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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: Peter the Pirate on Thursday 13 December 07 20:47 GMT (UK)
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Unfortunately the ambrotype was broken and it also had a few spots on it. I rather like the background and the bluish tint though.
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Hellp Peter, welcome to Rootschat!
Fabulous picture, very different! Do you know how this Peter lost his eye? What part of England was he from, and when did he arrive in Canada? Just curious.
Cheers,
China
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Fabulous picture, very different! Do you know how this Peter lost his eye? What part of England was he from, and when did he arrive in Canada? Just curious.
Young Peter the blacksmith was "full of piss and vinegar". One fine summer's day he was outside the blacksmith shop and needed something from inside. In those days the smithies had large, door-sized windows that were opened in the summer to let the heat out. Rather than go around the side to the door, Peter decided to jump through one of the open windows. Just inside the window, hanging from the rafters was a large hook......
He was born in Penryn, Cornwall in 1823 and christened in Perranarworthal.
I've been unable to discover exactly when he emigrated. He's in the 1841 census for Mylor, Cornwall and was married in Markham, Ontario in 1851 where he's also listed in the 1851 census of Canada.
I'm assuming the photo was taken in Canada, but there are no markings on the case.
One relative remembers hearing that "he came from Land's End". I've been unable to find any ships that actually sailed from Land's End but am still looking.
They moved to Iowa, USA in 1882 and then to North Dakota, USA in 1899. He died in North Dakota in 1907. Of all the people in my family tree, there's no doubt that he and his offspring moved the most and have proven to be the most challenging to trace. It's been quite an adventure though.
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Hi Peter
Here is a quick fix from me
Pete :D
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Thanks! He looks much, much better!
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Hi Pete
I just had to have a go at this. What an amazing picture and an even ore amazing story. :o
Irene
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Hello Peter,
Here are two from me.
Jim
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...........and one with a touch of colour.
Jim
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Hi Peter
Welcome to Rootschat.
What an awesome photo, just love the moodiness of it...fantastic. Here's a tidy up from me.
Caz
PS Love the colour Jim 8) 8)
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What an interesting story, Peter, to go with a great photo!
I'm not sure you will find any ships sailing from Land's End...it is a rocky promontory with cliffs and underwater rocks, and no harbour. I don't think ships actually sailed from there...the absence of any sort of port makes it a bit difficult :D
But he may have sailed from Falmouth. It is on the doorstep of Penryn and is a good anchorage capable of handling large sailing vessels. So is Penzance, a bit farther west.
Cheers,
China
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Many thanks for all the hard work. He looks much, much better. The next time I update my website, it'll look wonderful.
China, the relative who said he remembered Peter coming from Land's End is 89 years old and is unfortunately becoming more forgetful. I agree that he probably sailed from Falmouth.
Thanks again,
Lyle
PS Peter the Pirate is my nickname for the Peter in the photo. There are 8 or 9 Peter Copelans in the family, one of them my grandfather and it got rather confusing when talking to relatives. I liked the alliteration and people definitely remember him now. Actually, my grandfather is probably more of a pirate, albeit landbased, but that's another story altogether.
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Hi
Sorry these are late
(Actually, I did them last night, but once again my computer frooze up, which it's started doing regularly, and I couldn't send them)
Mudge