MY MATERNAL GRANDPA
My favorite grandpa Joseph Critchley went to Heaven just 8 days short of his 87th birthday.
Date of Burial: October 11, 1973
Last Residence: 102 Graham Ave (renamed Rosa Parks Blvd), Paterson, Passaic county, New Jersey, USA.
Cause of Death: Cerebral Vascular Occlusion.
Undertaker/Funeral Home: Vander Plaat-Vermeulen of Franklin Lakes New Jersey.
My grandpa Joseph Critchley was born in what was then called Westleigh, Lancashire county, England, which was both a coal mining and a cotton and silk mill town. Later, Westleigh was redistricted/unincorporated into Greater Manchester.
In about June 20, 1888, he at age 2, along with his family, according to the passenger manifest, immigrated to the United States on the steamship Gallia.
[Information above from Gallia's ship's June 29,1888 passenger manifest from Ancestry.com].
**I just recently discovered what I believe WHY my great grandparents decided to immigrate to America:
According to my research, the Westleigh area had more then 17 coal mines (colleries) and many often had cave-ins and/or gas explosions. The one that I believe specifically affected my Critchley relatives decision to immigrate was called the "Bedford [Leigh] Colliery disaster [which] occurred on Friday 13 August 1886"*.
The Bedford Colliery mine had one of the worst gas explosions in England's history causing a cave in, with at least 17 fatalities and many more injuries. The list of those that died did not include any Critchleys, but the family's friends may have victims, and maybe some relatives were among the many injured. AND, according to my Ancestry.com census reports, early in my great grandpa's William Critchley life, he worked in the coal mines (he later worked in cotton mills). That, and terrible air pollution from coal burning, filth and the probability of disease from inappropriate disposal of horse and human waste. Add the big decline of cotton mills ever since the American Civil War cotton embargo/blockade and export to England; '80% of England's cotton came from the Confederate State'*, may have also inclined my great grandparents and family to leave England.
*[information from Wikipedia.com]
Anyway, on the steam ship Gallia was my Grandpa Critchley's father William Critchley, mother Ellen Anna Critchley nee Thompson, brother Thomas, sister Ellen, and brother James. At ship's crossing (my Grandpa) Joseph was the youngest (age 2) to see the brand new Statue of Liberty (aka Liberty Enlightening the World). They must have disembarked somewhere in New York harbor, as Ellis Island was not completed and ready for immigrants until January 1, 1891.
[Information above from Gallia's ship's June 29,1888 passenger manifest from Ancestry.com].
The William and Ellen Anna Critchley family lived in Paterson, Passaic county, New Jersey, where William and Ellen gave birth to at least three more children (names will be added later).
In his late teens and early 20s, my Grandpa Joseph was an avid runner, and often won several events and awards in huge races in both New Jersey and New York City. 'In one race in NYC, he was the Number 1 winner out of 625 other runners'*. He may have played and coached Soccer (which the British called Football), as according to newspaper records there was a Football "Soccer" team called Critchley.
*[information from Newspapers.com]
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Paterson was a big textile industry using the water power of the Great Passaic Falls, largest waterfall east of Mississippi River, and designed by Alexander Hamilton. The primary mills where first cotton then silk.
Joseph Critchley and Georgina Steele married October 5, 1912 when they were both 25 years old, and they celebrated their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1962 at their son Joseph Howard Critchley's Home in West Milford New Jersey.
Georgina and Joseph Critchley had their first child -- Hazel Dorothy Critchley -- in 1917, their second child, my mother, in 1919, and their last child, their only son -- Joseph Howard Critchley in 1924.
At first, Joseph Critchley worked at cotton mills and then silk, holding on various positions. In 1917 he along with his wife Georgina, moved to Columbia, Pennsylvania and was General Manager at a cotton mill there. In Columbia his wife gave birth to their first child Hazel D. Critchley. Later, before 1919, the family moved back to Paterson.
In December 22, 1919, (my mother) Georgina Mae Critchley was born. Then in 1924, Joseph Howard Critchley was born.
