Date this photo please...

[paulanthony262003]

Hello everybody, Could some kind soul please offer me their expertise at dating this photograph?

A relative believes it dates from the 1890s/1900s and shows a particular ancestor, but I disagree and think that it dates from the 1850s/1860s and so shows an earlier ancestor of ours.

Being local to the area, I am fairly certain that the photograph was taken at the Royal Avenue of Royal Victoria Bath in Bath which first opened in the 1830s when Victoria was a young girl. The wheelchair shown in the photograph was not being used as an invalids aid, wheelchairs such as these were once used as an early form of taxi service in the City of Bath.

Hope some experts can end our friendly argument for us ;-)
Regards,
Paul

[Seoras]

Not much to go on Paul but I would doubt very much that this is as early as 1850s/60s.

[Seoras]

I believe the transport was known as a Bath chair and it seems used predominantly by invalids, link below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_chair

[Treetotal]

Yes I think so too..here's one similar:

http://www.tunbridgewellsmuseum.org/default.aspx?page=1656

Carol

[jim1]

You're relative wins.
jim

[paulanthony262003]

Hello again experts.

Thank you for the input so far.   I do already know all about the history of the Bath Wheel-Chair.  It was actually invented in 1750 and had completely replaced the Sedan Chair in the city as early as 1830.  That is one of the reasons why I think the photo could date to about 1850-1860. Which is when these Bath Chairs gained the most popularity in the city.  Much of the City of Bath is on a hill and so many people, not just invalids, used the Chairs as a taxi service to get around the city. (see attached newspaper articles). 

Also, and most importantly to my argument is that in the 1851 Bath Census (see attached census page) my SNOOK ancestor was actually recorded working as one of these Chairmen, he had died by 1869.  His nephew then also worked as a wheel-chairman in the 1861 Bath Census (see attached census), but had become a gas-fitter by 1869.  No other ancestors worked in this profession at any other time in our history, hence why I thought it must be a photo of these individuals in 1850s or 1860s.

What would you really say the date is taking all of these factors into account?
Regards, Paul.

Copyright images removed

[paulanthony262003]

Also my ancestor was recorded in 1861 Bath census again working as a wheel-chairman, he died in 1869. So this is why i argue that the photo what I would like dating must be from the 1850s or 1860s.  What do you all think now? Am I right or my relative?

For those that may be interested here is a link to the City of Bath website about history of the Bath Chair

Regards Paul

[Treetotal]

Paul...The census returns are not allowed on here as they are subject to copyright laws
Carol

[Gadget]

I don't think the newspaper cuttings are either, Carol 

brevitas

PS - Not 1850s/60s - they didn't wear clothes like that then!