on the same Uncle Dick bookcase, as in the Bowmansville photo above. When G&C worked on the design of the Marilla house, they stipulated a recessed niche in that wall, to accomodate that bookcase.

Below are Mom and Uncle Dick at a family event in 1971.

Uncle Dick set up his own furniture refinishing business, using his business name of Richard Mast, and went in with Uncle Eddie Jr. and Uncle Eddie Sr. Below we see him showing the latest progress on the revitalizing of the Zdrojewski grandfather clock, in the 1980s.

Uncle Dick was always at the wheel of  the station wagon when it was loaded up with "The Poplar Street Gang" and driven to Marilla for partying. He also had a motorboat for some time. I remember seeing it in the garage. If you send me any boating photos, or any photos at all of Dick and Florence, I will be delighted to put them up. 

Marilla Kitchen, c1957

What a nice surprise to pull this out of a box!  We look back at the scene of so much family life over the years since Gene and Clara built their home in 1957.

The brick is the back of the fireplace; no brass or iron hooks have yet been drilled into it for hanging things up.  The stove has two ovens;  I'm still envious.  She has a glass milk bottle in her right hand; what is she up to?  We see the back hall leading to the back door.

Great nightgown and bobby socks, Mom.  Dad's evidently been home a few minutes: long enough to take off "collar and hames," the shirt and tie.  The table is set for supper for two, not four; a serving bowl is being kept warm in that round glass chafing dish with a candle inside it; the little sliver of kitchen window we see is dark.  So are the kids in bed already?  Did Dad get home extra late from the office this Monday or Friday night?

To the right of the refrigerator are the binoculars that have been to China and back. He uses them now to watch birds.

Along to the right are the chafing dish and a bunch of stuff that must include that big green radio.

The kitchen table still has the glass top under that tablecloth; it will be years before I sit on it and break the glass.  It's my desk now, and those chairs are my office chairs.

Mom would wear actual clothes were there visitors.  So Dad must have set up a tripod and timer.  They stand at their kitchen hearth and look forward with confidence to their future life here.

Zdrojewski Brothers on May Street, c1950

Casimir, John, and Eugene Zdrojewski pose, no doubt with their Dad, our JPZ, as photographer, in the back yard at 175 May Street.

Since Johnny was born Christmastime 1947, and it looks like early summer, I'd guess this is 1950.  Happy days, these are, and the sartorial flair is inspiring.

Casimir's Christmas Card from Japan

If you are reading this in email, remember:  to see this post in all its glory, and to check out related posts, hie thee to the Gene and Clara's website.

Our final saved card from the Bowmansville Binder is a Christmas card from Gene's brother Casimir, second son of John Peter Zdrojewski and Julia Mostkowska Zdrojewska.  He was in the Air Force in the early 1950s, stationed in Occupied Japan.

So here we have Joseph and Mary seeking lodging from the Innkeeper in Bethlehem:

No donkey!  Horse only.
No donkeys in Japan?
I've never wondered; have you?

Verso, we see an inscription, translated for us by Katy Ehrlich - Thanks, Katy! - as

"All happiness and good fortune for Christmas. Meaning...may you have all  happiness and good fortune at Christmas."

Katy points out that "the Japanese Christmas message is obviously rendered from English. Why so? It's not only the fact that Christmas isn't so native to Japan, but also the expression. It was a bit awkward to say "all" or "every" happiness...they wouldn't have done it quite like that..so it's not a native phrasing in Japanese."

"Sincere wishes, Gene, Clara, Juliane,& Martin,
for the happiest of Christmas
and New Year to come.
Casey."

I'd sure like to have some photos to put up of Uncle Casey during his time in the Service.  The one below will stand in; it has a lot going for it.  It's ten or a dozen years earlier: let's say about 1940.  Gene and Casey play catch for the photographer (JPZ, no doubt) in the back yard of the house.  Is it May Street?

Their winter jackets are plaid wool, the kind they call a "Mackinaw" in the Midwest.  Best of all, for me, are Casey's short pants, woollen or heavy cotton longjohns, ski socks, and galoshes with buckles.  You read about these things in books all the time.  Well, here they are in visual evidence, right in the family.

There will be a later story about Gene in galoshes like this, also.

But we are not here to talk about galoshes!  No, no, it's teacups. Teacups are the thing. Casey sent these or brought them from Japan for Gene and Clara.  They are of delicate hand-painted porcelain, and spent many years in the dining-room cabinet in the Marilla house.

And they are only an inch and a half high,
and the same across.
See my roll of stamps?

Presumeably the little banner once read,
"Souvenir of Washington, D.C."

Dragon teacup.

"Made in Occupied Japan."

I'd be grateful for information to fill out the Casimir Zdrojewski chronology.  Year of birth?  High school, and year of graduation from high school?  Dental school, and year of graduation?  Years of Air Force service, and postings?  Photos from Service years are particularly lacking.  Please send what you have that you would like put up.

Julie