• Introduction
• Dorothy's Dress Shop
• Chocolate Shop
• Hi-De-Ho Night Club
• Cafe Caprice French Restaurant
• Pickford
• State Farm Building
• Bakery
• Arts Academy
• Clock Works
• Haberdashery
• Potter's Tea
• City Hall
• Cathedral Church
• Variety Store
• Times Tower
• Post Cards

• Grand Central Station
• Saint Marks
• Doctor's Office
• Post Office
• Holy Name Church
• Metropolitan Bank
• Globe Newspaper
• Little Italy
• Fire Department
• Stock Exchange
• Tower Restaurant
• Wongs
• Ivy Terrace
• Hollydale's Department Store
• Tailor & Pet Shop & Toy Shop
• City View
• Coffee House

• Beekman
• Heritage Art Museum
• Dursley City Water Tower
• Brighton School
• All Saints Church
• Horse & Hounds Pub
• Hank's Corner Market
• 5607 Park Avenue
• 5609 Park Avenue
• Music Emporium
• Clock Tower
• Observatory
• Dursley Manor
• Mulberrie Court
• Johnson's Grocery
• Switch Tower
• Track Plan

Winston Dursley, the 3^rd, was the son of a titled English lord who came to Pennsylvania in the early 1700's. While the decision to leave England was sudden, many believe that it had something to do with ladies undergarments, the unfortunate Lady Jayne and the curse she placed on his branch of the family. Winston attended Kings College in Cambridge where he studied architecture and anatomy.

It was William Dursley, the 2^nd, that actually became involved in ladies undergarments. More to the point, it was Cynthia Reed that awakened his interest in such matters. This union brought about Webster Dursley and the line of fine ladies fashionable undergarments, sold internationally as "Dursley Intimates."

The construction of the railroad underpass has split Dursley into two pieces, a North side and a South side. The museum, city hall, and St. Marks are located on the North side, while most of the stores are located on the South side. The concrete bridges over the tracks require minimal maintenance and the fresh coat of asphalt is in direct contrast to the brick streets of the city. Brighton road runs right past the museum and the city water tower. Brighton road turns into Park Avenue once you get over the bridge and onto the South side. Spring Street connects Park Avenue with Washington Street. Washington Street then connects with Brighton Road on the North side of the city.

Before you proceed, you may wish to set the proper mood for the period by selecting the PLAY button below to start and STOP to finish.

Your view into Dursley occurs in late 1942. The Allies have invaded North Africa where things are not going as well as hoped. The Pacific Theater has seen some terrible fighting during the waning months of the year. New place names, Guadalcanal and Tulagi for the Pacific, Casablanca, Algiers, and Oran for the African theater have been added to every ones vocabulary. Still, the waning days of 1942 see the home folk preparing for the holiday season. Dursley, too, contributes to the war effort. The once profitable ladies garment industry is now manufacturing parachutes, harnesses as well as other military apparel.

Trains with military cargo now supplement the typical freight train and passengers are trying to get home for the holidays are continually passing through the Dursley.

There is much to see and do in Dursley so let us begin our journey. The tour begins on Washington Street, then onto Brighton Road and returns to Park Avenue.

Dorothy’s Dress Shop only has a few pre-war fashions available to be sold but there is much interest among the women of Dursley. Dorothy just had the fence in her backyard painted and some patriotic soul has already decorated it. Dorothy Bender started the dress shop only a few years before with the help of her husband, Dr. Carl Bender, the town physician. The government is requesting that womens fashions be kept simple in an effort to conserve fabric that could be used in the war effort. Clothing is still available but the elusive silk stockings can only be had on the black market at $10.00 for a pair. Dorothy still isn’t too sure about the leg paint for summer use. Yes, it tints the legs as if you had stockings but...

