MY MATERNAL GRANDMA
My maternal grandma Georgina Steele was 10 days short of her 82nd birthday.
She married my maternal grandpa Joseph Critchley on October 5, 1912, when they were both 25 years old, and they celebrated their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1962.
Georgina and Joseph Critchley had their first child -- Hazel Dorothy Critchley -- in 1917, their second child, my mother Georgina Mae Critchley in 1919, and their last child, their only son -- Joseph Howard Critchley in 1924.
~~~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~~
Before Georgina was married, she worked as a bookkeeper for her father's - George W. Steele - business. After marriage, she was a wife, mother, and housekeeper. Later, along with her devoted husband Joseph, she co-owned and managed Critchley's Homemade Candies making gourmet chocolates (and other gourmet candies), along with her family (husband Joseph, daughters Hazel, my mother Georgina Mae, and son Joseph Howard) and my mother's (Georgina Mae) husband William Van Duren (my father).
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 shared how great and delicious the chocolates were, so we're the paid orders of same. Now, what WAS - unexpected and unplanned - was that someone reported my grandparents to 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 and before the Passaic River bridge in Paterson.
They had two stores, the one on North Straight St. in Paterson, and the other in another town in northern New Jersey, managed by my grandparents' son (and my Uncle) Joseph Howard Critchley.
The family story continues that even with the Great Depression of the 1930s, lines of hungry customers still wrapped around the block. Yup, the chocolates and candies were that -- HEAVENLY DELECTABLY DELICIOUS.
~~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~
There is still a Critchley's Chocolate Candies in New Jersey, and although no longer owned by any of the Critchley clan, the Chocolates, especially the dark chocolate bark, is still Heavenly Delectable and DELICIOUS, due to the fact that the owner still continues to use the original Critchley recipes. Critchley's Chocolate and Candy River Edge, NJ 07661. They also have a Facebook page.
~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~
Georgina Steele was the daughter of George W. Steele (of Westleigh, Lancashire, England, east of Liverpool) and Georgina Folsom (or Fairly) Christie (of Forfar, Argus, Montrose, Scotland). George Steele was an entrepreneur in owning a shop that made doors and window frames, and also he invented and patented devices for the silk mills industry that was powered by the Great Passaic Falls in Paterson New Jersey. Paterson was at one time known as the Silk Capital of the United States and was designed by U.S. Treasurer Alexander Hamilton.
~~~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~
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 and updated dates. She and Bill traveled to New Jersey and New York City 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, clean 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
-----------------------
Updated on 28Mar2017 by me, Georgina Critchley's maternal grandson Bob "Cookie" VanDuren 1953-. My parents were Georgina Mae (Critchley) Van Duren (daughter of Georgina Steele and Joseph Critchley) 1919-1997 and William "Bill" Van Duren, 1919-2003. I have a sister Jacquie (Van Duren) Simmons living in Florida.
My maternal grandma Georgina Steele was 10 days short of her 82nd birthday.
She married my maternal grandpa Joseph Critchley on October 5, 1912, when they were both 25 years old, and they celebrated their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1962.
Georgina and Joseph Critchley had their first child -- Hazel Dorothy Critchley -- in 1917, their second child, my mother Georgina Mae Critchley in 1919, and their last child, their only son -- Joseph Howard Critchley in 1924.
~~~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~~
Before Georgina was married, she worked as a bookkeeper for her father's - George W. Steele - business. After marriage, she was a wife, mother, and housekeeper. Later, along with her devoted husband Joseph, she co-owned and managed Critchley's Homemade Candies making gourmet chocolates (and other gourmet candies), along with her family (husband Joseph, daughters Hazel, my mother Georgina Mae, and son Joseph Howard) and my mother's (Georgina Mae) husband William Van Duren (my father).
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 shared how great and delicious the chocolates were, so we're the paid orders of same. Now, what WAS - unexpected and unplanned - was that someone reported my grandparents to 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 and before the Passaic River bridge in Paterson.
They had two stores, the one on North Straight St. in Paterson, and the other in another town in northern New Jersey, managed by my grandparents' son (and my Uncle) Joseph Howard Critchley.
The family story continues that even with the Great Depression of the 1930s, lines of hungry customers still wrapped around the block. Yup, the chocolates and candies were that -- HEAVENLY DELECTABLY DELICIOUS.
~~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~
There is still a Critchley's Chocolate Candies in New Jersey, and although no longer owned by any of the Critchley clan, the Chocolates, especially the dark chocolate bark, is still Heavenly Delectable and DELICIOUS, due to the fact that the owner still continues to use the original Critchley recipes. Critchley's Chocolate and Candy River Edge, NJ 07661. They also have a Facebook page.
~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~
Georgina Steele was the daughter of George W. Steele (of Westleigh, Lancashire, England, east of Liverpool) and Georgina Folsom (or Fairly) Christie (of Forfar, Argus, Montrose, Scotland). George Steele was an entrepreneur in owning a shop that made doors and window frames, and also he invented and patented devices for the silk mills industry that was powered by the Great Passaic Falls in Paterson New Jersey. Paterson was at one time known as the Silk Capital of the United States and was designed by U.S. Treasurer Alexander Hamilton.
~~~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~
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 and updated dates. She and Bill traveled to New Jersey and New York City 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, clean 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
-----------------------
Updated on 28Mar2017 by me, Georgina Critchley's maternal grandson Bob "Cookie" VanDuren 1953-. My parents were Georgina Mae (Critchley) Van Duren (daughter of Georgina Steele and Joseph Critchley) 1919-1997 and William "Bill" Van Duren, 1919-2003. I have a sister Jacquie (Van Duren) Simmons living in Florida.