Sometime between 1925 and 1928, Joseph along with his wife Georgina, started his business, Critchley's Home Made Candy which included gourmet delicious chocolates. Even during the Great Depression, I was told the lines of hungry customers wrapped around the block on North Straight St in Paterson NJ, off of lower Haledon Ave, eager to enjoy my grandparents DELECTABLE DELICIOUS TREATS.
According to my mother's story, the family business got started rather unexpectedly and unplanned. My grandparents would make homemade fudge in their small kitchen for their kids to eat at school. Well, Hazel, Georgina and Joseph would share these delicious delights with the other children. As word got around the other children and more importantly their parents how great the chocolates were, so we're the paid orders of same. Now, what WAS - unexpected and unplanned - was that someone reported to the the Board of Health in Paterson New Jersey, that there was an unlicensed confection business in an uninspected private home. A real no no. So, the chocolates production had to go someplace else.
Fast forward, the opening of Critchley's Home Made Candy on North Straight Street, just below Haledon Ave in Paterson.
Besides, the Paterson store, he had one other store. My grandpa's Chocolate stores closed sometime between 1955 and 1957, when my grandparents retired. But till then my sister and I always enjoyed dark chocolate bunnies at Easter. There is still one Critchley's Chocolate Candy store in New Jersey that is not owned by the Critchley family, but still uses the same original DELICIOUS recipes.
Besides me Robert VanDuren (wife Elaine), Joseph Critchley left two granddaughters Jacquie (VanDuren) Simmons (husband Paul) and Jo Ann Critchley Haynes, and one other grandson James Critchley (wife Rachel). Also were many Great Grandchildren.
Joseph Critchley was of British and Irish decent; his mother was Irish.
My favorite pastimes and memories with my Grandpa was our long longggggg walks (up Graham Ave which is now name-changed to Rosa Parks Blvd to up Bunker Hill area) and him rocking me in my Grandma's rocking chair.
Grandpa, you are Remembered and Missed and Loved; may you Rest in Peace and Happiness and Joy and Love and Laughter with your family and my parents Georgina Mae VanDuren nee Critchley and William "Bill" Van Duren.
You readers can thank my favorite cousin Jo Ann Critchley Haynes and her friend Bill Wilkes for the recent addition of my grandpa's (and grandma's and aunt Hazel's) gravestone. She and Bill traveled to New Jersey and New York City (2016) for some Thanksgiving holiday events. They took time out of their busy schedule to visit Oak Grove Memorial Cemetery in Totowa NJ where my grandparents and aunt Hazel are buried, to search for and photograph the Critchley gravestones. Thanx Jo Ann and Bill. I owe you guys BIG time.
Hope you'all enjoyed reading this,
As much as, I enjoyed writing it. RKV
----------------------
Posted and updated by me, Bob "Cookie" (Critchley) VanDuren on 26Feb2020, 4 photos added today.
My parents were Georgina Mae (Critchley) Van Duren [(1919-1996) Joseph Critchley's daughter], and William "Bill" Van Duren (1919-2003). I have a sister Jacquie (Van Duren) Simmons living in Florida.
My favorite grandpa Joseph Critchley went to Heaven just 8 days short of his 87th birthday.
Date of Burial: October 11, 1973
Last Residence: 102 Graham Ave (renamed Rosa Parks Blvd), Paterson, Passaic county, New Jersey, USA.
Cause of Death: Cerebral Vascular Occlusion.
Undertaker/Funeral Home: Vander Plaat-Vermeulen of Franklin Lakes New Jersey.
My grandpa Joseph Critchley was born in what was then called Westleigh, Lancashire county, England, which was both a coal mining and a cotton and silk mill town. Later, Westleigh was redistricted/unincorporated into Greater Manchester.
In about June 20, 1888, he at age 2, along with his family, according to the passenger manifest, immigrated to the United States on the steamship Gallia.
[Information above from Gallia's ship's June 29,1888 passenger manifest from Ancestry.com].
