Valentine Reunion 2011

The Valentines had a family reunion this month in Huntington.

These descendants of Lew & Theresa's girls took many photos.

Arranged by family

And by generations.

See Maggie and Eileen's photos by clicking here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/110398442204192000614/2011ValentineFamilyReunion?authuser=0&feat=directlink#

https://picasaweb.google.com/112314562542238335546/ValentineReunion2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIDY96Kiqpy7pgE&feat=email#

One Hundred Years Ago This Week

1915

Cecelia was born 100 years ago this week.

So her daughters made a visit to the old neighborhood for a centennial celebration.

We had some addresses on Clermont, Adelphi and Vanderbilt Avenues in the Fort Green section of Brooklyn.

Many of the blocks are quite gentrified.

This is the house at 163 Adelphi that the McNallys and the Valentines shared according to the 1910 census.

They may still have been living there in 1911 when Cele was born.

Here she is about 19 years old in 1930.

Russet Lane Rephotography

23 Russet Lane about 1947

Sixty Four Years Later

August 2011

Jane and I went back to look.

In our memories it's a pretty sparse yard

Vera looking out the window during construction

July 1947

About 1950

The neighborhood is completely landscaped now.

With lots of trees in front of Peggy & Biff's and Betty's houses too.

Is that tree on the right the same tree as on the left below?

World's Fair Bombing

Last week's pictures of Lewis Valentine mentioned a World's Fair Bombing in 1940.

Chris says:

" I remember hearing my mom tell me a story about it when we drove out to the airport .. actually every time we drove out to LaGuardia airport."

Mom must have heard it from her parents (Warren and Kay.)

Here's more about the bombing:

The attack is still an unsolved mystery. On July 4th, 1940 a ticking suitcase was found at the British Pavilion at the World's Fair in Queens. Two bomb squad detectives Joe Lynch and Freddy Socha moved it to a secluded spot and tried to defuse it but had few skills or tools compared to those of today. It blew up and killed them, leaving a crater behind the Polish Pavilion.

"It was a tragedy, but it could have been worse. Police Commissioner Lewis Valentine noted that it was only a miracle that hundreds of fairgoers weren't killed." The quote is from an NPR story from last year
 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128216755

Nazis? Irish Republican Army? Loyalists left over from our Revolution? Disgruntled subjects of the king? This terrorist attack took place in the first months of World War II when England was fighting Germany.

There's an open $26,000 reward for solving the case. Apparently there were two bombings in the previous two-week period; one at the building that housed the German Consulate and one in the building that housed the Daily Worker, the Communist newspaper.

At the 1964 World's Fair a plaque was laid to remember the courageous detectives.

Here's an online memorial to the detectives
http://www.rspservices.com/lynchandsocha.htm

Valentine Photos

September 15, 1945

Chris Shoulet found pictures in an antique shop of her great-grandmother's brother Lew. They are publicity photos from the Acme Newspictures Company in New York. Each had copy on the back.

 “VALENTINE MAKES DEBUT AS “GANG-BUSTER”

NEW YORK - - Lewis J Valentine, Former New York City Police Commissioner, Starts his radio career as “Gang Buster’s” Teller of Tales. Flanked by pretty maidens Louise Fitch (Left) and Julie Stevens (Right). Sound Effects Man Robert Prescott (background) holds two pistols in the air to put people in proper mood. Valentine quit his post as Police Commissioner to take radio job. He made his debut Saturday Night (Sept. 15)...BU 80...
Credit Line (ACME) 9-15-45 (RM)

July 31, 1940

"VALENTINE IN MOVIE PLEA FOR BOMBING INFORMATION "

NEW YORK CITY - - Lewis J. Valentine, Commissioner of New York City Police, making his plea, for distribution in the nation’s movie houses, for information concerning the bombing outrage at the British Pavilion at the New York World’s Fair in which two detectives were killed several weeks ago.

CREDIT LINE (ACME) 7/31/40 BURS BUFF LON (GW) 567443

(Stamped Aug 10, 1940. Photo By Acme Newspictures, Inc, 820 E. 42nd street, new York city, Please Credit “Acme Photo”)

September 6, 1945

"VALENTINE RESIGNS TO GO ON 'GANGBUSTERS' ”

NEW YORK - - Police Commissioner Lewis J. Valentine says goodbye to the press in his office today (Sept, 6) after he announced his resignation, to be effective from Sept. 14th. Commissioner Valentine will assume the role of Chief Investigator and Commentator on the “GANGBUSTERS” radio program. He has been affiliated with the New York Police Department for 42 years. 11 of them as Commissioner. Left To Right: Al Williams, First Deputy Police commissioner,; Commissioner Valentine; and John J. O’Connell, Chief Inspector.

CREDIT (ACME) 9/6/45 (MO), BU #1A MGS, (Stamped Sep 11, 1945), ACME NewsPictures, inc. 3) 770932, New York Bureau, 11? Eighth Ave, New York City. Please Credit “ACME Photo”

Sixty Six Years Ago

According to my baby book I was christened in Jackson Heights on July 22, 1945. My mother wrote an account of the festivities in my baby book, a nice snap shot of the McNallys in the last month of World War II.

St Joan of Arc on 35th Avenue and

83rd St in Jackson Heights

Here's what the page says:

Godmother: Veronica A. McNally
Godfather: Charles Bentley

Notes: Everyone had a fine time and you slept all day and evening but cried from midnight till 4 AM the following morning.
[In my defense I have to say I was remembered as a colicky baby with milk allergies. I bet they gave me ice cream. I still cry all night when I eat ice cream.]

Those Present: Grandmother and Father McNally, Aunt Marie & Jack, The Duanes, Aunt Vera, Bentleys, Aunts Lora, Dorothy Pat, Veronica, Tom Berry, Mr. & Mrs. Callahan, the Gisigers. Uncle Jack was not present as he was overseas. Uncle Bud was not present as he was in the hospital in Georgia. Aunt Anne was in Mississippi and Uncle Tom had a date.

Bud and Tom 1944

Joan & Pat

Summer 1945

Hanging Rock

July heat brings memories of the beach at Halesite/Huntington Harbor.

 A vivid memory is the rock commemorating the spot where Revolutionary War spy Nathan Hale was captured and hung in 1776. This is the reason the place was named Halesite.

There were bronze plaques on all sides.

It's one of many monuments to rebel Hale whose last words are reported to be, "I only regret that I have but one life to give my country." (Rather than: "Woooo. I have to be the most inept spy ever, having been captured the minute I landed on the beach."

The monuments were supposed to be inspiration to children but I recall the whole idea as darn scary. When you are five and told that somebody was hung right here on this spot 175 years ago it might as well have been last month.

I was always on the lookout for British hot to hang somebody else and bury them in the sand.

This rock may have been moved to the town of Huntington. Here's a recent picture, but I think there is still some kind of monument at the beach scaring small children today.