Lordship Center remains to this day the heart of Lordship. It became the center of the little village in the late 1890's as Lordship started to become developed. The Trolley line ran up Pauline Street, turned right onto Jefferson, past the Lordship Memorial Green, through the Center and down towards the water.
1940 Lordship Center fire |
NOVEMBER 29, 1940 - LORDSHIP BLOCK GUTTED BY FIRE: Five Stores and Apartment Hit by Early Morning Blaze. A $30,000 fire which stated in the cellar of a two story business block at Jefferson Street and Stratford Road in Lordship and spread to the second floor kept three fire companies busy for three hours early this morning and provided a spectacular show for late passersby and residents of that neighborhood. The building known as the Lordship Community Center had five stores on the ground floor and an apartment on the second floor, occupied by Martin Tristini, his wife and their baby. Mr. Tristini is the proprietor of the Soundview Grill in Lordship. The family was forced to the street and the apartment was gutted as the flames hurdling the stores on the first floor soared upward and swept through to the roof. The fire started in a pile of paper boxes near a hot furnace pipe in the cellar of the Community Pharmacy owned by Fred Marino of Ocean Avenue, attracted the attention of Fred Donaldson Jr., son of the captain of the Lordship Fire Department at 12:20 as he was on the way home from work. Donaldson gave the alarm and Lordship Engine Company No. 3 responded. A second alarm was sounded immediately and the Stratford Center fire department arrived a few minutes later, followed by members of the Nichols Avenue Company of volunteers who fought the blaze while their truck stood by in the Center Engine house to answer any alarms from other sections of the town. The stucco exterior of the building made it difficult for firemen to penetrate the walls, while a brisk southeast wind whipped the flames so that sparks carried more than a block away. It was not until after 3 a.m. that the Center firemen and the volunteers returned to their engine houses and the Lordship firemen remained until 10 a.m. The owner of the building is James Malafronte, proprietor of the West Shore Meat Market on the ground floor. His store and the others on the first floor were badly damaged by fire and water. A restaurant owned by Samuel Donofreo, a barbershop owned by John Cicero, the Lordship Beauty Shop and the pharmacy all were damaged. The building was erected in 1912. Mr. Marino the druggist had been negotiating for the sale of his business for several weeks and the deal had fallen through on Wednesday he told friends today.
1939 - LORDSHIP BUSINESS PERMIT IS DENIED: Davey Advised to Obtain Approval of Nearby Residents for Block. A request by Peter Davey of Bridgeport that a small area in Lordship be changed from a residential to a business zone was denied last night by the Stratford Town Planning Board at a meeting in the town court room, Davey was instructed to petition for the change and present the signatures of property owners in an 800 foot radius approving the change. Davey in a letter to the board stated that he owns property on the northwest corner of Stratford Road and Jefferson Street that in 1933 was changed from business to residential zone without notice to him He plans the construction of a business block if the zone is changed it was said.
December 5, 1941 – NEW PHARMACY IN LORDSHIP INVITES VISIT: Recently Remodeled Store Offers Complete Stock of Drugs, Medicines and Courtesy: Although Lordship residents boast of living in a healthy section, there are times when they are likely to need medicines and other things that can be found in an up-to-date pharmacy, Ernest Gerstl and Michael Piazza had this in mind when they opened their new Community Pharmacy at 201 Jefferson Street in the Lordship section of the town and they are now ready to cater to the most exacting. The store is of the modern type, with new fixtures and a complete stock of drugs, medicines and other articles. It was recently enlarged and the two managers, who have had a life time of experience in the business, are ready to aid anyone who needs their assistance. A registered pharmacist is always on duty and a doctor’s prescription will receive special attention. Mr.Gerstl has conducted similar stores, one in Fairfield and another in East Norwalk and Mr. Piazza has had similar experience. All residents of Lordship are welcome to call at any time and look over the store, whether they are in a buying mood or not and discover that even a drug store can be attractive. Those who are not in need of medicines may find something else they may be looking for and with courteous treatment assured to all who call; the visit will be a pleasant one.