**I just recently discovered what I believe WHY my great grandparents decided to immigrate to America:
According to my research, the Westleigh area had more then 17 coal mines (colleries) and many often had cave-ins and/or gas explosions. The one that I believe specifically affected my Critchley relatives decision to immigrate was called the "Bedford [Leigh] Colliery disaster [which] occurred on Friday 13 August 1886"*.
The Bedford Colliery mine had one of the worst gas explosions in England's history causing a cave in, with at least 17 fatalities and many more injuries. The list of those that died did not include any Critchleys, but the family's friends may have victims, and maybe some relatives were among the many injured. AND, according to my Ancestry.com census reports, early in my great grandpa's William Critchley life, he worked in the coal mines (he later worked in cotton mills). That, and terrible air pollution from coal burning, filth and the probability of disease from inappropriate disposal of horse and human waste. Add the big decline of cotton mills ever since the American Civil War cotton embargo/blockade and export to England; '80% of England's cotton came from the Confederate State'*, may have also inclined my great grandparents and family to leave England.
*[information from Wikipedia.com]
Anyway, on the steam ship Gallia was my Grandpa Critchley's father William Critchley, mother Ellen Anna Critchley nee Thompson, brother Thomas, sister Ellen, and brother James. At ship's crossing (my Grandpa) Joseph was the youngest (age 2) to see the brand new Statue of Liberty (aka Liberty Enlightening the World). They must have disembarked somewhere in New York harbor, as Ellis Island was not completed and ready for immigrants until January 1, 1891.
[Information above from Gallia's ship's June 29,1888 passenger manifest from Ancestry.com].
The William and Ellen Anna Critchley family lived in Paterson, Passaic county, New Jersey, where William and Ellen gave birth to at least three more children (names will be added later).
In his late teens and early 20s, my Grandpa Joseph was an avid runner, and often won several events and awards in huge races in both New Jersey and New York City. 'In one race in NYC, he was the Number 1 winner out of 625 other runners'*. He may have played and coached Soccer (which the British called Football), as according to newspaper records there was a Football "Soccer" team called Critchley.
*[information from Newspapers.com]
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Paterson was a big textile industry using the water power of the Great Passaic Falls, largest waterfall east of Mississippi River, and designed by Alexander Hamilton. The primary mills where first cotton then silk.
Joseph Critchley and Georgina Steele married October 5, 1912 when they were both 25 years old, and they celebrated their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1962 at their son Joseph Howard Critchley's Home in West Milford New Jersey.
Georgina and Joseph Critchley had their first child -- Hazel Dorothy Critchley -- in 1917, their second child, my mother, in 1919, and their last child, their only son -- Joseph Howard Critchley in 1924.
At first, Joseph Critchley worked at cotton mills and then silk, holding on various positions. In 1917 he along with his wife Georgina, moved to Columbia, Pennsylvania and was General Manager at a cotton mill there. In Columbia his wife gave birth to their first child Hazel D. Critchley. Later, before 1919, the family moved back to Paterson.
In December 22, 1919, (my mother) Georgina Mae Critchley was born. Then in 1924, Joseph Howard Critchley was born.
Sometime between 1925 and 1928, Joseph along with his wife Georgina, started his business, Critchley's Home Made Candy which included gourmet delicious chocolates. Even during the Great Depression, I was told the lines of hungry customers wrapped around the block on North Straight St in Paterson NJ, off of lower Haledon Ave, eager to enjoy my grandparents DELECTABLE DELICIOUS TREATS.
According to my mother's story, the family business got started rather unexpectedly and unplanned. My grandparents would make homemade fudge in their small kitchen for their kids to eat at school. Well, Hazel, Georgina and Joseph would share these delicious delights with the other children. As word got around the other children and more importantly their parents how great the chocolates were, so we're the paid orders of same. Now, what WAS - unexpected and unplanned - was that someone reported to the the Board of Health in Paterson New Jersey, that there was an unlicensed confection business in an uninspected private home. A real no no. So, the chocolates production had to go someplace else.
Fast forward, the opening of Critchley's Home Made Candy on North Straight Street, just below Haledon Ave in Paterson.
