Can someone please date this lady and baby for me? COMPLETED - THANKS EVERYBODY

[JJbeech]

the pm was intended to show the dead as if they were sleeping and would usually close their eyes and photographes were expected to use soft lighting to aim for an expression that was free from suffering and was peaceful

I believe this was a later pratise, first practice would appear to be:

The earliest post-mortem photographs are usually close-ups of the face or shots of the full body and rarely include the coffin. The subject is usually depicted so as to seem in a deep sleep, or else arranged to appear more lifelike

[toni*]

i agree in each case the coffin was not shown
and the material would be folded around (swirled / creased) to hint a movement where movement had ceased

[chinakay]

There are quite a few postmortem photos on Flickr, with and without coffins...

http://www.flickr.com/groups/postmortem/pool/

China

[chinakay]

I'm sure the baby's eyes have been touched-up. The eyebrows look painted on, and the hair is unnatural...like it's wearing a toupée

C

[JJbeech]

there are load of pm pics on this site too, although so far most of them seem to be later (i.e no attempt at life like - so be warned!! ) only on page 3 of 11 on one albulm (he's got load of vic pics too) but so far only about 2 pics giving any attempt at hiding what it is, so i guess close to end of this tradition.
 The before quoted website has some very life like pm pics, you have to look close at some of them!!!


http://www.boatswain.nl/4images/details.php?image_id=1516

JJ

[Maggie.]

Hi,
We think we have the woman identified as dying in child birth in 1877, am i right in suggesting that we are presuming she died in labour with her first child? (this was most common childbirth death?)

what if (and please no shooting down in flames!!) This woman lost a child in June/July 1876 (i'm taken liberties and presuming dates are a given!) whilst 3 month pregnant, she then gives birth and dies (perhaps due to complications of compsumtion) in Jan 1877, the child survives a while and then dies in June 1877?

Just a thought that explains the dates!!

JJ

JJ - this is all getting a bit confused - I have sent you a PM 

Maggie

[Britgirl]

Sorry but  he just looks like a very sleepy or rather poorly little boy to me!

The mother just looks like she's tired, which is not surprising given the times they lived in.
They didn't have the benefit of make-up to hide the dark circles under their eyes like we do.

I also think the mother has rather pale eyes which probably accounts for the 'rolled' look too.

[charlotteCH]

Hi maggie and all, just read thru the thread... and I tend to agree withBritgirl ...the child was sick and Ma exhausted with work and looking after him 

or how about this: the child was very ill and the family thought he might die so stretched the budget to have a pic taken before death. He didn't die so... bingo... you have your grandfather, maggie. [not very sensitively put ]

So we wait for 10 days or so for the certs to arrive.. then another lot of excitement meshing it all together.
charlotte

[Maggie.]

Hi Charlotte - I am not at all sure now that we have the correct scenario for this pic. as the more I look at the floppy child (my own copy) the more I see a child that if not already PM, is very close.

Also, I think I have also discovered a child of Edward Rosthorn who was born and died within its first year - John Rosthorn, born to Edward and his first wife Margaret in 1872, in Accrington.  Margaret also died in 1872.  The certs. should confirm.

Cheers,
Maggie

PS - sorry to all interested readers of this thread, but unless the certs. come in super-quick time, I will not be around here to receive them as with glorious mis-planning we will be away for a few days