NOVEMBER 12, 1955 - WILLIAM PARSON HAS NEW NAME FOR LORDSHIP STORE: William Parson of Housatonic Avenue, who recently purchased the Lordship Gift and Tag shop, 348 Stratford Road, has announced that effective today the store, catering to young folks' fashion, will be known us The Lordship Shop and will be open daily from 10 a.m., to 3:30 p.m. Mr. Parson said that Mrs. Katherine Brockway, former Girl Scout official and active in PTA and youth activities of the town, will manage the store.
APRIL 28, 1968 - Lordship Post Office to Reopen As Senior Citizens Win Battle: Through the efforts of the Lordship Senior Citizens club and Congressman Robert N. Giaimo, the residents of the Lordship area will once again have a Post Office contract station, effective June 1. The announcement was made last week by Rep. Giaimo in a letter to Mrs. Marie F. Manion, of Ocean Avenue, president of the local club for elderly citizens of the Lordship district. Rep. Giaimo's letter, dated April 11, said, "It is with great pleasure that I advise you that Lordship is getting a contract station, effective June 1. It will be located in a hobby shop at 245 Jefferson Street, Lordship operated by Harold Walsh. I understand this location is only about 40 feet from and in the same building as the drug store where the previous contract station was conducted for a number of years.” "I cannot tell you how pleased I am with this matter and I know that the reopening of a postal facility in Lordship will be welcomed by many.” “I am delighted that I had this opportunity to assist, Mrs. Manion. You may be certain that I am always glad to help whenever possible, and it will be a great measure to hear from you at any time you believe I may be of any further service." The battle by the senior citizens club for reappointment of a Post Office contract station for the area, which is located several miles from Stratford and Bridgeport Post Offices, began last November, after the previous contractor had announced he did not wish to renew his contract. The Lordship district, located in the southernmost tip of Stratford, along the Long Island Sound coast, had been served by a post office station for the past 27 years. The area has approximately 6,000 residents, who must travel to the center of Stratford by auto, as there is no bus service from Lordship to other sections of the town. The cancellation of the postal service struck the senior citizens hardest, because most do not drive, and often could not leave their home and were without mail contact to the outside world, Mrs. Manion said. After contacting various postal officials and making personal visits to the small number of merchants in the Lordship area, without success, Mrs. Manion drew up a petition and presented it to a regular meeting of the Lordship Seniors, requesting that each of the 54 members present sign the document for submission to President Johnson, Postmaster General Lawrence O'Brien and Congressman Donald Irwin, who, in turn, referred the group to Congressman Giaimo, who represents the area. A portion of the petition included the paragraph, “Our interest in this matter is great indeed and, as substantiated the signatures of the citizens the attached page, all members of this Lordship community, more than attests to their sincerity and the urgency of this request." The document also stated that the former contractor for the postal service "reportedly realized 1966 stamp sales amounting to $18,000, not including countless packages and sales of Postal Money Orders. Because of the heavy influx of mail submitted daily by residents of this community, he was forced to disband this service for lack of sufficient funds to hire additional personnel." Cries of protest arose from Mrs. Manion and other members of the Lordship Senior Citizens club when last Thursday they read a local weekly newspaper that State Sen. George L. Gunther had arranged for the renewal of the postal contract station in the Lordship area. The article stated, "Sen. George L. Gunther, who for the past month has been working on getting a post office for Lordship, received news this week that the Boston Regional office has received a bid from a merchant to locate the post office in his establishment. In February, Gunther had made inquiries of the regional office lo see what could be done to get the post office returned to the Lordship area. Gunther, who has been on the post office project for months, said that he had been contacted by the Lordship Improvement Association several months ago and has been working on it ever since." Mrs. Florence Davis, publicity chairman for the Lordship Seniors' club, stated that, "at each weekly meeting, Mrs. Manion would inform us of her activities in trying to secure the post office station. We all wrote letters to Congressman Giaimo; we petitioned our neighbors, and went door to door looking for a place to locate the substation." Commenting on Mrs. Manion's individual efforts, Mrs. Davis said, "She deserves credit for working so diligently toward obtaining this project. All the people of Lordship will appreciate this important service which will be made available to the public once more through her hard work." Contacted yesterday, Mrs. Manion declared that the seniors' group "was unaware that any efforts to relocate the substation in Lordship" were being made by Sen. Gunther, who had not contacted the group at any time. "We do not feel that it is fair that Sen. Gunther should take credit for something that we senior citizens worked so hard for," Mrs. Manion said. She added that, when the first announcement of the cancellation of the post office station was made, the seniors contacted various merchants, organizations and individuals, seeking either another location for the station or support in their efforts to gain renewal of the service. When their requests went unanswered, Mrs. Manion said, "We decided to do it ourselves," even though the post office will be enjoyed by all residents of the area. It was reported that Mr. Walsh, resident of Milford, plans to operate a hobby shop at the Jefferson Street address, serving clientele interested in model railroading. He was said to have selected the Lordship site in response to a classified advertisement by owner's of the building, which stipulated that the rentee include in his operations the management of a postal contract station.