Besides, the Paterson store, he had one other store. My grandpa's Chocolate stores closed sometime between 1955 and 1957, when my grandparents retired. But till then my sister and I always enjoyed dark chocolate bunnies at Easter. There is still one Critchley's Chocolate Candy store in New Jersey that is not owned by the Critchley family, but still uses the same original DELICIOUS recipes.
Besides me Robert VanDuren (wife Elaine), Joseph Critchley left two granddaughters Jacquie (VanDuren) Simmons (husband Paul) and Jo Ann Critchley Haynes, and one other grandson James Critchley (wife Rachel). Also were many Great Grandchildren.
Joseph Critchley was of British and Irish decent; his mother was Irish.
My favorite pastimes and memories with my Grandpa was our long longggggg walks (up Graham Ave which is now name-changed to Rosa Parks Blvd to up Bunker Hill area) and him rocking me in my Grandma's rocking chair.
Grandpa, you are Remembered and Missed and Loved; may you Rest in Peace and Happiness and Joy and Love and Laughter with your family and my parents Georgina Mae VanDuren nee Critchley and William "Bill" Van Duren.
You readers can thank my favorite cousin Jo Ann Critchley Haynes and her friend Bill Wilkes for the recent addition of my grandpa's (and grandma's and aunt Hazel's) gravestone. She and Bill traveled to New Jersey and New York City (2016) for some Thanksgiving holiday events. They took time out of their busy schedule to visit Oak Grove Memorial Cemetery in Totowa NJ where my grandparents and aunt Hazel are buried, to search for and photograph the Critchley gravestones. Thanx Jo Ann and Bill. I owe you guys BIG time.
Hope you'all enjoyed reading this,
As much as, I enjoyed writing it. RKV
----------------------
Posted and updated by me, Bob "Cookie" (Critchley) VanDuren on 26Feb2020, 4 photos added today.
My parents were Georgina Mae (Critchley) Van Duren [(1919-1996) Joseph Critchley's daughter], and William "Bill" Van Duren (1919-2003). I have a sister Jacquie (Van Duren) Simmons living in Florida.
MY MATERNAL GRANDPA
My favorite grandpa Joseph Critchley went to Heaven just 8 days short of his 87th birthday.
Date of Burial: October 11, 1973
Last Residence: 102 Graham Ave (renamed Rosa Parks Blvd), Paterson, Passaic county, New Jersey, USA.
Cause of Death: Cerebral Vascular Occlusion.
Undertaker/Funeral Home: Vander Plaat-Vermeulen of Franklin Lakes New Jersey.
My grandpa Joseph Critchley was born in what was then called Westleigh, Lancashire county, England, which was both a coal mining and a cotton and silk mill town. Later, Westleigh was redistricted/unincorporated into Greater Manchester.
In about June 20, 1888, he at age 2, along with his family, according to the passenger manifest, immigrated to the United States on the steamship Gallia.
[Information above from Gallia's ship's June 29,1888 passenger manifest from Ancestry.com].
**I just recently discovered what I believe WHY my great grandparents decided to immigrate to America:
According to my research, the Westleigh area had more then 17 coal mines (colleries) and many often had cave-ins and/or gas explosions. The one that I believe specifically affected my Critchley relatives decision to immigrate was called the "Bedford [Leigh] Colliery disaster [which] occurred on Friday 13 August 1886"*.
The Bedford Colliery mine had one of the worst gas explosions in England's history causing a cave in, with at least 17 fatalities and many more injuries. The list of those that died did not include any Critchleys, but the family's friends may have victims, and maybe some relatives were among the many injured. AND, according to my Ancestry.com census reports, early in my great grandpa's William Critchley life, he worked in the coal mines (he later worked in cotton mills). That, and terrible air pollution from coal burning, filth and the probability of disease from inappropriate disposal of horse and human waste. Add the big decline of cotton mills ever since the American Civil War cotton embargo/blockade and export to England; '80% of England's cotton came from the Confederate State'*, may have also inclined my great grandparents and family to leave England.
