1958 - Huntingdon St. then (see description) On the stoop with the neighbors. My friend's name is Winnie, perhaps a nickname
(see description)
On the stoop with the neighbors. My friend's name is Winnie, perhaps a nickname for Winifred. In order to come to the States we needed a sponsor. Aunt Elizabeth, Opa Meyer's sister sponsored us. She had previously sponsored Brigitte who was already living with her when we came over. Relations soon became strained and that helped spur our entire family's move to Cumberland, one block down and two over.
I don't recall the exact length of time we lived at each house, so unless someone else can pin it down more accurately, I'll continue to frame it as roughly a year at Huntingdon, and roughly a year at Cumberland St.
Comments
-
on 2010-Aug-18 19:54:25 Balcony Birder said
There is some confusion as to who lived where and when. Aunt Elizabeth owned Huntingdon Street. She sponsored Brigitte in 1956. Two years later in March 1958 she sponsored Walter, and in May of 1958 she sponsored my mother and father and me.
We ALL lived there for about a year until we moved to Cumberland St. Aunt Elizabeth, of course, remained at Huntingdon Street.
It was at Huntingdon Street, under the watchful eyes of Aunt Elizabeth, that Brigitte and Siegmund met. I believe Aunt Elizabeth introduced Siegmund to Brigitte, but I could be mistaken about that. -
on 2010-Aug-18 20:03:47 Balcony Birder said
When we moved, we all moved, the 5 of us, to Cumberland Street. Cumberland Street is where Brigitte was living when she married. -
on 2010-Aug-18 20:04:32 Balcony Birder said
Walter can say for sure, but I believe it was while we were living at Huntingdon Street that he worked as a butcher. -
on 2010-Aug-19 04:47:05 Anonymous coward said Peter
I think Mom and Dad met in New York, because I remember Dad telling the story; he was just finished ironing when he came down the stairs and "Speechless he stared at this beautiful lady who was in his home, who was she, where did she come from?" Anyone else remember? -
on 2010-Aug-19 10:49:17 Balcony Birder said
Ahhh, that makes sense. I know Siegmund came down from New York to visit/date. Now we need to figure out how she got up there that first time. Wasn't the connection between Aunt Elizabeth and Tante Meta? Wasn't it because of the Hahn's that Aunt Elizabeth had the connection to New York. Is it possible that that's how Brigitte came to be in New York - a visit with Aunt Elizabeth to see Tante Meta? -
on 2010-Aug-19 11:00:37 Balcony Birder said
Two things we know for sure - (1) she met Siegmund while living at Huntingdon, and (2) she married him while living at Cumberland. -
on 2010-Aug-19 11:15:38 Balcony Birder said
Douglas was born that same year, 1959. Assuming he was at least a couple of months old before he came to live with us at Germantown, that means that we were living in Germantown by around Jan, 1960, at least. Assuming that we were all moved in and settled (and that's how it strikes me) it's possible that we moved to Germantown sometime in 1959. -
on 2010-Aug-19 11:16:26 Anonymous coward said Doug
So, how does Brigitte living in Wildwood with Uncle John and Tante Gretel fit into the overall time theme?
Inquiring minds - who often forget what they did last week, let alone what was told years ago - want to know :) -
on 2010-Aug-19 12:50:01 Balcony Birder said
Response to Doug - part 1 - What overall theme? Uncle John lived at Argus Road, Brigitte lived at Huntingdon until moving with her family to Cumberland where she married and moved to New York. ***** Although Brigitte was sponsored by Aunt Elizabeth and lived with Aunt Elizabeth, Brigitte did spend her first Summer in 1956 at Wildwood. Aunt Elizabeth wasn't shy about letting people know she didn't know what to do with an ignorant farm girl, so Uncle Harry and Aunt Gretel (maybe because of Aunt E.'s hints/hounding) thought that Wildwood would offer a better exposure and opportunity for Brigitte to learn English than Huntingdon Street. -
on 2010-Aug-19 12:51:06 Balcony Birder said
Response to Doug - part 2 - The fact that Brigitte was a grown woman who could work, didn't hurt a bit. Brigitte enjoyed Wildwood so much, that, of course, as you all know, she always referred to Wildwood as her second home. Besides being true in the sense that she felt welcome there, it was also (maybe more so) a dig at Aunt Elizabeth's, shall we say, less than tactful, comments to her and about her, (Brigitte's), upbringing and intelligence. I know Brigitte learned English well enough over that Summer to find waitress work that Fall. -
on 2010-Aug-19 12:51:43 Balcony Birder said
Response to Doug - part 3 - Uncle Harry was Aunt Gretel's husband, Uncle John, her brother. Uncle John did not live in Wildwood. Uncle John's permanent residence was at Argus Road at Aunt Gretel and Uncle Harry's permanent residence. Uncle John lived at Argus Road until he died. (Aunt Elizabeth moved to Argus Road after selling Huntingdon Street. It didn't work out well and she was asked to find other living arrangements.) Uncle John might come to Wildwood once a season, and then only for a weekend. Har-Gret Apartments was a business, not a private home. It was a common sense, understood thing that visitors weren't welcome frequently, and not for long, and best wait for an invitation. No one needed to be told to stay away, they just knew. -
on 2010-Aug-19 15:22:26 Anonymous coward said Peter
Is it possible that that's how Brigitte came to be in New York - a visit with Aunt Elizabeth to see Tante Meta? Yes I think that's the story. -
on 2010-Aug-19 16:18:48 Balcony Birder said
That makes sense to me. I remember the part about Aunt Elizabeth being responsible for their meeting. If not at Huntingdon, then in NY. That's my story and I'm sticking to it, until and unless a better one comes along. :o) -
on 2010-Aug-23 11:03:07 Anonymous coward said Doug
Thanks for taking the time to clarify and providing the timeline. Now that it is in print, I can always go back and re-read until I finally get it in my noggin'. -
on 2010-Aug-23 11:25:02 Balcony Birder said
No worries. :o) Now that it's in print, all you need to remember is all the different places the information is stored. :o)
Photo info
Random image