June 17, 1977 - POSTAL STATION DUE AT LORDSHIP SITE: A postal contract station will open June 20 in the Lordship area of Stratford for the convenience of south Stratford residents. Postmaster William Keller announced. The station, located in the Nationwide Insurance office at 316 Stratford Road, Stratford, will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday hours will be 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thomas Beauchene of Ryegate Terrace, Stratford, the manager of the Nationwide Insurance office, was awarded the contract for the postal subunit, All postal services will be provided at this contract station.
April 19, 1989 - FIRE DESTROYS SHOPPING COMPLEX IN LORDSHIP: A block of stores in the town’s Lordship section was extensively damaged after the second of two separate fires burned down a small shopping complex Wednesday night, fire officials said. An 8:14 p.m. call brought firefighters to the Lordship Video Store on Jefferson Street after a blaze broke out near the store’s video drop off slot. The fire had little time to spread and was burning only minutes before fire personnel arrived, so damage was minimal according to Assistant Fire Chief Dan Chanda. Three hours after the blaze was extinguished however firefighters received another call and found the entire block of stores at 220 Jefferson Street, including the video store as well as Lordship Hardware and Electric, West Shore Market, Jan’s Dressmaking and Alterations and a barber shop in flames according to a fire official. In all, five stores and four private apartments were gutted after the 11:30 p.m. blaze. Nearly 20 firefighters – representing all the fire personnel in the town were at the scene all night fighting the fire officials said. Fire officials were still at the scene early this morning and some of the debris continued to smolder. Firefighters said the first blaze is suspicious in origin and a fire department source said whoever started the first fire may have returned to set the second after engine companies left the scene, although exact cause of the fire and what store it started in was undetermined. No one was injured and the residents of the four second floor apartments fled the scene after the first minor fire and are staying elsewhere. No one could be reached at any of the stores. Gabriel Malafronte of Hamden, owner of the property was unsure what he was going to do next. Malafronte who said his family has owned the building 40 or 50 years said he has insurance but not enough to rebuild the complex. He expressed dismay that he wasn’t notified of the second more damaging blaze and found out only when he arrived at the property this morning.
