Status/Occupations, etc of Ca 1880 Scottish album from Bowie family

[jim1]

are the babies sleeping?

I think the poster is.

[Ruskie]

are the babies sleeping?

I think the poster is.

 
That seems to be the case.

What do you reckon Jim - are those babies deceased?

[Rudolf H B]

Or are the babies sleeping?

Scottish whisky - just to keep them quiet !? 

Rudolf

[jim1]

Not far off. I believe I read somewhere that Laudanum was sometimes rubbed into gums.
P.M's of babies were usually taken in a cot & made to look asleep.
Difficult to pose like this on parents laps as wires were used to prop them up.
With children & adults this was done while parents were out of the room because of the distress.

[Little Nell]

This site may well be of use for the Huntly and Elgin photographers, telling you when they were active and thus confirm any possible dates: http://www.victorianphotographers.co.uk/  However, it requires you to purchase the information.

The Edinburgh photo site is free though!

Howie, junr - information can be found here:
http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/PP_D/pp_howie_family_james_1820.htm

From the same site, Charles Wright was at 54 Cockburn Street Edinburgh 1864-67 and T V Begbie of 7 Leith Street was at that address from 1874-81

Nimmo & Son was at the two addresses on South Bridge from 1868-96

http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_CAR/0_cartes_de_visite_0_nimmo+son.htm shows the back of some cartes de visite which might help you date these more accurately

The South Bridge was home to many photographers during this period:

http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/S/street_South_B.htm#39%20South%20Bridge

Street directories might also be useful if you have the addresses from the back of the photo to narrow the dates.

http://digital.nls.uk/directories/browse/pageturner.cfm?id=91047488

Nell

[Ruskie]

Not far off. I believe I read somewhere that Laudanum was sometimes rubbed into gums.
P.M's of babies were usually taken in a cot & made to look asleep.
Difficult to pose like this on parents laps as wires were used to prop them up.
With children & adults this was done while parents were out of the room because of the distress.

I did wonder if they were drugged. 

They look as though they are leaning back a little but still held up by the parents. The one on the right in particular I thought looked odd as he appears to have his hands clasped which I don't think a baby would do for any length of time ...

[jim1]

Difficult to tell without knowing who they are, will have to put it down as a maybe.

[Busy B]

Thanks so much for all the comments and input on this sampling of my photo collection! Wow! that's interesting to know they are earlier than I thought. I will look into the photographer histories.

So what does that mean about the young man that has a Balmoral Tam'OShanter hat? Did he play an instrument in one of the bands? Were there not many baby photos from that period that several of you are intrigued with the two babies?

Here's a few more : )
The fellow I'm attaching looks the most like my great, great grandfather Bowie. I think I found that Bashford was operating at that location on the years on wrote on it.

[Skoosh]

A Tam o Shanter, Tammy, Blue Bonnet, Balmoral so called, was the general headgear for Scots for centuries. The town of Kilmarnock, amongst others was noted for their Bonnetmakers and they were included amongst the town guilds. Here Glasgow.

http://www.tradeshouse.org.uk/individual-crafts.aspx

Skoosh.