Since the soda fountain and magazine rack have been added the neighborhood children are always hanging around the store. Penny candy is also available and sometimes one can get 2 for a penny. The Hershey, Baby Ruth, Clark and Nestle candy bars will cost you 5 cents each. Comic books are there to entertain the imagination of the youngsters, along with more adult fare for the ladies. Now if Naomi could only get the kids, or parents, to buy them...

Named after the tune popularized by Cab Calloway, the nightclub has always been an important part of the Dursley social scene. The USO canteen hall is located on the second floor and has become a social center for folks to dance and congregate. Coffee and doughnuts are served until closing.

There is a strong French influence, as well as English in Dursley. Gabby (Gabriella) has been running the restaurant for the past eight years now and delights in preparing the sauces that are used. Claude had been drafted two months ago and is just completing basic training. She expects him to be home for the holidays and then he will leave for active duty. It was Gabby that taught Jeanette how to make the croissants in the traditional French manner.

Marie Kruse got home early today as school let out early for the Christmas holidays. Marie secretly desires to be a writer of historical fiction. Ever since the discovery of Tut'ankhamun's tomb her interest in things Egyptian has been insatiable. Her research at the local library has allowed her to develop a story line around king Tut'ankhamun's wife, Ankhesenamon. Marie suspects foul play in Tut'ankhamun's early death and this has placed his wife in terrible circumstance for her young age.

Murder and mayhem will form the basis of the mystery story set in ancient Egypt that Marie will have published one day. At least she will have a long holiday to do more research at the library and continue her story.

George Pierera has been selling all his life. The stint with insurance being the most recent, and most successful. Many folks carry homeowners insurance, but George is really interested in pushing life insurance as through these policies he can collect a lifetime of residuals to support him in retirement. "Say, do you have enough life insurance? Let me show you this new policy by State Farm."

Jeanette DuBois now sells croissants and scones, perhaps in support of France and England, as well as the traditional items. Because the bakery has priority, sugar is available but not in unlimited supply as it was before the war came along. But with the "Special of the Day" alternating between pies and cakes, most anyone's sweet tooth can be satisfied. And at the end of the day nothing is left as the baker tries to ensure that she "sells what she makes."

Meanwhile, parents are busy with youngsters rehearsing for the Christmas pageant, sponsored by the Arts Academy. Carol Denhardt is the owner of the Academy and she recently came to Dursley to escape the chaos that is New York. This year Carol is trying a simplified version of the "Nutcracker".

Joseph and Benjamin Weiss operate the Clock Works. They came to Dursley in 1937 from Germany where they had a similar business repairing fine Swiss timepieces and coincidentally the excellent German cameras of the time. While Joseph works on repairing the clocks, watches and cameras of the local citizens, Benjamin has been busy creating and building timing devices for the O.S.S. There is a certain determined passion in his work and his modest output is picked up monthly by some gentlemen from Washington. Of course this wasn't common knowledge then.

Men's hats are still the fashion of the day. Every properly attired gentleman owns at least three hats. The haberdashery not only sells this fine apparel but it also cleans and blocks them for its customers.

Amy Potter carries on the tradition of afternoon tea at her business. With the help of Jeanette, from the Bakery, she still provides biscuits (cookies) with her servings. Amy used to carry a full line of English teas, but the war interferes and she is stuck with whatever she can get. Amy has eyes for Harry Haney; over at the Pet Shop, but every time she is there, Harry seems to shy away. Maybe some bold move on her part will set things right.

The city hall serves as an induction center. After Pearl Harbor, Sam Laneous was the first in line to enlist. The enthusiasm of youth will be drained after weeks in the Atlantic aboard a crowded troop ship.

Reverend Richard Klc (pronounced Keltch) sees to the needs of the Presbyterian community in Dursley. His daughter Naomi runs the Chocolate Shop. With the war now on, he his convinced that she will never marry and he was so much looking for grand children.

The variety store has a 5 & 10 store flavor to it. One can purchase needles and thread along with ribbons and some fabric. Also carried are stationary, pens, pencils ink and many other office and school needs. Victory gardens have created a demand for the limited gardening tools and they are mostly gone now.

