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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: LancsNorris986 on Tuesday 05 January 10 16:32 GMT (UK)

Title: Help - identifying photograph - religious?
Post by: LancsNorris986 on Tuesday 05 January 10 16:32 GMT (UK)

Hi,
The photograph below shows my grandmother and her sister as young girls.
What puzzles me is as to why they are both dressed in white dresses and both  have their hands chained together.
Does anyone know whether this has some religious significance at all. 
Thanks

Title: Re: Help - identifying photograph - religious?
Post by: oldtimer on Tuesday 05 January 10 16:37 GMT (UK)

Very odd!

They look too old to be taking their first communion, and if they were, that wouldn't account for the chains I shouldn't think.  :o

Some kind of theatrtical production perhaps?

Title: Re: Help - identifying photograph - religious?
Post by: LancsNorris986 on Tuesday 05 January 10 16:44 GMT (UK)

Hi 'oldtimer'
Thanks for replying.
It's definately not part of a catholic communion (having gone through it myself).
I did wonder whether it had something to do with women's rights.

Title: Re: Help - identifying photograph - religious?
Post by: oldtimer on Tuesday 05 January 10 16:47 GMT (UK)

Hi

That is an interesting idea.

It will be interesting to see what other RootsChatters come up with.

Judy

Title: Re: Help - identifying photograph - religious?
Post by: Subaru on Tuesday 05 January 10 23:13 GMT (UK)

Bridesmaids maybe?

Are you sure their hands are chained together?  Maybe they're rosary beads.

Title: Re: Help - identifying photograph - religious?
Post by: patrexjax on Tuesday 05 January 10 23:15 GMT (UK)

Perhaps dressed for a confirmation ceremony in the RC church?  Pat

Title: Re: Help - identifying photograph - religious?
Post by: Viktoria on Wednesday 13 January 10 20:42 GMT (UK)

I cant make out the far girl`s hands very well but the nearest girl looks as if she is wearing bracelets on each wrist, Rosary beads would hang down with the Crucifix showing I think, Lovely grls though. Viktoria.

Title: Re: Help - identifying photograph - religious?
Post by: Humpty707 on Thursday 14 January 10 11:55 GMT (UK)

zooming in on the girl on the left, I think she does have the rosary beads hanging down

Title: Re: Help - identifying photograph - religious?
Post by: Plummiegirl on Saturday 16 January 10 20:58 GMT (UK)

Add my tuppence.  They are both of an age for Catholic Confirmation.  It does look like they are both carrying rosary beads intertwined, if you look carefully you can see beads hanging down on both.  And the white dressses & no veil would be right.

Title: Re: Help - identifying photograph - religious?
Post by: Subaru on Sunday 17 January 10 11:05 GMT (UK)

You could be right Plummiegirl, or maybe first confession?

Did they have Corpus Christi processions in those days (May procession)?  I remember having to wear my first communion dress, and parade around in a procession, ending up in church, where a statue of Mary was crowned with a crown of flowers.  We had to strew petals everywhere from our little baskets.  Or was that a different procession?  It all seems to merge into one memory :)

Rosemary

Title: Re: Help - identifying photograph - religious?
Post by: Plummiegirl on Sunday 17 January 10 12:32 GMT (UK)

Too old for first confession:

Rule of thumb  1st confession around 8/9   Holy Communion later same year 8/9
Confirmation around 10/11
All these catholic "hurdles" usually happen when a child is still in primary school, but there are exceptions to this rule.