*[information from Wikipedia.com]
Anyway, on the steam ship Gallia was my Grandpa Critchley's father William Critchley, mother Ellen Anna Critchley nee Thompson, brother Thomas, sister Ellen, and brother James. At ship's crossing (my Grandpa) Joseph was the youngest (age 2) to see the brand new Statue of Liberty (aka Liberty Enlightening the World). They must have disembarked somewhere in New York harbor, as Ellis Island was not completed and ready for immigrants until January 1, 1891.
[Information above from Gallia's ship's June 29,1888 passenger manifest from Ancestry.com].
The William and Ellen Anna Critchley family lived in Paterson, Passaic county, New Jersey, where William and Ellen gave birth to at least three more children (names will be added later).
In his late teens and early 20s, my Grandpa Joseph was an avid runner, and often won several events and awards in huge races in both New Jersey and New York City. 'In one race in NYC, he was the Number 1 winner out of 625 other runners'*. He may have played and coached Soccer (which the British called Football), as according to newspaper records there was a Football "Soccer" team called Critchley.
*[information from Newspapers.com]
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Paterson was a big textile industry using the water power of the Great Passaic Falls, largest waterfall east of Mississippi River, and designed by Alexander Hamilton. The primary mills where first cotton then silk.
Joseph Critchley and Georgina Steele married October 5, 1912 when they were both 25 years old, and they celebrated their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1962 at their son Joseph Howard Critchley's Home in West Milford New Jersey.
Georgina and Joseph Critchley had their first child -- Hazel Dorothy Critchley -- in 1917, their second child, my mother, in 1919, and their last child, their only son -- Joseph Howard Critchley in 1924.
At first, Joseph Critchley worked at cotton mills and then silk, holding on various positions. In 1917 he along with his wife Georgina, moved to Columbia, Pennsylvania and was General Manager at a cotton mill there. In Columbia his wife gave birth to their first child Hazel D. Critchley. Later, before 1919, the family moved back to Paterson.
In December 22, 1919, (my mother) Georgina Mae Critchley was born. Then in 1924, Joseph Howard Critchley was born.
Sometime between 1925 and 1928, Joseph along with his wife Georgina, started his business, Critchley's Home Made Candy which included gourmet delicious chocolates. Even during the Great Depression, I was told the lines of hungry customers wrapped around the block on North Straight St in Paterson NJ, off of lower Haledon Ave, eager to enjoy my grandparents DELECTABLE DELICIOUS TREATS.
According to my mother's story, the family business got started rather unexpectedly and unplanned. My grandparents would make homemade fudge in their small kitchen for their kids to eat at school. Well, Hazel, Georgina and Joseph would share these delicious delights with the other children. As word got around the other children and more importantly their parents how great the chocolates were, so we're the paid orders of same. Now, what WAS - unexpected and unplanned - was that someone reported to the the Board of Health in Paterson New Jersey, that there was an unlicensed confection business in an uninspected private home. A real no no. So, the chocolates production had to go someplace else.
Fast forward, the opening of Critchley's Home Made Candy on North Straight Street, just below Haledon Ave in Paterson.
Besides, the Paterson store, he had one other store. My grandpa's Chocolate stores closed sometime between 1955 and 1957, when my grandparents retired. But till then my sister and I always enjoyed dark chocolate bunnies at Easter. There is still one Critchley's Chocolate Candy store in New Jersey that is not owned by the Critchley family, but still uses the same original DELICIOUS recipes.
Besides me Robert VanDuren (wife Elaine), Joseph Critchley left two granddaughters Jacquie (VanDuren) Simmons (husband Paul) and Jo Ann Critchley Haynes, and one other grandson James Critchley (wife Rachel). Also were many Great Grandchildren.
Joseph Critchley was of British and Irish decent; his mother was Irish.
My favorite pastimes and memories with my Grandpa was our long longggggg walks (up Graham Ave which is now name-changed to Rosa Parks Blvd to up Bunker Hill area) and him rocking me in my Grandma's rocking chair.
Grandpa, you are Remembered and Missed and Loved; may you Rest in Peace and Happiness and Joy and Love and Laughter with your family and my parents Georgina Mae VanDuren nee Critchley and William "Bill" Van Duren.
