date of this photo and anything on the purpose of the gathering

[Gadget]

The "white"area simply doesn't look "natural" to me,the edges are too sharp,the shape too uniform,as if it has been cut.

Roger

Maybe they cut out the shadow as well, Roger.

It could be a plinth waiting to receive a trophy

[Mhillbilly]

The original of this photo is in the the UK whereas I am in NZ.  My Aunt, Rowland's granddaughter inherited it from her father and he got it from Rowland (so it must have been important to him) as other pictures include family.  I was able to take a photo on my mobile, that image I enhanced and posted with my initial post.  The unenhanced photo is 1Mb and I cannot post.
 I cropped out just Rowland for my second photo post.
The attached is the photo cropped to no white border and no backing board and sized to under 500k to be able to post.

Any advice on a better way to present the photo (more helpful to your collective efforts) would be welcome.

[tonepad]

I have been squinting at the "sign"
When I tilt my laptop screen back a bit the image appears darker and I think I can see a full length image of a lady in a long dress with her hands clasped in front of her, it is more noticeable on the larger scan than the cropped one. I have tried to fiddle about with the image in IrfanView to make it clearer but I'm not very good at it.

Can anyone else see this or is it just my eyes 

Tipping a laptop back reveals the image of the man sitting with his legs together. This image is seen through a paper label/tape stuck on the photo. The next button down on his jacket can been seen through the paper label.

Tipping a laptop back also reveals that the paper label/tape is not part of the original image of the photo, but has been stuck on over the top and is a separate item.

So agree with Dispair.


Tony

[Gadget]

I put this through PS to bring out any texture/shadow

Note the shadow to the right of the object.

[despair]

I'm not convinced that is a shadow of the "object".What position do you believe the sun is in?

Roger

[Gadget]

From the other shadows, it looks nearly overhead - say 11am or 2pm - ish.

We really need to see the original and, preferably,  the neg/plate.

[Gadget]

I've just noticed a darker mark on the jacket that is a continuation of the mark on the object. It could be a smudge on the photo when it was scanned or .........

[despair]

The sun would have to be behind/left to produce a shadow in that general area,and then,surely,it would start from the left hand bottom edge of the "object".

Roger

[Gadget]

As I said in a previous post, we will really never know unless we see the original photograph or the negative/plate, and this is unlikely.

I've pushed this as far as I think it can go with texture and clarity, without too much sharpening.