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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: NeilRJF on Monday 07 March 16 23:12 GMT (UK)

Title: Uniform Identification (Civilian?) George Edward Crow
Post by: NeilRJF on Monday 07 March 16 23:12 GMT (UK)
Hi All,

This is George Edward Crow (my g/g'father). Could anyone help i.d. his uniform please? He was b.1882, so I suspect this may have been taken around WW2 when he was living in London (Lewisham area).

I wondered if the "RC" on the lapels referred to the Red Cross but I haven't found any other photos that would verify this theory.

Many thanks in anticipation.

Neil
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?)
Post by: ScouseBoy on Monday 07 March 16 23:20 GMT (UK)
Have you looked for him on the 1939 register?

No,  I do not think RC denotes Red Cross. 
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?)
Post by: Seoras on Monday 07 March 16 23:23 GMT (UK)


No,  I do not think RC denotes Red Cross.

Me neither but it could relate to an occupation or society. What was his job.
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?)
Post by: ScouseBoy on Monday 07 March 16 23:27 GMT (UK)
What is embossed in the top right corner of the photo, please?

The standard and protected symbol of the red cross is  a Red Cross,  with the protection of the Geneva Convention, I believe?
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?)
Post by: Treetotal on Monday 07 March 16 23:42 GMT (UK)
Roots Chat?  ;D ;D
Carol
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?)
Post by: barryd on Monday 07 March 16 23:48 GMT (UK)
He looks like  an employee of a hotel.  Ritz-Carlton?  I am not certain however with the name Ritz and Carlton. I thought the Hotel in London was the Ritz.

However the link below has Ritz-Carlton in it. I am confused.

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=ritz+carlton+london+tea

This map may shoot my idea down.

http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/map

The same with Connaught Hotel , London but there is a  Royal Connaught Hotel, Canada.
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?)
Post by: NeilRJF on Tuesday 08 March 16 08:31 GMT (UK)
Thanks all for the thoughts so far. Yes, I have ruled out Red Cross now too.

Thinking about this, the photo was probably inter-war, when he may have had a few diferent jobs including, apparently, a stint in Australia working (according to family lore) on the Sydney Harbour Bridge!

The suggestion of a hotel employee is interesting; he was a labourer and ex-policeman so I wouldn't rule out any number of jobs.

As for the embossing - that is all we have I'm afraid. It's the wrong proportions for a (modern) passport photo but I guess it could be that?

Thanks,

Neil
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?)
Post by: ShaunJ on Tuesday 08 March 16 08:43 GMT (UK)
Quote
he was a labourer and ex-policeman so I wouldn't rule out any number of jobs.

He'd also been a ship's steward. FindMyPast has his merchant navy ID, with photo, from 1920.
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?)
Post by: ShaunJ on Tuesday 08 March 16 08:55 GMT (UK)
Hotel possibilities for the 1940's:

Royal Court Hotel, Sloane Square
Rutland Court Hotel, Lancaster gate
Russell Commercial Hotel, Vauxhall Bridge Road
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?)
Post by: Wiggy on Tuesday 08 March 16 08:57 GMT (UK)
Name of ship . .  or shipping line maybe??  It does look like a service type unifurm doesn't it - Hotel or ship steward or something like that.

What it definitely isn't is Red Cross.
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?) George Edward Crow
Post by: Treetotal on Tuesday 08 March 16 10:36 GMT (UK)
There are only two matches in 1939 one is a Carman & Hand Lorry in Essex the other is a General Labourer in Lewisham...I wonder if the "C" stands for Council
Carol
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?) George Edward Crow
Post by: jennifer c on Tuesday 08 March 16 10:56 GMT (UK)
That gave me a giggle Carol, rootschat, I like it. :D

Jennifer
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?)
Post by: NeilRJF on Tuesday 08 March 16 21:58 GMT (UK)
Quote
he was a labourer and ex-policeman so I wouldn't rule out any number of jobs.

He'd also been a ship's steward. FindMyPast has his merchant navy ID, with photo, from 1920.

Ah, that would be a breakthrough - I can see a George Crowe and Craw, but in 1921 and just the stamped card, no photo - am I looking in the wrong place?
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?) George Edward Crow
Post by: NeilRJF on Tuesday 08 March 16 22:01 GMT (UK)
There are only two matches in 1939 one is a Carman & Hand Lorry in Essex the other is a General Labourer in Lewisham...I wonder if the "C" stands for Council
Carol

The Lewisham one would be him, in Cheseman Street I suspect. Yes, I must get round to running through the 1939 register :)

Thanks!
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?) George Edward Crow
Post by: ScouseBoy on Tuesday 08 March 16 22:06 GMT (UK)
Can we try to decipher what the embossed stamp in the top right corner could be?     It could be an official ID card?
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?) George Edward Crow
Post by: jennifer c on Tuesday 08 March 16 22:46 GMT (UK)
What about a coach driver ?

Jennifer
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?) George Edward Crow
Post by: ShaunJ on Tuesday 08 March 16 22:57 GMT (UK)
Quote
I can see a George Crowe and Craw, but in 1921 and just the stamped card, no photo - am I looking in the wrong place?

Link to the image on FindMyPast:
 http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=tna%2fmsea%2fbt350%2f05%2f59%2f055960&parentid=tna%2fbt350%2f2130758052%2f1
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?) George Edward Crow
Post by: NeilRJF on Tuesday 08 March 16 23:05 GMT (UK)
Quote
I can see a George Crowe and Craw, but in 1921 and just the stamped card, no photo - am I looking in the wrong place?

Link to the image on FindMyPast:
 http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=tna%2fmsea%2fbt350%2f05%2f59%2f055960&parentid=tna%2fbt350%2f2130758052%2f1

Fantastic - many thanks Shaun.
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?) George Edward Crow
Post by: ScouseBoy on Tuesday 08 March 16 23:22 GMT (UK)
Ribble Coaches

or Romford Coaches
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?) George Edward Crow
Post by: NeilRJF on Tuesday 08 March 16 23:32 GMT (UK)
So from the ID card found by ShaunJ, we know he was a steward on the Venezuela, formerly the Adolph Woermann (surrendered to Britain as war reparations, but that's going rather off-topic...) The ship passed through the ownership of the David Steamship Company to the Grace Line. None of which helps with the 'RC' initials, but we've made progress! ;D

A close-up here of that offical stmap, BTW, from the version of the photo that I didn't digitally crop...
Title: Re: Uniform Identification (Civilian?) George Edward Crow
Post by: Treetotal on Saturday 12 March 16 14:40 GMT (UK)
Could it be Chatham Railway?
Carol