Old Mystery Photo

[trellisick]

just had another look, what you say could be cue's i think is just the beading on the door, but what? if anybody can see that well is on the hats off the 5th lady standing and the 5th lady sitting they both seem to have the same thing on the hat, is it some sort of emblem? would it be a flower associated with some sort of function like the conservatives primrose day parties? any horticulturists out there.
                                                                                                           kali.

[dave the tyke]

More thoughts,
I think I can make out tips on the cues when I enlarge with photoshop, there looks to be at least 2 and possibly one of those long reach ones.
The thingy on the hat - is it a rosette?
The 'staff' all look to be happy but the people at the table mostly look as if they are there under duress and there looks to be as many staff (carers?) as there are guests.
One of my Gran's kept her clothes for ages, I think she had coats and hats that were 30 or 40 years old, they were kept for 'special' occasions, especially the 'furs'. There was a lot of poverty in and around Halifax (and indeed most textile towns of the North) just after the war and for that reason I think that dating the clothing will give a false impression of the period.
Dave

[Jan_down_south]

Hello all 

My cousin, who has the photo, has tried enlarging it again.

He tells me that there are tulips and dafodils on the tables so I very much doubt it's Christmas, more likely spring?  But why the paper-chains.  Could it be as late as 1952 and the Queen's coronation perhaps?  She was crowned in June 1953 which may have been a little late for those spring flowers.   (Where are you Titchmarsh? )

The lady(s) have feathers in the hats and the picture on the wall, divided into three, have a rose, a thistle and a daffodil.

The "cues", as already discovered, are the door and casing.

Jan 
 

[dennford]

The only thing I can add is that no oneappears to be drinking anything but tea.
I also seem to think that Storthes hall used to be a mental institution ( at least my grand parents used to say of anyone unusual, that they ought to be in storthes hall). That would fit in with no alcohol and the barred windows.
                                        Denn

[trellisick]

denn, have a look at the little old lady 2nd from left sitting,  she seems to have a glass of something in front of her, and is she giving the fella across the table the glad eye,  p.s. storthes hall mental hospital in huddersfield (now a university) nothing changes.

[Jan_down_south]

If it's a mental institution perhaps that's why the lady in the middle with the "mad" grin appears to have the tea being poured into her hat!

  Jan

[trellisick]

and the third one down from her is eating the flowers!!!!  but we shouldnt joke this is somebodys families here.

[Jan_down_south]

lololol yes and it just might be MY family, or at least someone I'm related to! 

[trellisick]

sorry jan,
               i promise not to look for any more strangeanomalies in the photo but you have to have a giggle dont you?