RootsChat.Com
Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: partially on Wednesday 11 July 12 01:13 BST (UK)
-
So here is an interesting photo, but I have no idea who it is, or even what family. If anyone can narrow this down to a country even that would help, it should be either England or Italy.
Also an approximate date would be appreciated. Cheers.
-
I think more likely to be England due to the flat caps and bowler hat, pipe and cane.
I will guess at early 1900's for the date.
I think the buildings look unusual though, especially the vertical boards, so I am not sure about location.
Dogs are very nice and look like some kind of prized spaniels or loved pets being shown off.
To my eye this does not have an Italian look about it, but I originally was unsure it was England either ... cap on the left is very oversized - tall guy has a bit of an Italian look perhaps? ;)
-
Upper Working Class or Middle Class people! Possibly not from the North of England as they had more affinity with terriers when photographed in this sort of environment.
However the roof of the house looks like a slate roof. Wales? Was there a demarcation line for slate roofs? North South divide?
-
Interesting Ruskie
- it was the vertical boards which immediately took my eye too - I don't think it looks Italian - not sure it looks English either - but . . . . . my immediate thought, before reading the info supplied by OP, was USA or Canada - For no particular reason other than the style of the buildings - :-\
Wiggy - - - guessing furiously!!
-
Upper Working Class or Middle Class people! Possibly not from the North of England as they had more affinity with terriers when photographed in this sort of environment.
However the roof of the house looks like a slate roof. Wales? Was there a demarcation line for slate roofs? North South divide?
No demarcation for slate roofs, there are 1000's up here in Yorkshire, my house built in 1800's and has a slate roof.
-
Is that a hand water pump behind the lady, or could it be an old mangle?, seems strange if it is a pump that the ground is earth at the base.
My gut feeling is the north of England, as well as whippets greyhounds lurchers and terriers, there were
great estates with shoots and moors and wetlands and waterfowling for gundogs.
James
-
Just a couple of observations:-
The gentleman on the right appears to be wearing gaitors (leather?) which could be for walking with the dogs through vegetation. Gun dogs - as someone suggested?
The window behind the gentleman has bars over it which seems fairly unusual.
Salvia
-
Unless that tree behind them is dead, it must be somewhere that has distinctive seasons, with deciduous trees that loose their leaves, so I would have thought the picture must have been taken winter/spring.
However the men look a lot more warmly dressed than the woman
-
I think the window behond is normal 12 pane sash window and not barred, what appear to be bars are wood insets for the glass and putty to sit into.
James
-
You're right James, it was too early for me to see properly.
:-[ :-[
-
I think the window behond is normal 12 pane sash window and not barred, what appear to be bars are wood insets for the glass and putty to sit into.
James
So do I!
Wiggy
-
I'm intrigued by the two small pear-shaped white blobs above the head of the tall man with the cap.....are they just blemishes on the photo, if not what are they?
-
blemishes is my guess
- if you want the photo restored you will need to change the original heading!! ;)
Wiggy :)
-
For a date just before WW1,1912 give or take a couple of years
jim
-
Many thanks all, gives some food for thought. And no, not really after a restoration.
If its around 1912, its more than likely England. Although possibly a photo from US/Canada though that seems unlikely given the other photos that this was bunched with.
If its who I am thinking it has some relation to the Sadler family, not sure whom exactly still. But if so photo is likely Essex, maybe Walton-On-The-Naze.
For those fascinated by the flying pears, I have no idea. I had a look on my much better original scan, and if they are an artefact they are part of the original photo. Although its hard to tell if they are indeed that or something hanging.
-
Are those blobs something to do with wiring/electricity? :-\
The photo does not have an American feel to it I don't think.
I initially thought that the window looked unusual, but I think this may be due to the fact that it is so close to the eaves that the proportions look odd somehow. Considering the brick and boards I did wonder if the photo may have been taken in Essex, but the vertical boards threw me. THough this was obviously taken at the back of the house and I don't know what the backs of those houses look like.
-
Telephone connectors?
jim
-
Telephone connectors?
jim
This was along the lines I was thinking. They appear to be an unusual shape and too regular to be an artefact to me. Though I have no idea what such things looked like back then so didn't speculate.
-
Coud these subjects be employees posing at a tied cottage? She holding a female dog and he holding a male dog. The lady does not seem to have the demeanor of someone living a hard life. I am throwing something out for discussion rather than fact. Could the old man be the baliff, another be the gamekeeper, another the groom and/or farm servant?
-
Hmm no idea, going off 1911 census which is closest information I have around this date, possible families were as follows:
Charles (age 56) - Stockman on farm - Walton on Naze
Benjamin (26), Bertha (24) - Police Constable - Southend on sea
Other possible males around age are all in the Navy and unmarried which seems less likely. So I am thinking the two on the left are Benjamin and Bertha. With the older gentlemen on Bertha's right possible being Benjamin's father Charles. No clue on fourth fellow though. And then could be wrong on all counts.
Does the fellow on the far left look anything like a police constable to back this up, if there is anything about his attire that is revealing of this?
Find attached a picture of Charles taken about 10 years prior if anyone is good at matching faces, they look reasonably similar to me.
-
Just had another thought. The bowler fellow might be Charles' father Samuel (age 78), which would mean the photo would have to be 1910–early 1911 as Samuel died in March 1911. Is this within the realms of your dating Jim? Though he seems fairly portly for a retired thatcher/ag labourer hmmm.
EDIT: Just had another look to see if I had other photos of Samuel and apparently the below is him. Though I am unsure as to when this photograph was taken (any possibility of an approx date? As I say he was 78 when he died in 1911), if he trimmed his beard, stuck on the bowler and got the large coat I am thinking it is a possible match?
-
Looks pre WW1 & ag.labs. didn't wear bowlers.
jim
-
I have no idea about fashion or buildings or dogs even, but the people look Czechoslovakian. Especially the 3 people on the left.
:) Deb
-
Coming in late to this.
First a note on the spaniels - they look to be Springer Spaniels, the one on the right is an English Springer and the smaller, paler one could be a Welsh Springer.
For me the picture has a Northern English feel and as has been said already there were and still are many estates Up North hosting shoots for game on the moors, and spaniels, along with other gundogs, have always played a keen part. The gable of the house in the left background is built of coursed stone and is typical of Lancashire or Yorkshire, and other northern parts. The tall chimney pot has a fluted top and is of the type found where the countryside has hills and dales. The lead flashing around the base of the brick chimney of the wooden building is typical of English architecture.
My initial thoughts on the vertical wooden boarded structure is that it could be some sort of clubhouse?
Maggie :)