Another Group To Date

[cep]

Revisiting this one:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,41646.0.html

I have a similar group, though not as formal - no hats!

Would like opinions as to date and the lack of males.

Probably Essex, Billericay.  Farming families.


Regards   CP

[PrueM]

I should think around 1895, judging by the large fluffy sleeves worn by some of the women - these were popular towards the mid-end of the 1890s.
Can't explain the lack of fellas though...maybe the girls all wanted a snap together??  Which in turn doesn't explain why there are 2 blokes in the pic!

 

Prue

[Jackienock]

A tricky one this.

The date suggested is probably about right.

I was wondering if it might in fact be a 'staff outing' from maybe a 'gentleman's' residence. No uniforms, so not taken on the premises. The two gentlemen appear to be wearing riding boots which might indicate that they had brought the party in a carriage and were grooms at the same house.

One always tends to look at the centre person seated, yet the fact that a younger girl has a hand on her shoulder doesn't indicate that she was in a senior position.

Lovely old picture anyway.

Regards
Robert

[Paul E]

Wonder if the cycle, just visible to the left, is anything to do with this group?

I agree it looks to me like a staff group - no obvious similarities to suggest family groups.  Maybe staff from a large-ish house somewhere.

The chap on the left has an interesting half-smile.     Maybe he's a driver?  Perhaps a bit more of a dandy than his counterpart, who may have been a gardener. 

cheers

Paul

[Nessie]

Doesn't look to be an enjoyable occasion from the looks on the female faces.

One or even two carriages wouldn't have transported all those people, so I don't think the men are grooms. They both are wearing watch chains and the one on the right looks as if he has a flower in his buttonhole.

My guess is that it is inmates of an institution of some sort.

[Nessie]

Having had another look at the photo a couple of points for consideration.
I feel the bike belongs to the lady on the far right on the back row, she is the only female with a coat on, which suggests there was a reason why she was wearing an outer garment.

Also looking at the gate, it seems strange that the photo was taken in such a position even taking into account the position of the sun at that time of day.

[PrueM]

They are definitely all in their good clothes, not wealthy by any means but they are dressed very well, velvet and lace and brooches and all that.  Special occasion I assume.

[Paul E]

I'd love to know what's going on behind the cameraman - a lot of the subjects are looking away from the camera, suggesting that there's something happening that's worth looking at!

Paul

[PrueM]

Might have been interesting, but it doesn't look like it was very entertaining, Paul!!
Gosh they are a glum lot...mind you if I had to get around in corsets, high lace collars and heavy skirts, I'd probably be grumpy too