The train station is always busy due to the increased rail traffic. It will be some years before airplanes replace the train as a way to travel long distances in comfort. For now, airplanes are reserved for high priority passengers. Most folks stop and get a copy of 'Life' magazine from the local newsstand to read before they board their train.

Philip Hambridge is the Minister at St. Marks. He busies himself with choir practice and the selection of Christmas Carols to be sung by the congregation. St. Marks is an Anglican church and this years boys choir will sing 'Suo Gân', a Welsh Christmas carol that Philip used to sing as a boy. You can hear this carol by entering the church through the doors.

Old Doc. Bender still hasn't rented the office vacated when his colleague enlisted to help support the troops. Sam Laneous has been serving aboard troop ships that ply the Atlantic as a medic. After the war Sam will go to medical school and return to Dursley as the city doctor.

The Post Office remains busy with all the Christmas packages and V- mail. Distribution of the ration coupons has added another load to the post office over the months, but people are getting them in a timely fashion. The flag flies all day and is promptly raised at dawn and lowered at sunset. The postmaster, Keith Morrison, who served in the "Great War", does this every day as his patriotic duty. This flag has seen action in the Pacific but came back unscathed. It will be another generation that sees Alaska and Hawaii join the union and give us our fifty star flag.

Father Michael Sullivan, who presides over the Holy Name flock, is also preparing for Christmas. The Christmas Mass is in Latin and the good father wonders if anyone understands the service anymore. He knows that the war is a terrible thing but this time of year is needed to lift spirits and renew determination.

People try to save money during the war but the desire to try and maintain their standard of living during these times forces many to spend all their earnings, not unlike today. The patriotic way of saving these days is to buy "War Bonds" and these are aggressively sold to the citizens.

Abner Ravenstahl came to the Globe from the advertising department of the Lackawanna Railroad where he developed a successful ad campaign for the railroad. Just after the turn of the century, Phoebe Snow was created by the advertising department that Abner managed. Phoebe Snow was personified by a Gibson girl model dressed in a white flowing gown, a floppy-brimmed hat, and glorified by a corsage of violets. Phoebe was symbolic of the cleanliness of the Lackawanna, which boasted its use of anthracite (hard) rather than bituminous (soft) coal. She would arrive at her destination still snow-white and cinder-free. While at the peak of her popularity, Phoebe became a casualty of the First World War when the government took control of the railroads and ordered them to burn soft coal. The name Phoebe Snow can still be seen from time to time in the phrase "Route of Phobe Snow" painted on the sides of the Lackawanna boxcars.

Abner runs the Globe now. He has been in the publishing business since 1912 and runs the paper with an iron fist. During these troubled times, Abner finds that it is difficult to get an accurate picture of how the war is really progressing and is giving much thought in sending someone to the front as a War Correspondent. Information about the war is heavily censored and this impedes Abner's ability to bring accurate and factual stories to the people in Dursley. The same issues confronted Abner during the 'Great War' and he still hasn't figured a way to get the kind of information he wants. At least when a Lackawanna boxcar passes through the underpass, just beyond his offices, Abner can still smile about his creation.

Insights by j0ej0hns0n

Connie and Anthony Cerelli run the restaurant. That is, they both did before the war. Anthony has enlisted in the Army Air Corp. Connie and little Tony will keep the restaurant going during Anthoney's absence, serving traditional Italian meals and deserts. Connie has created a new dessert that she calls 'Tira mi su' and she will feature it this holiday season.

Anthony is slated to depart the U.S. after the holidays and serve in the African theatre. Anthony will be serving with the 514^th Squadron of the 376^th Bomb Group of the 9^th Air Force, stationed at Soluch, Libya. Anthony is proud of his crew and his new B-24, S/N 41-24301. The entire crew along with the pilot and co-pilot will decide that this aircraft shall be named "Lady Be Good" and carries this name on their first combat mission. Tony has an idea for the "Lady" to be added to the name. This will be added following their first mission.

