Mystery group photo ... views welcome

[Christopher]

Could be a gathering to celebrate a taxidermist's work on the club mascot!

If its a 'men only' club I'm pretty certain it isn't a masonic lodge and I don't get a feeling of acadamia either.   What about something like Round Table - I think they wear lapel badges but don't know how long they've been in existence?  Somebody will know!

Jill

Hello Jill,

If the photo was taken in the early 1900s then the Round Table can be ruled out.
It was founded by a twenty seven year old Rotarian named Louis Marchesi in 1927.  www.roundtable.co.uk/viewpublicarticle.php?article_no=234

It might be too early for a Rotary Club as well. It was founded by a Chicago lawyer,
Paul P. Harris, in February 1905. 

Could the guys be the members of a touring sports club plus the club officials? 

Maybe the ladies are wives of local dignitaries. 

This next link seems to indicate that the MCC played in Australia in 1906. www.rl1908.com/articles/ashes.htm The guy with the white V neck and the guy on his right hand side (the one on his left looking at the picture) appear to be wearing a tie with a crest. Could they be wearing the MCC Crested tie? http://tinyurl.com/6gwcv7


Christopher

[PaulaToo]

Pretty certain that's a Steiff teddy bear.
It probably belongs to the little girl, but she was mucking about, and it was taken away so that the photo could be taken.
What ever is it that the little boy is holding...is it a walking stick, does he have a handicap? Or is it another toy?
Are the couple in the middle the granparents of the children and the other seated pair the children's parents?
Is the older gent in Colonial costume, PJs, or looking at his shoes, does he play cricket?
And why are most of the gentlemen wearing Steiff buttons?
Well, they could be Steiff buttons....couldn't they?

Just rambling, bit tongue in cheek, but what a smashing and interesting photo.
I'm glad I took the time to have a look at it.

[Rabbit B]

Hi Everybody,

If it were not for the womens dresses I would have suggested the early British Legion badges, unless there was some sort of pre cursor. 

Ex Army chums visiting a sick or convalecent colleague, but the Legion was not formed until 1921.

Prue,  do you know?  If the grander ladies still wore dresses like that at that time.  I love the Steiff bear!  What a smasher!

Rabbit B 

[PrueM]

Hi Rabbit 
Talk about a blast from the past! 

I would think that the grander the lady, the more likely she would want to be seen in the latest fashions, so to me, this photo is early WW1 period.  I'm sticking by my earlier guess that this is an employees' picnic/gathering    But I don't suppose we will ever know 

Cheers
Prue

[PaulaToo]

Posh folk did hold onto longer hemlines for a while, just to show that they were posh and could afford the cloth.

[Rabbit B]

Hi PrueM,

Not that much of past!  But I will of course defer to your expertise in these matters!

Hi Paula,

My Gran was not posh but her hemlines were long in that era, which is why I suggested it,  maybe like me she just wasn't into fashion!

Rabbit B 

[Christopher]

Why the teddy?  Anything to do with toy makers of the period?  A group photo of the boss & employees? Although it does have a kind od 'club' feel to it. Someone who is into collectable teddies might be able to identify it

Jane

I'm inclined to think that if it's not a team of sportmen then the guy in the casuals at the front is a manufacturer. The other guys would be the sales force, senior employees and directors of the company. They may have nothing to do with toys ... the bear may belong to the little girl.

Since there's a problem identifying the picture post it to the following address (send by recorded delivery) ...

Image from the Past,
Your Family Tree,
30, Monmouth Street,
Bath. BA1 2BW

YFT can only accapt original photographs and not every photo can be analysed and printed in the magazine.

Christopher

[pinefamily]

Having read through the various thoughts already posted, I'd like to throw in my two cents worth ( as a "colonial" myself).
I tend to agree with the rootschatters and think it is an employee group shot, with the "benevolent" employer and his family (and nanny?) in the front. As to the era, I will leave that to the more experienced among us.

Darren

[rancegal]

I can't help thinking that the 'dark lady' may be Indonesian, Filipino , Thai, Burmese, or somewhere round there. Her face is not the right shape for Indian.