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Can anyone date this photograph please

  • Thread starter Thread starter Humph3
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Humph3

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This photograph of a young boy is most likely my father, but I am not 100% sure. If it is, it should be about 1906-08 when it was taken.
Can anyone date the picture from the clothes he is wearing?

regards

Humph
 
Migh be worth emailing a copy to BMAG, see if anyone there has any ideas.

Worst that can happen is they say no ! i'm not sure if clothing is a very accurate way of doing it tbh, kids 'best' clothes can get handed down, as they dont get worn daily. And people probably werent as fashion concious as they are now.
 
I can't help with the date but what a lovely photo to have in your collection.

Is there a photographers stamp or name on the back?

Polly :)
 
Col H,

Thanks for your imput but who are BMaG when they are at home? I haven't heard of them.

Hi Porry,

it's a picture I found on my visit to my sister's Birmingham rast week and which in the past I had dismissed as unknown, but the studio set reminds of a picture my brother showed me a coupre years ago of my father's order sister, so I thought this courd be my father. His hands and ears seem to give it away.... if that makes any sense?????
 
It makes perfect sense humph - even with your L problem :D

I would think the photos of your aunt and dad were taken at the same time then????

Fancy coming up to Birmingham and not arranging a mini meet with some forum members.

Porry
- it could catch on you know:D
 
The photo.appears to be cropped Humph.Is the photographer's studio named on it,if so, it may be dated from when the studio was in business.
Failing that,the lads attire seems to be Edwardian,so what you thought,would be close.1906-08.
 
Hi Ray,
Thanks for that. The picture is cropped but only a small border as you can see from the original, no name or info on the back. The photo of his older sister I mentioned is, at the moment displaced so I can't check whether it is the same studio or not.
Humph

Porry,

My sperring is getting worse:)
 
Thanks for the link Alf,

Have just been reading how to date a photograph - very interesting stuff - well worth other members looking at it, using fashion to date a photograph, though in the case of some kids clothes as Col H says, it can be difficult.
Thanks again.
Humph
 
Fashion was often copied from the royals ,the jacket is a norfolk jacket made popular by George V.( THE SAILOR KING),now add the very distinctive collar (sailor style) and it would point to 1910,when George V came to the throne.
Humph,What year was your dad born? that might be another clue.
Don't you just love this detective work ?:)
 
Ray,

I dated the photograph at 1908 as my father was born in December 1899 and thinking he might be about eight or nine years of age in this picture I felt 1908 was about right, however, he could be ten or even eleven years of age at the time???

and

FashionZ, have just clicked on your link after I started this reply and, you're right, virtually the same outfit down to the boots. Brilliant. thanks for that..

and Ray, I agree with you, trying to detect information from pictures is fascinating.

Thanks again for everyone's imput. Hopefully my brother can find the picture of my father's sister so that I can confirm this is a picture of my father, which at the moment I am 99% certain it is

Regards

Humph
 
hi humph..ive been following this thread with great interest..i do hope you can confirm that the pic is of your dad...please keep us informed...

lyn
 
HI Lyn,

Will certainly do so.... isn't it just wonderful when total strangers help you out.... thanks to them all... Humph (and just for Porry Hunph)
 
The Norfolk Jacket was in fashionable use well before the death of Queen Victoria; but the addition of the short-brimmed cap, together with the sailor/shawl collar suggests the Edwardian period, somewhere between 1906-10.
 
Humph3 said:
This photograph of a young boy is most likely my father, but I am not 100% sure. If it is, it should be about 1906-08 when it was taken.
Can anyone date the picture from the clothes he is wearing?

regards

Humph
Click to expand...
Hi Humph, when I first saw the photo I thought Edwardian, 1901/10 dont know why, you family were fairly well to do I would have thought! Even in those days there was quite a gap
between the poor working class, and I mean poor and the so called middle class.The old saying
about choosing your friends but not your relations is very true. Bernard
 
Thanks for you imput JohnO. The clothes do match up with his age at the time, when he would have been between eight and ten.....

Bernard,

I wouldn't say they were well todo. My grandfather was a Windsor chairmaker and lived in Friston Street, so I wouldn't think they were the poor of the poor, but certainly were not well of either.

Regards
Humph
 
Thanks Col H,

I should have been able to work than one out.....
Humph
 
Humph3 said:
Thanks for the link Alf,

Have just been reading how to date a photograph - very interesting stuff - well worth other members looking at it, using fashion to date a photograph, though in the case of some kids clothes as Col H says, it can be difficult.
Thanks again.
Humph
Click to expand...

Humph The link is under Victorian Fashions on the Forum somewhere:)

Here it is again for newer members. This will keep you busy Humph it did me and still does

https://www.fashion-era.com/the_victorian_era.htm

Here is a starter for 10
https://www.fashion-era.com/1950s/1950s_8_society_never_had_it_so_good.htm
 
Last edited:
Cheers Alf,
I have bookmarked that site for further reference. There is some fascinating information on there and they certainly are very dedicated to have such an excellent site.
Humph
 
Cheers Paul,

Established now as between 1905 and 1910. Attached is another picture (cropped) from the same Edwardian period showing a boy in virtually the same jacket and mode of dress, bar the collar.

Humph
 
Humph3 said:
Thanks for the link Alf,

Have just been reading how to date a photograph - very interesting stuff - well worth other members looking at it, using fashion to date a photograph, though in the case of some kids clothes as Col H says, it can be difficult.
Thanks again.
Humph
Click to expand...
Hi Humph, it would have been easy to date our clothing during the 1930s, we all had the seat out
of our pants and holes in our socks, on joining the army in 1948 for the time I had my own toothbrush, pyjams and
many other things, Bernard
 
Exactly Bernard I had a photo once off Friends United early days of our 12 school prefects with our Headmaster, 3 were wearing cut down Wellingtons, 2 were wearing Pumps, 5 in Boots and 2 only in shoes, the majority wearing short trousers, none wore a school uniform, their ages all 14 or 15. By the way the Head wore lace up Boots. The Year 1950, I left school the next year.
 
Boots - That reminds me Paul and Bernard, when my father fell ill in 1952, my mother had to apply to the council for some shoes for me to go to school in. They only offered hobnail boots which she rejected at the time, but was I jealous of one kid who did wear them to school when I realised you could slide in the playground all year round without the need for ice???

And Alf, when it came to doing PT in the infants, I had no pumps, so the headmistress took me into the attic above the hall to find some for me......the only kind she could fine that would fit, were blue and white striped girls pumps with a strap that went across your foot and was held down by a rubber button - did I cry.......
Humph
 
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