Can anyone make it clearer please.

[Tephra]

Just a thought but......... they are all three well dressed, very smart looking, yet he has a ratty apron...   could it be some sort of ceremonial apron??   

[chinakay]

I was wondering the same thing...like maybe a Mason apron? But Mason aprons, while some of them do have fringes, are not this kind of shape and have embroidered symbols on them.

I don't think the eyes are "poked out"...they may have been enhanced by the photographer. Usually seen in postmortem photos, but not necessarily.

Cheers,
China

[Tephra]

Hi China....... they do look too well dressed for him to be wearing a ratty apron.   I'd say in the general scheme of things, it does have some significance..... what, I have no idea!!

[genjen]

Last night I was with a friend who has a collection of books on costume/ clothes etc throughout history. I'm going to email the photograph to her to see if she can help with the apron. She did suggest that mason's aprons were fringed so that is an option but one which rules out the possibility of this man being my ancestor.

Are we now looking at two ghostly faces behind the seated man?

[chinakay]

The other one looks like an oil spot I think Jen.

If you go to Google Images and enter Mason apron you'll get a fine array of various styles.

Cheers,
China

[Treetotal]

It's not a Masonic apron...it's too big and plain...they often have a square and compass on them or the Lodge/Order Initials and colours...and have an envelope flap.
Carol

[chinakay]

Yes, that's what I was thinking too.

[genjen]

I'll take your word for it!

It is a very odd shape, isn't it?

Did anyone have any thoughts about how old they are?

[chinakay]

35ish? Hard to tell really, isn't it?