MY MATERNAL GRANDMA
My maternal grandma Georgina Steele was 10 days short of her 82nd birthday.
She married my maternal grandpa Joseph Critchley on October 5, 1912, when they were both 25 years old, and they celebrated their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1962.
Georgina and Joseph Critchley had their first child -- Hazel Dorothy Critchley -- in 1917, their second child, my mother Georgina Mae Critchley in 1919, and their last child, their only son -- Joseph Howard Critchley in 1924.
~~~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~~
Before Georgina was married, she worked as a bookkeeper for her father's - George W. Steele - business. After marriage, she was a wife, mother, and housekeeper. Later, along with her devoted husband Joseph, she co-owned and managed Critchley's Homemade Candies making gourmet chocolates (and other gourmet candies), along with her family (husband Joseph, daughters Hazel, my mother Georgina Mae, and son Joseph Howard) and my mother's (Georgina Mae) husband William Van Duren (my father).
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 shared how great and delicious the chocolates were, so we're the paid orders of same. Now, what WAS - unexpected and unplanned - was that someone reported my grandparents to 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 and before the Passaic River bridge in Paterson.
They had two stores, the one on North Straight St. in Paterson, and the other in another town in northern New Jersey, managed by my grandparents' son (and my Uncle) Joseph Howard Critchley.
The family story continues that even with the Great Depression of the 1930s, lines of hungry customers still wrapped around the block. Yup, the chocolates and candies were that -- HEAVENLY DELECTABLY DELICIOUS.
~~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~
There is still a Critchley's Chocolate Candies in New Jersey, and although no longer owned by any of the Critchley clan, the Chocolates, especially the dark chocolate bark, is still Heavenly Delectable and DELICIOUS, due to the fact that the owner still continues to use the original Critchley recipes. Critchley's Chocolate and Candy River Edge, NJ 07661. They also have a Facebook page.
~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~
Georgina Steele was the daughter of George W. Steele (of Westleigh, Lancashire, England, east of Liverpool) and Georgina Folsom (or Fairly) Christie (of Forfar, Argus, Montrose, Scotland). George Steele was an entrepreneur in owning a shop that made doors and window frames, and also he invented and patented devices for the silk mills industry that was powered by the Great Passaic Falls in Paterson New Jersey. Paterson was at one time known as the Silk Capital of the United States and was designed by U.S. Treasurer Alexander Hamilton.
~~~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~
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 and updated dates. She and Bill traveled to New Jersey and New York City 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, clean 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
-----------------------
Updated on 28Mar2017 by me, Georgina Critchley's maternal grandson Bob "Cookie" VanDuren 1953-. My parents were Georgina Mae (Critchley) Van Duren (daughter of Georgina Steele and Joseph Critchley) 1919-1997 and William "Bill" Van Duren, 1919-2003. I have a sister Jacquie (Van Duren) Simmons living in Florida.
My maternal grandma Georgina Steele was 10 days short of her 82nd birthday.
She married my maternal grandpa Joseph Critchley on October 5, 1912, when they were both 25 years old, and they celebrated their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1962.
Georgina and Joseph Critchley had their first child -- Hazel Dorothy Critchley -- in 1917, their second child, my mother Georgina Mae Critchley in 1919, and their last child, their only son -- Joseph Howard Critchley in 1924.
~~~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~~
Before Georgina was married, she worked as a bookkeeper for her father's - George W. Steele - business. After marriage, she was a wife, mother, and housekeeper. Later, along with her devoted husband Joseph, she co-owned and managed Critchley's Homemade Candies making gourmet chocolates (and other gourmet candies), along with her family (husband Joseph, daughters Hazel, my mother Georgina Mae, and son Joseph Howard) and my mother's (Georgina Mae) husband William Van Duren (my father).
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 shared how great and delicious the chocolates were, so we're the paid orders of same. Now, what WAS - unexpected and unplanned - was that someone reported my grandparents to 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 and before the Passaic River bridge in Paterson.
They had two stores, the one on North Straight St. in Paterson, and the other in another town in northern New Jersey, managed by my grandparents' son (and my Uncle) Joseph Howard Critchley.
The family story continues that even with the Great Depression of the 1930s, lines of hungry customers still wrapped around the block. Yup, the chocolates and candies were that -- HEAVENLY DELECTABLY DELICIOUS.
~~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~
There is still a Critchley's Chocolate Candies in New Jersey, and although no longer owned by any of the Critchley clan, the Chocolates, especially the dark chocolate bark, is still Heavenly Delectable and DELICIOUS, due to the fact that the owner still continues to use the original Critchley recipes. Critchley's Chocolate and Candy River Edge, NJ 07661. They also have a Facebook page.
~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~
Georgina Steele was the daughter of George W. Steele (of Westleigh, Lancashire, England, east of Liverpool) and Georgina Folsom (or Fairly) Christie (of Forfar, Argus, Montrose, Scotland). George Steele was an entrepreneur in owning a shop that made doors and window frames, and also he invented and patented devices for the silk mills industry that was powered by the Great Passaic Falls in Paterson New Jersey. Paterson was at one time known as the Silk Capital of the United States and was designed by U.S. Treasurer Alexander Hamilton.
~~~~~~~~~~~~💜~~~~~~~~~~
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 and updated dates. She and Bill traveled to New Jersey and New York City 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, clean 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
-----------------------
Updated on 28Mar2017 by me, Georgina Critchley's maternal grandson Bob "Cookie" VanDuren 1953-. My parents were Georgina Mae (Critchley) Van Duren (daughter of Georgina Steele and Joseph Critchley) 1919-1997 and William "Bill" Van Duren, 1919-2003. I have a sister Jacquie (Van Duren) Simmons living in Florida.