Personalizing a crew's aircraft is tolerated by the military brass as it is seen as a morale booster in a very deadly time of the war for flight crews. This leniency will manifest it self to the extreme during the course of the war and pin-up girls will grace many an aircraft, to the dismay of some ladies left behind in the states. It seems that the crews brought their dream girls with them, but somehow left most of her wardrobe behind. This 'nose art', as it has become to be known is an expression of hope, defiance, and sometime humor. One well known piece of nose art is 'Enola Gay', the name of the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima a few years later.

It will be April 4^th, 1943 when Anthony and his crew mates leave Soluch on a high altitude mission to attack the harbor at Naples, Italy. This is the crew's first mission and Anthony frets about bombing Naples as he has relatives living there.

Military reports following the mission state: "Of the twenty four B-24s participating in the mission only the "Lady Be Good" failed to return to Soluch or be accounted for. The only contact with the lost crew was a terse radio distress call shortly after midnight on April 5^th. The crew is listed as Missing In Action"

We move forward in time to February, 1959 where a British Petroleum oil exploration team has discovered the nearly intact "Lady Be Good" 448 miles southeast of Soluch in the untravelled Libyan desert. Investigation at the crash site confirmed that the crew had bailed out after exhausting their fuel.

Connie's legs fail her as she reads the headlines from Abner's newspaper and sees the picture. Soon she will know what happened to her husband and put an end to sixteen years of wondering.

Of course the biggest event in 1942 for Jim Rudy was the total loss of the Dursley factory. The cause of the early October fire was blamed on a space heater positioned to combat an earlier than expected cold front. The heater was placed too near chemicals that are used in preparing the fabrics before the parachute is sewn. Most people in Dursley think that it was gremlins (or fifth columnists) as there had been a host of small mishaps at the factory as it was converted from civilian to military use.

The local brokerage house still conducts business with the NYSE and wise investors take any extra money they can and invest in rail and utility stocks. A small office equipment company called International Business Machines and a camera film producer called Haloid Corporation hasn't gained much attention yet. Later on these companies will be called IBM and Xerox.

Those folks working evening shift at the restaurant are finding that the tips are better at night and during this time of year, perhaps more generous than normal. The "Board O' Fare" for the Tower has changed dramatically since the war began. Ox tail soup or stew is a new favorite but seafood still serves as the basis of the restaurant and is available. The owner is wondering if horsemeat can really be prepared as an acceptable substitute for beef. Still most folks are learning to enjoy lamb and the stuffed pork chops are superb.

There is an apartment available now as the former tenants moved to the big city. This will change once the war is over and there is precious little apartment space available until the new homes are built.

Hollydale's still has their Christmas window displays for the boys and girls of all ages to enjoy. The Lionel trains are scarce and hard to find, but they do make a marvelous display with all the lead soldiers ready to fight a stubborn enemy. Wooden toys are more common now and Lincoln Logs are a popular item for the little boys. The little girls can see dolls and teddy bears along with small versions of mom's appliances.

Harry Haney runs the toyshop more as a hobby shop but still there are toys available for children. Harry's secret love though is flying. Harry build all the models on display and that explains why there are so many airplanes of all types to any who will listen. His pride though is the SPAD biplane. There is a new batch of puppies and kittens available for adoption. For many these will make great gifts.

The hotel is always busy with visitors from the War Department continually visiting the factory site and requiring changes to the construction plans. The construction bosses are staying at the hotel until the factory is complete. In addition travelers going to various destinations will stay at the hotel until their train comes through. With all the military traffic on the rails, the schedules are a bit messed up, but priorities are priorities.

Men still frequent the Coffee House to discuss the war and other political matters. It was well known that the Coffee House was a Speakeasy during prohibition. The "Rathskeller" offered some competition during prohibition, but drinking in someone's basement was not all that appealing.

