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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: bennever on Monday 09 May 11 16:01 BST (UK)
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It is possible that this is a photograph taken in London (although I don't recognise it) or more likely Melbourne in the 1850/60s, possibly near the port, and I'm wondering if anyone can offer any clues as to its location?
You can find a link to this question http://www.ennever.com/histories/historyquestions.php here.
I appreciate your help
Barry Ennever
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Hi Barry
Have you tried putting a copy of photos on “Photograph Restoration & Dating” part of RootsChat?
You could put up a post asking for dating and location help.
The people there are very good and can tell by fashion and architecture and background where a place could be.
Good luck
Terri
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Topic moved to "Deciphering and Recognition Help" :)
Barry, these pictures are most definitely not 1850s or 60s. I would say they are well into the 20th century, perhaps 1920s-1940s? A higher-resolution scan would help to identify features better.
I would say that the building definitely looks Australian in general style.
Cheers
Prue
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As soon as I saw these I thought they were Australian.
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These are modern snapshots as Prue mentions...I'd be inclined to agree with the date range too.
Cheers,
China
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http://www.gdaypubs.com.au/VIC/rutherglen.html
some in here have been renovated could be possibles
scaffolding on building and man has ? class of beer in hand
sylvia
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hello
sylvia
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I think he's holding a pipe, and I don't think it's a pub - doesn't look like one. I wonder if it's a posh private residence. If it's Melbourne it would have to be outskirts, as the city would have been much more built up at this time.
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That is an interesting photograph. I have no idea where it is, but I also think it's a private mansion rather than a pub or public building. If you look at the man in the first photo it almost looks like he was photographed as he was casually walking by, the pipe in mouth and newspaper tucked under his arm. The second photo looks more posed the pipe is in his other hand, the newspaper in now in his jacket pocket and he is positioned with a grand building in the background. He may also have removed his glasses for the second photo. Going by the shadows I'd say the photo was taken around midday. The man's face is on full shadow under his hat and very narrow shadows on the building indicating the sun overhead.
Also perhaps a family snap, as a professional photographer, (and there were many around in the street taking photos of the public to earn a living. I have photos on both sides taken by street photographers) would only take one, film was not cheap, and perhaps not offered the first for sale as it is not as good as the second.
Barry do you know who the man is? And do you know where he lived? That may help narrow the location down. He looks to be in his 50's that might help in a timeline location.
Red
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I think that it's more like a Post Office or even Town Hall. It's clearly on a street and close to the curb by the other buildings and tree plantings. I don't think mansions would be built right on the street in those days, 1900 - 1920 (my guess). I've seen those sort of tree guards in that era photos of my country town.
Mo
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My guess is 1920's:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0d9d/
(compare with Hawthorne House)
Check out "californian bungalows" - which have a similar style verandah. Maybe shades of Spanish Mission style as well ...
(PS. Definitely Australian ;))
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Hi there,
Is it likely that the part of the building in the top photo is also the part of the building in the lower photo? In which case, the land behind the man in the top photo may be part of a larger estate .... Could that be sandstone gates being made ready for assembly and thus be part of the entrance to the "mansion" under construction?
If that is so, then that could help date the photos to the year the mansion was built ...
Are there any clues as to who the chap may be and his age in the photos ... I agree he could be in his 50's ...
Cheers, JM
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I think you're right JM. The far right of the house also appears in the top photo.
But there is this too: :-\
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:01_Bondi_Waverley_School_of_Arts.jpg
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The School of Arts at Bondi was erected c1914 .... which puts it into the "right" era for the dating of the photos :D
(Google maps 138 Bondi Road, BONDI .... and nearby was a Masonic building which would have needed to be built LATER than the School of Arts as IF this is the "right" address, then the land for the Masonic building was vacant when the photo was taken)....
And the School of Arts building has lost the WING and verandah from the far left (looking at the photo) of the building...
Has Bondi Road been widened .... since the photo, or perhaps/likely we have not yet found the location for the photo .... Barry had suggested London or Melbourne or near the port ...
I tend to think the sky is too bright to be UK, but that could well be because I am so used to NSW sunlight and the photo may not be protraying the light accurately... There's possibly a much better photographic explanation as to the "bright sky" I notice in the black and white photo, but I am not ever to be thought of as a anything but an amateur in the fields associated with photographs...
Cheers, JM
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I wasn't suggesting that the Waverley School of Arts was the same building in Barry's photo - just comparing styles. ;)
From the photos it's impossible to say if the building is near the port, unless there is more information about the person in the photo, or Barry's ancestors lived in a particular area.
The chap in the photo could have been the owner, the builder, architect, or had some other part in construction - even a neighbour I suppose, getting his photo taken in front of huge new building. ;) Might any of this fit in with your ancestors Barry?
Window hoods to protect from the sun - so not the UK. It doesn't have a UK 'feel' about it - I don't think so anyway ... ;).
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It reminds me of some of the rural Post Office buildings in central west NSW .... the Post Master and his family would live above, and the telephone exchange would be at the side with the girls entering the exchange from the rear of the building. Mail sorted in the area to the left (looking at the photo), and of course a long counter inside for the various tasks .... agency for a bank, sending telegrams, parcel post, and letter post functions come to mind, as well as public telephone booths ... BUT there's no clock face on this building, and I recall many public buildings in NSW had clocks or at least a tower area where a "look out" could be stationed (Coaches approaching, etc)...
Here's a link to various Post Offices in Eastern Australia http://auspost.com.au/about-us/heritage-property-showcase.html perhaps there's some styles here to help date Barry's photos
Cheers, JM
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It looks like Federation Style to me (1900-1914-ish...so maybe a little earlier than I first though, but I wouldn't be surprised if the pic was taken around 1920or later) and would definitely not look out of place in Melbourne.
There are some websites/pages featuring the better-known Melbourne mansions. Couldn't see this one, but there are a few in similar style (particularly the arched collonade):
http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/mansions_of_melbourne.html
http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=408
http://www.mileslewis.net/melbourne-mansions.html (a Melbourne mansions database! Bit hard to find your way around/just browse, though)
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Hi
There are also places at St Kilda that look a bit like the style
http://thetramwalker.livejournal.com/41258.html
batuser
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This is "McCaughey House" Yanco Agricultural High School NSW built about 1900 (or maybe a bit before) there are certainly similarities in style.
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From the top photo, I'd say it was a country town or a suburban area.
Note also the deep (relatively) gutter which indicates somewhere where it rains heavily.
He's wearing a 3 piece suit - or a jumper/sweater under his coat - so I don't think it's north Queensland ;D ;D ;D
Good point MAJM re western NSW post offices.
Dawn M
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Hi
He looks to have a Panama hat and when were they in fashion?
Batuser
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Thanks everyone for your help. We thought we knew who the man was but with the new date of maybe 1920s we were clearly wrong. Most of us are guilty of not marking our photos on the back (because of course we know who the people are!). We'll keep searching for more clues. All the best