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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Timbottawa on Wednesday 20 November 24 09:50 GMT (UK)

Title: Finding a photo of a "terrible man"
Post by: Timbottawa on Wednesday 20 November 24 09:50 GMT (UK)
My grandfather was Harold Alfred Boyle (1881-1927).  He had 5 children, including my father.  All 5 children destroyed all photos of their father and refused to talk about him.  Whenever I asked my dad, he would say "you don't want to know about him, a terrible man".

Of course, he wasn't a "terrible man" to me, and I would love to find a photo of him.  I have been trying for years, thus far with no success.

He joined the armed forces twice - a brief 3-month stint in the Royal Navy in 1900, then he served in the Royal Field Artillery, 1915-1919.  But, as far as I can discover, neither the Navy in 1900, nor the Army in 1915 photographed recruits - or, if they did, those photos have been destroyed.

He also served time in prison in 1921.  Some 10 years ago I looked into police mug-shots or prisoner photos, but at the time I was told that, even if such photos existed, under the 100-yr-rule, access would be denied.  the 100-yr deadline has now passed, of course.

I've wondered about school photos (in Bradford in the 1890's), and I've contacted every single living relative of his sisters and brothers/sisters in law, with no luck.

Any suggestions or advice would be most welcome!
Title: Re: Finding a photo of a "terrible man"
Post by: normamac on Wednesday 20 November 24 10:34 GMT (UK)
 
He is on a number of Private Trees on Ancestry.You could send a message and ask if they have a photo of him.

Norma.
Title: Re: Finding a photo of a "terrible man"
Post by: Timbottawa on Wednesday 20 November 24 10:38 GMT (UK)
Thanks Norma ... I have tried that, without success.  There's even one tree with a (private) photo of "Harold Boyle and Edith Butler marriage" - I sent a message many, many years ago, never got an answer.  I suspect it's actually an image of their marriage certificate.
Title: Re: Finding a photo of a "terrible man"
Post by: Jebber on Wednesday 20 November 24 10:50 GMT (UK)
There are a number of articles in various newspapers about his crime, unfortunately none of them contain a picture.
Title: Re: Finding a photo of a "terrible man"
Post by: Timbottawa on Wednesday 20 November 24 10:51 GMT (UK)
Yes ... perhaps a decade too early for such photos (1921).  There are also reports of his bankruptcy in 1911, also no photos.
Title: Re: Finding a photo of a "terrible man"
Post by: Mike in Cumbria on Wednesday 20 November 24 13:52 GMT (UK)
If those who knew him destroyed all his photos and described him as a terrible man, I'd believe them.

There is a terrible man in my children's ancestry and they'll only learn the bare facts about him from me.
Title: Re: Finding a photo of a "terrible man"
Post by: normamac on Thursday 21 November 24 02:55 GMT (UK)
Quote from: normamac on Wednesday 20 November 24 10:34 GMT (UK)

He is on a number of Private Trees on Ancestry.You could send a message and ask if they have a photo of him.

Norma.
Title: Re: Finding a photo of a "terrible man"
Post by: Wexflyer on Thursday 21 November 24 21:32 GMT (UK)
A case of damnatio memoriae