You readers can thank my favorite cousin Jo Ann Critchley Haynes and her friend Bill Wilkes for the recent addition of my grandpa's (and grandma's and aunt Hazel's) gravestone. She and Bill traveled to New Jersey and New York City (2016) for some Thanksgiving holiday events. They took time out of their busy schedule to visit Oak Grove Memorial Cemetery in Totowa NJ where my grandparents and aunt Hazel are buried, to search for and photograph the Critchley gravestones. Thanx Jo Ann and Bill. I owe you guys BIG time.
Hope you'all enjoyed reading this,
As much as, I enjoyed writing it. RKV
----------------------
Posted and updated by me, Bob "Cookie" (Critchley) VanDuren on 26Feb2020, 4 photos added today.
My parents were Georgina Mae (Critchley) Van Duren [(1919-1996) Joseph Critchley's daughter], and William "Bill" Van Duren (1919-2003). I have a sister Jacquie (Van Duren) Simmons living in Florida.
My favorite grandpa Joseph Critchley went to Heaven just 8 days short of his 87th birthday.
Date of Burial: October 11, 1973
Last Residence: 102 Graham Ave (renamed Rosa Parks Blvd), Paterson, Passaic county, New Jersey, USA.
Cause of Death: Cerebral Vascular Occlusion.
Undertaker/Funeral Home: Vander Plaat-Vermeulen of Franklin Lakes New Jersey.
My grandpa Joseph Critchley was born in what was then called Westleigh, Lancashire county, England, which was both a coal mining and a cotton and silk mill town. Later, Westleigh was redistricted/unincorporated into Greater Manchester.
In about June 20, 1888, he at age 2, along with his family, according to the passenger manifest, immigrated to the United States on the steamship Gallia.
[Information above from Gallia's ship's June 29,1888 passenger manifest from Ancestry.com].
**I just recently discovered what I believe WHY my great grandparents decided to immigrate to America:
According to my research, the Westleigh area had more then 17 coal mines (colleries) and many often had cave-ins and/or gas explosions. The one that I believe specifically affected my Critchley relatives decision to immigrate was called the "Bedford [Leigh] Colliery disaster [which] occurred on Friday 13 August 1886"*.
The Bedford Colliery mine had one of the worst gas explosions in England's history causing a cave in, with at least 17 fatalities and many more injuries. The list of those that died did not include any Critchleys, but the family's friends may have victims, and maybe some relatives were among the many injured. AND, according to my Ancestry.com census reports, early in my great grandpa's William Critchley life, he worked in the coal mines (he later worked in cotton mills). That, and terrible air pollution from coal burning, filth and the probability of disease from inappropriate disposal of horse and human waste. Add the big decline of cotton mills ever since the American Civil War cotton embargo/blockade and export to England; '80% of England's cotton came from the Confederate State'*, may have also inclined my great grandparents and family to leave England.
*[information from Wikipedia.com]
Anyway, on the steam ship Gallia was my Grandpa Critchley's father William Critchley, mother Ellen Anna Critchley nee Thompson, brother Thomas, sister Ellen, and brother James. At ship's crossing (my Grandpa) Joseph was the youngest (age 2) to see the brand new Statue of Liberty (aka Liberty Enlightening the World). They must have disembarked somewhere in New York harbor, as Ellis Island was not completed and ready for immigrants until January 1, 1891.
[Information above from Gallia's ship's June 29,1888 passenger manifest from Ancestry.com].
The William and Ellen Anna Critchley family lived in Paterson, Passaic county, New Jersey, where William and Ellen gave birth to at least three more children (names will be added later).
In his late teens and early 20s, my Grandpa Joseph was an avid runner, and often won several events and awards in huge races in both New Jersey and New York City. 'In one race in NYC, he was the Number 1 winner out of 625 other runners'*. He may have played and coached Soccer (which the British called Football), as according to newspaper records there was a Football "Soccer" team called Critchley.
