Uniform identification and era?

[mellis5377]

** Also posted in Armed Forces Forum **
Good afternoon,

I'm having problems identifying a photo of my 3x grt grandfather George Thomas Ellis, we believe the photo was taken between 1850 and 1871 but cannot be sure, and we're having problems identifying if its either the uniform of a Royal navy or Merchant seaman. It also looks like his partner Mary Ann has somehow had her photo added at a later date as the light levels are angled differently on both faces, was that a common practice?

We also came across a photo around the same time period of his brother James Ellis in a uniform and was told by a relative that they didn't believe he was in any armed force and it was likely just theatrical dress and probably a smoking jacket?? Again was having your photo taken for theatrical fun something that was common in the mid 19th Century?

 Any help in identifying either uniform would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
Matthew Ellis

[chinakay]

The top photo shows a woman with what looks like a late 1860s hairstyle, but it's a very unusual format. No, it was decidedly not a common practice to have two photos merged at that time, so I'd guess that it's a reprint.

Did you scan it in colour, or is it really a black & white print? Sepia was much more normal.

I have dropped a request in at the Armed Forces board to see about the uniforms.

Cheers,
China

[jim1]

Hello Matthew
1st. not much to see but mid - late 1860's. for her.I suppose one would have to assume for the moment that as they have been put together the one of him is contemporary.
2nd.George Emberson had this studio from 1885-96.The card style would put this the earlier part of these dates.Dressing up for photos wasn't the done thing at this time & men very rarely did it at all.
I can't tell you anything about his Regt. but I think there's an Army Reg. about beards,some trades were allowed them,farriers,blacksmiths etc. the chaps will have a better idea.

jim
PS. Hello China...we've crossed over the waves.

[mellis5377]

Thank you for both replying to my original post.

In answer to your question China, the top photo is a reprint taken in the 1980's, but the original was carded and sepia as you concluded.

However the two photos are on the original card merged as you see them in the reprint. The owner of the photos my great, great aunt and most of my family hadn't even noticed that they we're infact two separate imagines interwoven until I pointed out the different light sources on the faces.
 Now everyone's wondering when/how this image has come about.. If you are indeed correct on the dating of the Female then she would only have been in her late teens to early twenties and didn't meet the gentlemen on the photo until at least 1875-1880?

I unfortunately do not have access to the originals now as my aunt understandably wanted them back as they are her great grandparents. She's nearly 100yrs herself and has been a wonderful source of information, hopefully I'll inherit the photos when she passes on now that the family have designated me as the family historian and digital backups can now be held and the originals returned.

Thank you again for your assistance and now wait in anticipation on the identification of the uniforms.

Matt

[chinakay]

Lucky you, being the family historian and having information sources and all...I only have a couple of cousins and they couldn't care less. Won't even email me

Well, so far 20 people have read the request on the AF board, but nobody's taken a guess. So it seems to be a tricky one

Cheers,
China

[mellis5377]

I was graced with having promiscuous ancestors so several generations often overlap. I've had the pleasure of meeting all but one of my great grandparents and its actually myself and my father researching and theirs 20yrs between us, and he's fairly young himself at 51.

So teenage pregnancy isn't really a new thing for the UK, well least not in my heritage anyway.
I actually remember proposing to my wife and my great grandmother asking when the baby was due , she actually thought I was getting married purely out of fatherly duty.

I thankfully broke the mold and waited to have children with my wife. Unfortunately for myself and my grandmother I waited slightly to long and she missed out meeting her great-great grandaughter by three months. Such is life I guess.

Thanks again
Matt Ellis