Janice Kruse had convinced her sister to come to Dursley over thirty years ago after a disastrous affair in the big city. Marie and Janice have had their difficulties, but maybe this new year will bring a resolution to their problems.

The newly appointed museum director has pulled quite a coup. She has been able to obtain the original manuscript for "The Night Before Christmas". Along with other authentic manuscripts and paintings, there is a model train display in the basement. Each year the local train club builds a railroading empire in the basement for children of all ages to watch during the holiday season.

The water tower is really starting to show its age and when the war is over something will need to be done to improve the water supply.

Brighton School is now closed for the holiday season, but the live-in janitor, Chester Devoe, still has chores and cleaning from the festive last day. At the end of the day he will go to the apartment he has created in the basement and listen to the radio. Jack Benny and Rochester are his favorites. Miss Kruse walks across the bridge to return to her apartment at the Pickford. Marie feels much safer now that the auto traffic has been curtailed due to gas rationing. Children are encouraged to buy War Stamps, previously called Defence Stamps until the events at Pearl Harbor occurred. Stamps come in two denominations, 10 cents and 25 cents. After the fortunate child accumulated $18.75 worth, they are turned into a $25.00 War Bond to be used at a later date.

The minister is Paul LeClare. He has a tendency to upset the established norm for a Lutheran church, but is popular with the city children. This year the children, under his guidance, will be wandering around the city singing Christmas carols. Paul knows the Weiss brothers and he has been sharing with them their Chanukah celebration.

Molly & Pete run the Horse & Hounds Pub. This building was actually modeled after an English pub that Pete had seen during his visit during prohibition. Molly was behind the bar serving pints at the time and after a whirlwind affair, Pete returned to Dursley with Molly. After establishing the Pub in the fashion of the building where they met, prohibition was over-turned. It wasn't until that time when Molly and Pete could add the bar. Free peanuts and popcorn are always available for the thirsty drinkers. Pete and Molly live above the bar as do many proprieters of the various businesses in Dursley.

Vegetables are readily available at Hank's but the victory gardens that have sprung up in back yards are allowing the citizens to divert their earnings to find the more difficult items during these years. As with all the grocery stores in Dursley, meat is rationed as well as butter. You can get margarine but it only comes in a white color. There is a little red bead in the package that you pinch and squeeze and then knead through the plastic package until the color is uniformly yellow, just like real butter. Dairymen had this law passed so that margarine in the yellow color would not be confused with real butter.

Blanche Madison (her maiden name), who works as a buyer for Hollydale's Department store, lives here. Blanche travels to New York frequently to look at the new clothing styles. Blanche has always wanted to be a fashion dress designer and she frequently carries her sketches with her in the hope that she will have an opportunity to show them to some one interested in buying her designs. Frank Carioto, her husband, left her a few years back and she has not heard from him. Blanche rents out the extra room she now has.

Linda Salandra has four children now. She's been practicing the rhythm method and as you can tell she is not very good at it. Her husband Matthew is a career Navy officer now stationed somewhere in the South Pacific. His letters home keep requesting foot powder and hair tonic, but no hint as to where he is. While the kids are basically good children, their sheer numbers and age make it difficult for Linda to raise. This evening they will be with Paul LeClare singing Christmas carols even though they are Catholic.

From the Music Emporium, the sounds of Glenn Miller’s "Chattanooga Choo Choo" are often heard. This seems appropriate for these days with the increased train traffic through the city. During this season, other music is heard as children sing Christmas carols as they practice for the Christmas Pageant. Add to this church bells and other city noises and the whole blend becomes nostalgic. Kids leaving the Music Emporium and walking to the Chocolate Shop just down the street are part of a normal days event for George Bodnar. George will have a very long day before he can go home.

You can listen to Glenn Miller's Number one song for 1942. Just press the PLAY button below to start and STOP to finish.

