Coalminers and Cabaret

 

Fun photos on the shop-shelves this morning. From out-of-the-way (to me) places.

This one first. Four jolly lads from all corners of the world ...  dated 1930 ... names (once deciphered) are a real mixture ... so it has to be that European melting-pot known as the United States of America. But where? Is the Litchfield Ice Cream sigh a clue .. no.

Well, I can now tell you that this photo was taken in Hillsboro Township, Montgomery, Illinois. A township largely dependent on coalmining. 

And the jolly lads are (possibly in no particular order):

(1) Ernest Silvio MENGHINI from the Austro-Italian Tirol. Born 31 October 1899. Coal miner. Married to Delores (1900-1990). Two daughters and two sons. Died Hillsboro/Taylor Springs 14 March 1985.

(2) Anton ('Tony') VANZO born in Austria 11 May 1881. Coal miner. Married to Josephine Menghini-Ruffini, so, I presume brother-in-law to (1). He must be the one in the dark suit, aged 49 here. So does the naming go right-to-left?.

(3) Anton ('Tony') GLADINUS born in Leeds, England of Lithuanian parents (Frank and Margaretta) 8 December 1909. Married to Harriet Virginia née Holt (later Mrs Jas E Kenney, d 4 October 1990). Daughter Melody (b 22 July 1935). Son Thomas (b 16 January 1950). Labourer at the American Zinc Company. Died 1978.

(4) 'Sonny' Maxwell Leroy CLOTFELTER born Hillsboro 26 April 1910. Married Leora, then Mildred. Daughter. Here, a clerk in a feed store. Later worked for the water and sewage department of the municipality. Died 12 March 1964. 

The other eye-catcher was this set of three posted from Estonia, no identifaction, no date ... just the name, so I'm told, of the person to whom they were sent" "to defender N D Litvinov". Defender? Defending what and against whom? But then Russia during the early 20th century was usually attacking something or somebody. So that's not much help.

Anyway, here they are.

(2) and (3) might just be a school gymanstics team. Teacher, middle front? But (1) more or less gives the impression that the ladies are trying to entertain. The jockey dance? Oh dear, and one of them dared to smile ..  Siberia for you, ducky! 

The ebay vendor labels them 1920s. But he also labels them 'sexy nightclub dancers, pin-up style'. I wonder if he/she has more information than he/she is giving us. 

I'm a pretty good decipherer, but that is way beyond me ... and as for 'sexy' .. well, each to his own!

Decipherment (1): The first line: Village Tschutovo in the County Poltava

2nd line: For the Defender

Third line: Litvinof (Aparently a family name)