Cute Little Kids (Mystery Photo #22) - Mystery Monday

(Digital Image.  Photograph Privately Held By Cynthia Shenette; Photograph and Text, Copyright (c) 2013 Cynthia Shenette) My mom, Christine (Szerejko) Shenette, is the little girl on the left holding the doll.  I don't know who the other children are.  Friends from Worcester's Vernon Hill neighborhood? Cousins perhaps?  My guess is it's not a school photo, because I doubt my grandmother would let my mom take a doll to school.

Mom was born on 20 July 1921, and clearly the photo was taken in the warmer months.  I wonder if it was a birthday party, and maybe the doll was a present.  I'm just guessing, but my mom looks about six or seven years old in the photo which would date the photograph to about 1927 or 1928.  The building in the background is also interesting.  It doesn't look like a house with those bricks or that type of window.  I know my mom won a doll dress sewing contest at the Quinsigamond branch of the Worcester Public Library, but that doesn't explain all the boys. Maybe the photo was taken in front of the library or perhaps in front of the brick St. Mary's school building.

If your parents or grandparents were kids in the 1920s and grew up on Vernon Hill take a look at my photo, and maybe you will recognize someone you know.  Family names for possible cousin connections include Bulak, Bullock, Szerejko, or Kowalewski.

If you do recognize any of the children in this photo I'd love to hear from you!

Beaux and Bows (Mystery Photo #21) - Mystery Monday

(Digital Image. Photograph Privately Held By Cynthia Shenette; Photograph and Text, Copyright (c) 2013 Cynthia Shenette) Hair bows definitely seem to be the fashion!  I'm not sure if almost all of the ladies are wearing bows for a particular reason or they just happened to wear all those bows by coincidence.  One of the young men in the top row seems to have gotten in on the bow action.

I thought I would post this because it is such fun photo and a nice group shot.  I recognize three people in the photo.  My grandmother, Antonina (Bulak) Szerejko, is the young woman in the middle of the bottom row with her head turned to the side.  My great-aunt Helen Bulak, my grandmother's sister, is the young woman in the second row almost directly behind her.  My grandfather, Adolf Szerejko, is the first young man on the right in the second to top row.  I don't recognize any of the other ladies or gents.  My guess is the photo was taken at one of St. Mary's (Our Lady of Czestochowa) parish picnics sometime between 1916 and 1919.

If you recognize anyone in my photo I'd love to hear from you!

Kick Line! (Mystery Photo #20) - Mystery Monday

(Digital Image. Photograph Privately Held By Cynthia Shenette; Photograph and Text, Copyright (c) 2013 Cynthia Shenette)  My grandmother, Antonina (Bulak) Szerejko, 1896-1990, was a long-time parishioner at St. Mary's Church (Our Lady of Czestochowa) in Worcester.  Apparently back in the early part of the twentieth century St. Mary's had tradition of holding parish picnics on the weekends.  I don't know for certain, but I suspect my grandparents probably met at one of these picnics.  My picnic photos are among the most fun photos in my collection!  They are mostly candids.  The pictures are all small and were likely taken with a Brownie camera. The novelty of the Brownie probably encouraged people to put on a show for the photographer.  I don't know exactly when this photograph was taken, but my best guess is the late 1910s, probably between 1916 and 1919.  I don't recognize any of the young men in this photo.  If you do I would love to hear from you!

Young Lady in Fur and Feathers (Mystery Photo #18) - Mystery Monday

(Digital Image. Photograph Privately Held By Cynthia Shenette; Text Copyright (c) 2013 Cynthia Shenette) I hate to say it, but I wonder how many animals died to make this young lady's outfit.  She has a fur muff and a fur stole, and her hat appears to be made out of some kind of furry material.  Given the popularity of ostrich feathers back in the day I hope the feather harvesting process was not unkind to the ostrich.  I don't know who the young woman is, but she does resemble my grandmother's family somewhat, so she could be related to the Bulaks or Kowalewski's of Worcester, MA.  The photograph was probably taken in the late 1910s.

If  you recognize this very warmly (and fashionably) dressed young woman I'd love to hear from you!

Young Lady in Costume (Mystery Photo #14) - Mystery Monday

(Digital Image; Photograph Privately Held By Cynthia Shenette; Text Copyright (c) 2012 Cynthia Shenette) Since it it almost Halloween I thought a costume photo would be appropriate for a post.  This young woman looks very much like my grandmother, Antonina (Bulak) Szerejko, but I don't believe it is.  I suspect that she is probably related to my grandmother somehow, either from the Bulak side of the family or the Kowalewski side of the family, though given the resemblance I suspect the Bulak side of the family is most likely.  My grandmother said she performed in many amateur theatricals at St. Mary's Church in Worcester.  I have photos of my grandmother in similar costumes here and here.  While the woman in the photo looks quite young she is old enough to be engaged.  There appears to be an engagement ring on the ring finger of her left hand.  I suspect this photo was taken in the late 1910s.

If you recognize the young woman in the photo or know about the history of theatrical productions at St. Mary's Church I'd love to hear from you!

Bathing Beauty (Mystery Photo #12) - Mystery Monday

(Digital Image.  Photograph Privately Held By Cynthia Shenette. Photograph and Text, Copyright (c) 2012 Cynthia Shenette) Here is a lovely young lady in her beach costume.  I don't know who she is, but I do know she was a friend or relative of my grandmother, Antonina (Bulak) Szerejko.  She was probably from Worcester, MA and a member of Worcester's Polish immigrant community.  I don't know exactly when the photo was taken, but I suspect about 1918 or 1919 given hints I have from other photos in my collection. Notice the high breakwater in the background.  Does that look familiar to any of my New England Geneablogger friends?

If you recognize this bathing beauty or can place the location of photo please let me know.  I'd love to hear from you!  

I sure bet those stockings were comfortable when wet...

Submitted for the 119th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.

Wedding Time! (Mystery Photo #11) - Mystery Monday

(Digital Image. Photography Privately Held By Cynthia Shenette; Text Copyright (c) 2012 Cynthia Shenette) Two years ago I started posting wedding photos from my "mystery collection" on my other blog, Heritage Zen. Here is one of the photos I posted there a while back.  My guess is this photo was taken sometime in the 1920s, judging by the style of clothing. Though I don't know for certain, it was probably taken in Worcester, MA and the wedding probably took place at St. Mary's Church (Our Lady of Czestochowa). The maid of honor next to the bride resembles my grandmother, Anna (Bulak) Szerejko, but I don't think it is her. There is a definite Bulak resemblance though. The bride and the other bridesmaid have similar features, so they could be Bulak (sometimes spelled Bullock) relations as well. If you recognize anyone in this photo let me know. I'd love to hear from you!

Welcome!

My Grandparents, Adolf Szerejko and Antonina (Bulak) Szerejko, February 11, 1920

(Digital Image. Photograph Privately Held by Cynthia Shenette; Text Copyright (c) 2012 Cynthia Shenette)

Welcome to my new family history blog, Faces of Worcester Polonia!

In 1990 my grandmother, Antonina "Anna" (Bulak) Szerejko, died and left a treasure trove of photos of people connected to Worcester's early twentieth-century Polish immigrant community. While I have posted a number of photos of my family on my genealogy blog, Heritage Zen, I've come to realize that I have many "mystery photographs" of people I believe may be family, friends, and acquaintances of my grandparents and great-grandparents.  I plan to post my mystery photograph collection here.  The majority of my photos date between 1900 and 1930.  If you are related or recognize anyone in any of my photographs I'd love to hear from you!