*[information from Newspapers.com]
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Paterson was a big textile industry using the water power of the Great Passaic Falls, largest waterfall east of Mississippi River, and designed by Alexander Hamilton. The primary mills where first cotton then silk.
Joseph Critchley and Georgina Steele married October 5, 1912 when they were both 25 years old, and they celebrated their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1962 at their son Joseph Howard Critchley's Home in West Milford New Jersey.
Georgina and Joseph Critchley had their first child -- Hazel Dorothy Critchley -- in 1917, their second child, my mother, in 1919, and their last child, their only son -- Joseph Howard Critchley in 1924.
At first, Joseph Critchley worked at cotton mills and then silk, holding on various positions. In 1917 he along with his wife Georgina, moved to Columbia, Pennsylvania and was General Manager at a cotton mill there. In Columbia his wife gave birth to their first child Hazel D. Critchley. Later, before 1919, the family moved back to Paterson.
In December 22, 1919, (my mother) Georgina Mae Critchley was born. Then in 1924, Joseph Howard Critchley was born.
Sometime between 1925 and 1928, Joseph along with his wife Georgina, started his business, Critchley's Home Made Candy which included gourmet delicious chocolates. Even during the Great Depression, I was told the lines of hungry customers wrapped around the block on North Straight St in Paterson NJ, off of lower Haledon Ave, eager to enjoy my grandparents DELECTABLE DELICIOUS TREATS.
According to my mother's story, the family business got started rather unexpectedly and unplanned. My grandparents would make homemade fudge in their small kitchen for their kids to eat at school. Well, Hazel, Georgina and Joseph would share these delicious delights with the other children. As word got around the other children and more importantly their parents how great the chocolates were, so we're the paid orders of same. Now, what WAS - unexpected and unplanned - was that someone reported to the the Board of Health in Paterson New Jersey, that there was an unlicensed confection business in an uninspected private home. A real no no. So, the chocolates production had to go someplace else.
Fast forward, the opening of Critchley's Home Made Candy on North Straight Street, just below Haledon Ave in Paterson.
Besides, the Paterson store, he had one other store. My grandpa's Chocolate stores closed sometime between 1955 and 1957, when my grandparents retired. But till then my sister and I always enjoyed dark chocolate bunnies at Easter. There is still one Critchley's Chocolate Candy store in New Jersey that is not owned by the Critchley family, but still uses the same original DELICIOUS recipes.
Besides me Robert VanDuren (wife Elaine), Joseph Critchley left two granddaughters Jacquie (VanDuren) Simmons (husband Paul) and Jo Ann Critchley Haynes, and one other grandson James Critchley (wife Rachel). Also were many Great Grandchildren.
Joseph Critchley was of British and Irish decent; his mother was Irish.
My favorite pastimes and memories with my Grandpa was our long longggggg walks (up Graham Ave which is now name-changed to Rosa Parks Blvd to up Bunker Hill area) and him rocking me in my Grandma's rocking chair.
Grandpa, you are Remembered and Missed and Loved; may you Rest in Peace and Happiness and Joy and Love and Laughter with your family and my parents Georgina Mae VanDuren nee Critchley and William "Bill" Van Duren.
You readers can thank my favorite cousin Jo Ann Critchley Haynes and her friend Bill Wilkes for the recent addition of my grandpa's (and grandma's and aunt Hazel's) gravestone. She and Bill traveled to New Jersey and New York City (2016) for some Thanksgiving holiday events. They took time out of their busy schedule to visit Oak Grove Memorial Cemetery in Totowa NJ where my grandparents and aunt Hazel are buried, to search for and photograph the Critchley gravestones. Thanx Jo Ann and Bill. I owe you guys BIG time.
Hope you'all enjoyed reading this,
As much as, I enjoyed writing it. RKV
----------------------
Posted and updated by me, Bob "Cookie" (Critchley) VanDuren on 26Feb2020, 4 photos added today.
My parents were Georgina Mae (Critchley) Van Duren [(1919-1996) Joseph Critchley's daughter], and William "Bill" Van Duren (1919-2003). I have a sister Jacquie (Van Duren) Simmons living in Florida.
