Dating of photos please from my Steains lines, we have no idea who the people ar

[dentony1]

These photographs are from my Steains lines but we have no idea who the people are, so if someone could date them for me, then I can try to figure out which ancestors they may be.  There is one line who lived in the areas of the photographer/s, so it does narrow down the possibilities for me and whilst I am aware mutton chops became popular during or after the American Civil War, I am not sure when the fad hit England.

Thank You
Debra

[Jool]

Hi Debra, according to this website G Higginson of Bowdon, Cheshire was in business 1892-1896.  https://qvictoria.wordpress.com/ha-hu/

I notice your Higginson photos have the intriguing notes "The Dr." and "Queen Lita" written on them.    The Dr. and the man above him look similar to me, and he looks to be sitting at a doctor's style desk.

[Seoras]

Debra, could you also post the backs, they are a great help in dating if they have any design on them.

[jim1]

OK. The 1st. not much that's dateable except to say the hairstyle is typical 1880's.
2nd. could be anytime from mid 1870's & into the 1880's but I suspect mid-late 1870's.
3rd. mid 1870's-1880's.
4th. mid-late 1870's.
5th. early-mid 1870.
6th. not much that's dateable but what there is suggests 1880's-90's.
7th. although her hairstyle looks more 1870's it looks like these last 2 where taken at the same time.
As has been said we need to see the backs. Men's dress styles changed slowly so we need the cardstock design.

[dentony1]

Thank you Jool for the link to the website, that certainly narrows down the years for those photos by Higginson.  It has also given me an idea - check my newspaper sources for possible adverts for the photographers which will also narrow down the years.
Sorry Seoras, I don't have copies of the backs of the photographs but will ask the person from whom I got the images if he can obtain that information and will post that if he is able to obtain it from his source, who I think has the originals. 
We have no Doctors on that branch, they were all tea merchants but could well afford an ornate desk, however I'm inclined to think the photographer provided staging to suit the individual, as they were apt to do, so the desk could simply represent a business man.   I'm thinking the references to The Dr and Queen Lita were pet names within the family, definitely no royalty on that line !!
Thank you for your help.

[dentony1]

I have the backs of the photos complete with all their beautiful designs.  Thankfully the names of the photographers are also on the reverse side, so easy to cross check to the images on front.  The portrait without a name for the studio is the backing marked Liverpool & London Photographic Company.
So far, using newspaper adverts, I've narrowed down some of the studios.
Banks first advertised in 1880 at Rembrandt House, last advert was Jan 1884.
La Fosse advertised from 1871 to Dec 1884.
Mudd is harder as he passed the business over to his son but the studio appears to have run from 1861 to early 1900s.
Reston I only found one advert for Stretford Photo Studio, in Dec 1885 but haven't finished that search yet.
Higginson I've not done yet but the website suggested narrows it to 1892-96.
Liverpool & London studio I've not done yet either but seems to be that most photos were taken in the 1880s.

Any further help from the designs will be most appreciated and if anyone can tell me what ages they think the people might be, that would also be helpful. I'm thinking most are in their 30s but I'm no judge of ages for that era. 
Kind regards
Debra

[jim1]

The backs pretty much confirm the dates I gave.
The easiest are the Mudd & Lafosse cards as they are uncoded MIP's making them mid-late 1870's with the Mudd being 1878/9 going by her hairstyle.
The Higginson one's are a bit earlier than I thought & are also 1870's.

[dentony1]

Thank you Jim.
This definitely narrows it down to mid to late 1870s for most of the photos which will help decipher which family members it could be.  Will still be a guess but now I have reasons to support my theories thanks to the dating.
Your dating for Higginson also throws out the website's statement that he only traded in the 1890s.

Can you tell me what uncoded MIP means, please?
Kind regards
Debra

[jim1]

OK but try & stay awake.
Marion & Co. later Marion Imp Paris were the largest card makers in the world. From 1880 they date coded their cards which was a series of dots, dashes & quotes. So any MIP uncoded must be prior to 1880.
Also rounded corners on cards first appeared in 1875 so if you have an uncoded MIP card with rounded corners it's has to be 1875-1879.