The clock tower was built by William Dursley, the 2^nd and moved to its present location by his son Webster when the railroad underpass was constructed. The clock tower property was sold to raise money for the Dursley factory during the Civil War.

John belongs to a Dursley of the past. He had only a common school education, but he had a deep passion for astronomy. As a young man he apprenticed himself to a machinist and at the age of 20 had mastered the trade. For 20 years John worked in a rolling mill while he expanded his knowledge and understanding of the stars.

Dursley Manor was built on the outskirts of the city. It was completed in 1881 and has been well maintained over the years. Its English lines reflecting the owners own heritage. Walter Dursley is the current owner of Dursley Manor. Walter attended school in Cambridge, where he studied Architecture and Anatomy, just as did Winston, the 3^rd. The nearby factory is going up quickly now that the military has placed a high priority on parachutes. It is expected to be completed by early spring, but for now things are quiet at the construction site. At least all the structural work and the roof are complete. Walter will be traveling to Washington to talk to the War Industries Council (WIC) about the accidents at the factory and what steps will be needed to avoid them in the future. Walter’s factory is viewed as important to the war effort and such trivial accidents will not be long tolerated.

In a move intended to improve his financial position, Walter developed Mulberrie Court in the fashion of Kensington Street in London. His plan to rent out these fashionable apartments has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. There are chilldren of all ages here and some of them are becoming of age.

Bill Peterman (his father owns and operates the Variety store), Nick Parker and John Waldron, all 16 and in their sophomore year in high school have been buddies since first grade. At this age their main interests are sports (basketball), the war, and girls. The girl for Bill is Nancy Walters, who lives next door. Bill and Nick worked after school; Bill as a soda jerk, that afforded him the opportunity to wait on Nancy; and Nick was an apprentice to the local butcher, but he didn't much like it.

During the summer of '42 several of their older friends enlisted in the services. They really envied them and could not wait untill they were 17. Their parents had other desires in this area and much preferred that they wait until they graduate. Each had Saturday afternoon free. Each wanted to make a contribution to the war effort. Each joined a plane spotting class, led by Army Air Corps Captain Wm. Bradley from Flemington, NJ. The Captain taught them how to identify friendly and enemy bombers, how to estimate altitude, distance and direction. Upon completion of the course, they took their turns with the spotter group located on the roof of the Globe Newspaper.

Their watch lasted from 2:00 to 5:00 PM. Each, armed with binoculars, kept their eyes skyward looking for any plane that came into view and they dutifully recorded it in their log. They wondered amongst themselves if they would be the ones to to call headquarters to warn of the approach of enemy bombers, but none ever appeared. From the west, from time to time they could hear the bombers flying eastward to some east coast air base before moving overseas. You can hear a flight of B-24s on their way to England. Just press the PLAY button below to start and STOP to finish.

Thus passed the summer of '42. John would enlist in the Navy in October of the following year.

Inspired by JWestWald

Johnson's Grocery store is a consequence of the Mulberrie Court development. Andrew Johnson felt that this was a good opportunity and with the money from his inheritence, Andy was fortunate to be able to buy the property and build the store during the height of the depression. Johnson's presence in the neighborhood has allowed a rather strange cast of characters to congregate in the back store room.

The switch tower is the control center for all the train activity in Dursley. The underpass through Dursley and the new station have created a web of rails that require the constant vigil of the crews that man the tower. A fence will need to be put up soon to keep the kids off the track. Putting a penny on the track is just too dangerous anymore with all the increased train traffic.

The 'Liberty Bell Express' comes rolling through Dursley every afternoon at 3:35 P.M. The train is assembled in the midwest and is rushing to the east coast with its load of priority war time goods that will be quickly offloaded onto freighters bound for England. You can still hear the trains coming through Dusrley on their way to their final destinations. Just press the PLAY button below to start and STOP to finish.