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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: MALIZ on Monday 04 March 13 13:52 GMT (UK)
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Hi,
Can anyone give me any more information on the enclosed photo. It is my grandfather Charles Smith, taken during 1914 to 1918 and I believe that he had just joined up for the Royal Engineers but had not been given a regiment at the time it was taken. On the back of the card is ‘Carte Postale, France, Algerie, Tunisie’.
Imposed on the top right hand corner, but for some reason is not shown on the 'posted photo' is Ivy Smith, his daughter, who died during the above years.
So, why would my grandfather, in Algeria, have his daughter’s photo imposed on his photo and not on a family photo in England? Has the crumpled piece of paper on the floor any significance? How would the photo be superimposed on the main photo of my grandfather at that time? Has the photo of Ivy been taken just after her death? Plus any other information would be appreciated.
Many thanks for any help
Maureen
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Had a try for you - it is a beaut photo. My interpretation of it would be that the man has just received notification of his daughters death and has crushed the telegram and thrown it to the floor. His face clearly shows his sadness and distress at the news, his face is lined and tired, battleworn no doubt. He is far from home , the news is old, there is nothing he can do. The image of his daughter has been IMO superimposed onto the photograph to show his link with his beloved child.
Whether or not that is the true story though I wouldn't know
Tidied your photo up for you
Cheers
Maureen
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I think Maureen's interpretation sounds very possible. I think this photo would have been intended for your grandmother with the images of her absent loved ones, rather than for your grandfather.
I think that this image looks like it might have been cropped from a larger photograph. I would guess that while on service in Tunisia, your grandfather received notification of the death of his daughter. He had a photograph of his family with him. He then had this formal photograph taken and the photographer took the image of his daughter from the family photograph and superimposed it onto his portrait. This would then have been sent home to his wife.
I don't know the technique that would have been used, but the daughter's image does not look too clear suggesting it was taken from a larger photo and some of the detail may have been lost.
Has the photo of Ivy been taken just after her death?
I don't think this is a post mortem photo is that is what you are asking.
PS. The whole image is there, including the bit with Ivy in the corner. There is a scroll bar at the bottom of the photo which you have to scroll to see the whole photo. "New" feature which I don't understand the reason for.
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Hi Maureen
You didn't ask for a clean up but I couldn't resist as I think Maureen's interpretation is spot on and it's such a touching and sad story.
I totally agree the crumpled paper indicates he was the one receiving the bad news and the superimposing of his daughter indicates that she is in his thoughts.
I hope he returned safely from the war to his poor wife. :'(
I agree with Ruskie, I don't think it's a PM photo, but perhaps taken before she passed.
Also agree about the scroll bars and wish they'd disappear. ::) To this end I've reduced the size of your photo so it can more easily be seen.
Regards
Caroline
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Don't read too much into the "France, Algerie, Tunisie" bit on the back. That just means that it could only be used as a postcard in the French interior postal service, which covered those countries only. He was probably in France.
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At the time the pic was taken your grandfather has the cap badge (Royal Arms) of the Royal Reserve Regiments which could have been either of the Home Counties, Northern, Eastern or Southern Reserve Regiments. He probably joined the Royal Engineers from one of these reserve regiments some time after the pic was taken.
James
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Couldn't resist colouring this beautifully clear photograph. :-\
Bill.
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Hi Maureen, Rushi, Caroline, ShaunJ, macintosh and Bill,
Many thanks for your views and retouching of the photo of my grandad (even in colour!). Your theory seems in line of what of I thinking and it is so good to know that perhaps I wasn't being too poetical!!!
Maureen, not quite sure what 'IMO superimposed' means but did wonder how they got the small photo onto the larger one - whichout the use of a scanner!!
Also thanks to macintosh for the information about his regiment - I cannot trace any records for him - but with a name like Charles Smith it is quite understandable - but I will keep looking.
He did return from the war and died in 1976 - at the ripe old age of 97 but the early family life was not a happy one as he seems to have lost twins, plus another child, and his wife (my nan) died only a few years after his return from the war and he never remarried. It certainly makes me think about my own life and how lucky I have been.
Best wishes to you all and keep up the good work
Maureen
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I think that maybe the photographer took a photo of a photo of the daughter from another photograph (which may be the reason for the poor quality of the small image), and then using the two negatives arranged and printed up both in the dark room. This is just my best guess. They would have had the technology to do this.
Symbols were often used in photographs so you weren't being too poetical at all. :)