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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: dawn-in-nz on Thursday 13 October 16 03:57 BST (UK)

Title: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: dawn-in-nz on Thursday 13 October 16 03:57 BST (UK)
James Williams was born about 1841, married when he was 52 to Alice Jane Chuck (of Marlborough, New Zealand) aged 26, don't know if she was first wife or not yet. I have a collection of family photos and James and eldest son Victor are the only ones named in the photos. I'm having trouble working them all out as the date of the photo in my mind just doesn't fit the ages of his children and/or grandchildren.
If someone could date this photo a bit more accurately I'd be obliged thank you - James is the man back left with the full beard. All of the photos are on postcards and some of them have F. Thomas Photo printed on the front in white, I haven't been able to find anything on photographer F Thomas (possibly around Upper Hutt area) as yet.


Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: Gadget on Thursday 13 October 16 09:01 BST (UK)
Hi

I think it would be 1905-1912.

Gadget
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: Seoras on Thursday 13 October 16 09:22 BST (UK)
I agree with Gadget, definitely Edwardian I would say. Spectacular hats there.
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: Romilly on Thursday 13 October 16 09:23 BST (UK)
I agree with Gadget, - the women's clothing looks Edwardian to me.

Romilly.
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: Gadget on Thursday 13 October 16 09:39 BST (UK)
Also, I would think that the man, centre back, is married to the woman on left - notice his rt hand on her shoulder.
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: Jamjar on Thursday 13 October 16 09:39 BST (UK)
Did you mean Thompson, or is it Thomas?

http://canterburyphotography.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/thompson-frank.html

Jamjar
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: jim1 on Thursday 13 October 16 11:27 BST (UK)
I can't really tweak it any closer than Gadget's date except to say it's probably the upper end of those dates 1909-11.
As Gadget observed the man in the centre has his hand on the woman in front who in turn has her hand on the boy so, husband, wife & son & possibly a daughter in front.
The woman on the right has her hand on the younger woman indicating mother & daughter with possibly her husband behind. The other 3 children could be anybody's.
It's quite possibly none of these children belong to the man on the left.
The obvious question is, how many children did Victor have by those dates.
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: dawn-in-nz on Thursday 13 October 16 13:15 BST (UK)
Thank you Jamjar but it is Thomas.

Did you mean Thompson, or is it Thomas?

http://canterburyphotography.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/thompson-frank.html

Jamjar
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: dawn-in-nz on Thursday 13 October 16 13:38 BST (UK)
Thank you everyone for your thoughts. I had thought about 1914/15 as that is the date the album was started by the album owner.

James's wife Alice didn't die until after him so she should be in the photo too but I guess there are many reasons why she wouldn't be, if she isn't.

They had had three surviving children by then, Victor Cyril James 1894 (married 1925), Alva Amelia 1899 and Wesley Arthur 1903. So none of them are the adults obviously.

There are lots of other photos (some taken the same day) with various formations of the same people, so far all I've been able to work out is that the couple on the right are the parents of the middle girl and the two young boys in the front.

The young boy in white on the left is in another photo with the woman next to him and in yet another photo with the young woman sitting on the ground on the right.

So far I have no siblings for James Williams so I don't know if the men are his brothers although I don't think they look to be old enough. His wife Alice had 3 sisters & 5 brothers so they could be any of them, lots more work needed I reckon.

I just wanted to confirm the date of the photo to make sure I was on the right track, thanks again all.
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: Thornwood on Thursday 13 October 16 19:04 BST (UK)
Looking at ages could the lady on the right be James's wife and from facial features,  the woman on the left her mother with her father behind. As James was so much older than his wife his in-laws would have been much the same age as him. The child who the lady has her arm on could be her grandson.
Just an idea!
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: dawn-in-nz on Thursday 13 October 16 23:55 BST (UK)
Could be Thornwood but there is another photo that has the woman on the right with the man behind her and three of the children so I presumed they were husband & wife with their children. The young woman on the right sitting on the ground could be the mother of the young boy in white but there's no ring on her finger and she does look a bit young to have what, a 5-7 year old son?

It's all very puzzling as James died in 1922 aged 81 so that makes him about 70 in the photo, he's a pretty good looking 70 year old I'm thinking! The woman in front of him looks to be about 45ish so she could be his wife but then why has the other guy put his hand on her shoulder? If she is James' wife then the boy in white could be son Wesley born in 1903 and the girl in front of him would be Alva born 1899.

Could the middle guy be son Victor born 1894 and that's why his hand is on his mother? I thought not as he looks a lot older than 16 or so, besides there is another photo of Victor taken in his 20s (in front of the same bush) and they don't look alike!

I have a few white hairs left.......
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: dawn-in-nz on Friday 14 October 16 04:29 BST (UK)
We have lift off....

I found someone who is the grandaughter of the little boy in white, he is Harold THOMAS, his sister Ivy Zilpha Thomas is the one on the right sitting on the ground, she is the wife of the owner of the album James Spencer WHITE!

Their parents are the couple on the left, David Thomas & wife Esther Elizabeth ne้ CHUCK, with another daughter Olive in front. So that just leaves the other family and James Williams.
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: jim1 on Friday 14 October 16 11:29 BST (UK)
So this is the lineup.
It makes sense except for Ivy.
This has been deliberately posed by the photographer & it would be very unusual to pose Ivy like this if that wasn't her mother behind her.
She looks 18-20 so when was Ivy born?
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: Gadget on Friday 14 October 16 11:35 BST (UK)
Ivy looks very like the woman behind her. I agree with Jim, it's most likely her mother.

Gadget
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: dawn-in-nz on Friday 14 October 16 22:24 BST (UK)
Yes I have to agree with you both but in fact we now KNOW that Ivy is the daughter of David & Esther Thomas, here she is in a photo of the full Thomas family that Harold's granddaughter sent me yesterday.
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: dawn-in-nz on Friday 14 October 16 23:18 BST (UK)
A few more photos, Esther with son Harold and the unknown family.
Note: Esther has the same dress on as in the full Thomas family photo I was sent yesterday.
Title: Re: Photo Dating please - James Williams and/or Alice Jane Chuck
Post by: dawn-in-nz on Friday 14 October 16 23:25 BST (UK)
One last one of Harold (born 1905) with sister Ivy (born 1891). So you were all spot on with the date, thank you all once again.