Please help to date this photograph of my GGGF William Taylor from Botwell

[Gadget]

I've just done a couple of snips for comparison.

Look very similar.

[Turtle Dove]

Yes, I thought that too - (and the younger man is the photo-owner's grandfather), but the son was born in 88 and the photo we have is from the 1920s, so for him to look as old as the older man I guess the photo would have had to have been taken about 1940. It looks too 'old fashioned' for that I think.

[Gadget]

Just to say that I'm now totally confused now. The man looks to be, say, 55-65. The photo style could be up to 1940 (have photo of my parents and elder sister in 1940, taken with an ordinary box brownie style camera).

[Turtle Dove]

Sorry if I've confused you. I'm very grateful for all your help. I think the two photos show father and son, but I have asked my relative to let me know how sure she is that they couldn't be the same person. Thanks again for helping. I wouldn't have thought about any of these things without help.

[miagre1]

I've just had a thought. If the photo was 1910 and the woman behind him is in a wedding dress, then the photo could have been taken to mark his daughter's wedding day. Does anyone think there is enough information in the shadows to see more of what is in the background? I just see a lady in white, and possibly another man beside her!

I've ran your image through some of my toys. 

Within photoshop - first photo magic to alter the focus.

second - genuine fractals to enlarge it.

third used photoshop's exposure layer.

So - deffo a female in white and a male beside her. 

As an aside, the bike has an acetylene lamp on the handlebars. 

[Turtle Dove]

That's great - really quite ghost-like! Google tells me those lamps were superseded by more modern ones in 1911 - but I guess not for the working man of Botwell. Thank you for your help.

[miagre1]

That's great - really quite ghost-like! Google tells me those lamps were superseded by more modern ones in 1911 - but I guess not for the working man of Botwell. Thank you for your help.

1910 (ish) with Ever ready (in a wooden box)

Carbide lamps (acetylene) still used in late 40's for some.

I am in conversation with Gadget and have revised my estimation to be circa 1910.

What date was the wedding?

The slow shutter speeds on (cheap) cameras would produce "motion blur" on subjects that were not still.

George

[Turtle Dove]

His daughter married in July 1910. His sons in 1898, October 1910 and 1919. It's such a lovely photograph, and tantalising in what is hidden in the background. It does look like the woman came through the door and noticed what was happening!

[Gadget]

Could you get your relative to scan the back of the photo, if there's anything on it, please.