1989 Lordship Fire |
1989 Lordship Center Fire |
The Lordship Casino |
1989 Center Fire |
April 27, 1989 - HOMES AND LIVELIHOODS VANISH: The April 19th arson fire that totally destroyed a shopping complex in Lordship Center wiped out five businesses and four apartments. It also took a big chunk of the community’s past and present. “That’s half of Lordship,” one of the hundreds of onlookers remarked as the persistent blaze ate across the roof and through the 77-year-old building. In the small, tightly-knit community the store owners are friends and neighbors. Throughout the crowd people spoke quietly to one another, expressing their sympathy for the business people, calling them by their first names. Three had been family businesses for two generations. Everyone shared a history making the loss deeply personal. “It’s always been there…my whole life,” one young man remembered. Others recalled the stores and people who had been an integral part of their lives and many a moment to speak to the present owners who stood together viewing the scene in shock and disbelief. Still others could remember back to when the building was called the Casino. According to the Stratford Fire Department, the blaze was caused by someone pouring a volatile substance through the return slot at Lordship Video Store about 8 p.m. Responding from only two blocks away, firefighters extinguished the then small blaze and stayed on the scene until 10:30 p.m. A resident who wished to remain anonymous reported that the patrol car left on the scene after the initial fire left the area only minutes before the fire erupted again or was reset. Firefighters from Stratford, Huntington and Nichols battled the blaze throughout the night and were still pouring water on the remains the following morning. By Friday the remaining portion of the northern half of the building was being pulled down. Bitter tragedy loomed on the voices and remarks as storeowners spoke of the destruction. A piece of history and livelihood destroyed in one fell swoop. Building owner Gabriel Malafront could not be contacted but was said to have no plans to rebuild by one merchant. Jan Fagan owner of Jan’s Alterations said she may be able to salvage a pair of old sewing machines but considered it doubtful. “I’ve lost everything, I don’t even have a spool of thread in the house” she stated recently. When asked if her shop could have been a target for arson she thought not. She is especially devastated as she carried no insurance on her shop. The Stone’s, proprietors of the West Shore Market offered no comment under the advice of their attorney. Although the people who lived in the second floor apartments got out safely, their homes and personal belongings were completely destroyed and over the weekend the Lordship Fathers Club set up a collection center for clothing and furnishings for the displaced families. One tenant had been in the process of moving but lost all his personal effects. The others were wiped out completely. According to long-time resident Vincent Foley, the building was built in 1912 by the Wilkenda (Wilson, Kenworthy and Davis) Land Company to promote their real estate development in the Lordship area. Established as a recreation center for the new area, the building, called the Casino, housed a small store and garages for the company’s limousines on the first floor and the “Lordship Country Club” on the second. The limousines were used to show clients around, Foley said and as an additional “hook” the company promised to transport children to school in them. Two tennis courts were built in the back and a small golf course and clubhouse nearby added additional incentive for buying a home. Dances were held weekly at the “Casino’ which boasted a player piano and a wall of windows overlooking the then nearly empty acres and Long Island Sound. Despite its name there was no gambling in the Casino, Foley said. When the Lordship trolley line was built in 1915, the area became a mecca for people from all over the area and Lordship Manor was touted as “Bridgeport’s newest and best resort.” A bathhouse accommodating 100 plus an ice cram parlor, tea room and overlook balcony were built on the beach nearby. Soon a dance hall was added and later a skating rink. The Casino building later became the Lordship Volunteer Fire Department and housed a drug store. A grocery was always the linchpin of the complex. According to Foley, Al Tiburzi sold to Malafronte’s brother James in the 30’s and his sons Gabe and Tony ran the West Shore Market until four years ago when they sold to present owner Lordshipite Rick Stone. Dress shop owner Janice Fagan is the daughter of the late Helen Biebel who ran a dry cleaning store and postal substation in the complex for many years. Hardware owner Jean Brown’s father ran the store for many years before she and her husband took it over.
The Lordship Market was originally built as the Lordship Fire company' new home where the trolley bends around the corner. Now the site of the teachers parking lot at Lordship School on Pauline Street. The building was opened on October 17, 1921 and became Lordship's second firehouse. The Tiburzi family bought the building after the current firehouse was built in 1941. The building was converted into the Lordship Market. The Lordship Fathers Club leased the second floor as a clubhouse during the 1950's until the early 1960's. The building was eventually sold to the Town of Stratford in 1964 for $17,000. The building burned down in 1965 (see article below).
June 5, 1960 - LORDSHIP MARKET, INC ON TO COURT ON ZONE: The Lordship Market Inc., Pauline Street, has filed an appeal in Common Pleas court asking a change in the decision of the Board of Zoning Appeals which granted it a request for an extension of a non-conforming use but with restrictions. The petitioner says that the restrictions are unfair and should not be permitted to continue as part of the permit to expand and extend the market. The appeals board granted the permit with the provision that the owners discontinue the rental of the second floor for dances and parties.
1964 Lordship Market Fire |
Elaine's School of Dance |
