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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: Fresh Fields on Saturday 27 February 16 09:47 GMT (UK)
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Hello again.
Here is another photo from the RC member who does not know how to prepare photos, to meet the forum guide lines. So I’ve volunteered to do it for them.
The subject is of a related family member who came to New Zealand in his very late 30’s after WWI and lead an active community life, in the South Island, [Geraldine / Timaru] but for what ever reason, chose to NOT bring his past with him.
It is believed he was raised in the UK [South Metropolitan / Surrey] and may have gone to sea at a very young age, as a cadet.
The NZ Returned Serviceman’s Association honoured him with his funeral, and he was known as an active bandsman, with an interest in photography and artistic things. It is thought he coloured this photo [c1930 ??], and that it is of himself in a band uniform.
Bands are very common and competitive in that part of NZ, and when new bands were raised, any uniform they could lay their hands on [like bands in recess] were made to do, until they got established.
Our ANZAC service organizers always looked for a band, and a bugler if one was available, so on April 25th attending bandsmen would attach service ribbons to their band uniform.
Extensive enquiries [including professional] in NZ and the UK, are yet to provide evidence that can validate the many and varied stories, about his life before New Zealand. Likewise the jury is out on this uniform, and the row of colours upon his chest.
Clutching at straws, but a new set of eyes, more familiar with the subject of photographs and or uniforms may pick on a point / clue that suggests a way forward.
Assistance appreciated.
- Alan,
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Can you please give his name and date of birth.
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The middle two ribbons have been coloured in as the British War Medal and the Victory Medal (the rainbow striped one) but are shown worn in the wrong order. The ones at either end are too indistinct to even guess at.
As ScouseBoy says : can we have a name, please ?
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Can you please give his name and date of birth.
Very simple answer there; it's NO.
As per introduction, extensive research shows he started a new life upon reaching New Zealand's shores.
Why the researchers of this extended family are clutching at straws.
- Alan.
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The middle two ribbons have been coloured in as the British War Medal and the Victory Medal (the rainbow striped one) but are shown worn in the wrong order. The ones at either end are too indistinct to even guess at.
As ScouseBoy says : can we have a name, please ?
Your opinion concurs with my limited knowledge. I don't know much about the man as I have not done the bulk of the extensive searching of NZ records and newspapers, how ever his handed down life story is just like your reading of the bar. Colourful, but juxtaposed,
Thanks for your contribution.
- Alan.
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Hi Alan,
You do not mention which RootsChatter it is that is asking for help?
Regards
Sarah
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Hi Alan,
You do not mention which RootsChatter it is that is asking for help.
Regards
Sarah
Hi,
This is the the thread the Rootschatter started on the NZ Board.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=741963.0
Cheers
KHP
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Thanks KHP. I worked on the photos until 1am NZ time and it is now Sunday morning in NZ. The lady I am trying to help, was last in contact with me yesterday afternoon, and has yet to get back to me with further authorizations, to action on her behalf.
- Alan.
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Saves on duplication Alan, especially Reply #19. RCer's have fingers in different pies to other RCer's and other ideas of where to look.
Cheers
KHP
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With the War Medal and Victory Medal in the wrong order, I had a look at the medal ribbon on the extreme left and I *think* I detect a hint of green stripes either side of a purple shaded one. If I'm right then that would possibly be the GSM 18, and it's in the correct place albeit a back-to-front order in relation to the other two medals.
The ribbon on the extreme right of the picture though is much harder to determine any shade of colour in it.
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Hello.
Sometimes it takes something like a service ribbon to highlight the fact that a photo has been taken from the wrong side if a negative [also happens with printing plates/blocks] but I don't know in this case, as the photo is not mine.
For a number of years I was involved editing an annual for an organization, and our publisher always preferred to have the images facing inwards to the centre of the page. I tried to keep that in mind when doing page proof, paste up's.
At this stage every thing about this mans pre NZ heritage is a mystery, with oral history not stacking up.
- Alan.
OOP's must have been burning the midnight oil. The ribbon would have been on the OPPOSING CHEST if it had been reversed in developing / publishing.
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Having read the other thread/post - it is suggested that the subject of this colourisation was also the colourist. It may be possible that the blurring was deliberate and the ribbons defined could have been guessed at etc.
But also from Papers Past he was a judge in Photography section at A@ P show at Orari .Dont think he was a professional photographer ,he did colour photos as did my Dad
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Hi Folks
could it not be something simple like the wife sowed the ribbons on upside down.
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Surely a WIFE would not be as stupid as that !!
I suppose in that vain if you were in a hurry doing a last minute attachment, say for an ANZAC service, looking down at your chest you could think the bar was correct.
Any thing was possible, but going to the trouble to colour what turned out to be quite a striking image, that could be hung with pride in a home, I would have expected it to have been 'coloured' correctly. All those years and visiting veterans, never saw fit to challenge the painting's representation.
It is possible that he was medi-evacuated from a WWI front campaign only to have got a 'Dear John' letter and decided to go to the other side of the world, with a Kiwi acquaintance made along the way. To a Metropolitan raised man, the sound of the freedom of an out back sheep station in the NZ ranges, could have sounded just the ticket. Certainly nothing like the battle fields of France and Belgium.
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Surely a WIFE would not be as stupid as that !!
Ah fresh fields, I had a neighbour once, young girl late 60s, hubby was a ten ton navvy, all muscles and mans man. They were skint at the time so his wife went to repairing all their clothes, she worked all day, even repaired the underpants. Next day at break time Navvy is standing in the urinal in a row with his workmates, when he discovered he couldnt get john thomas out. His wife had repaired the hole.!! Wives come in all shapes and sizes.
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I was thinking if maybe Henry didnt colour the photo himself the Photographer may have done it? Might that explain the error in the ribbons? If Grandad coloured it himself he would surely get the colours correct,especially when he was an active member of the RSA wouldnt they have noticed ? Just a thought!
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Surely a WIFE would not be as stupid as that !!
Ah fresh fields, I had a neighbour once, young girl late 60s, hubby was a ten ton navvy, all muscles and mans man. They were skint at the time so his wife went to repairing all their clothes, she worked all day, even repaired the underpants. Next day at break time Navvy is standing in the urinal in a row with his workmates, when he discovered he couldnt get john thomas out. His wife had repaired the hole.!! Wives come in all shapes and sizes.
You bring tears to my eyes. She would never live that one down, or was it stitch up !!
Nor would he if his mates became aware.
Alan.
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I like your thinking Alan! I feel sure something happened to make him leave all he knew ,whether it was a Dear John or desertion who knows!
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You bring tears to my eyes. She would never live that one down, or was it stitch up !!
Nor would he if his mates became aware.
Alan.
He stood there blushing,waited for mates to leave then dived into the cubicle and relieved himself after dropping his trousers.
What if (re Photo) man cam home with new uniform, asked wife to switch the ribbons from the old uniform because they were all going to be photographed, wife does a quick switch. Later hubby comes home calling her all the silly moos under the sun because she put them on upside down in her haste. He yells, now i will go down in history with me ribbons upside down
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Hello again.
Geraldine Girl has been supplied a band photo taken at neighbouring Ashburton, some 45 Km from Geraldine, that was taken in her period of research. Therein she believes is her subject, bottom left, this time with two bars upon his left chest. Middle right is another bandsman with a single bar, and far right a third bandsman, this time with three medals upon his right chest.
The mystery deepens.
- Alan.
PS. The medals on the right chest could possibly be those of a deceased family member, and worn for an ANZAC or Armistice Day service.