Wednesday 20 April 2022

Photographs: They capture a moment that’s gone forever but hold a mirror to the past

As I have so many lovely old photos, I thought I would do a blog based on some of them rather than a theme about the family. So here are some of my favourites, with a little info!

What comes through in the photo albums that we have is the strong sense of family; so many group photos! And in particular, it is lovely how the children feature so often. There is  a real sense of fun! You can sense the love and affection of the young and old and all ages in between! Mums,dads,brothers, sisters, nans and grandads.

Once more unto the beach!

This family were obsessed with holidays! There are photos of rivers,castles, cars, charabancs, bikes, lakes and beaches - oh they did like to be beside the seaside!


This photo shows Joe Vernon Smith -
my husband's grandfather with his son Edgar
and his wife's niece Elsie



This shows my husband's great grandfather on his mum's side
Henry Banks Rich. He is with three of his daughters
Grace, Lilian and Doris. I don't know who the lovely lady in the hat is!


Quite a crowd here! There is Joe, his wife Sarah (my husband's grandparents)
Also Sarah's sisters, Lilian and Doris and their husbands, Tom and Sam. 
My husband's mum is seated,centre as is her cousin who sits in front of her.
I don't know who the young ladies poking their tongues out are!

The stories of the Rich and Vernon Smith families are told in my previous blogs - just click on the first link and it will take you through - or check out the titles of each blog - it gives a clue as to whose story is being told.
 
Mums and Dads - Sisters and Brothers

There are dozens and dozens of photos of mums and dads with their children - probably well over a hundred! I picked out just a few for now.
 

This shows all four Rich sisters with Lilian's husband  Tom
The two children are my husband's mother, Audrey and his uncle Ed. Their
mum, Sarah, is behind her daughter. 
Don't they look smart - especially Edgar
in his little suit!


 Sarah and her sister Lilian with various children!
Audrey and Edgar are there.  They look so happy.

The children as adults! Sarah and Joe with Audrey and Ed 
standing and Ed's wife seated next to Sarah. It would be early 1950s I think.
 
The Kids are Alright!
 
Just kids having fun!
 




 Ed, Audrey, cousins and friends!

The Old, the Young and the In Between!

I love this photo but don't know who everyone is!
On the left is Grace Rich - Sarah's youngest sister 
(I have blogged about he - she lived to be 112!)
The gentleman is their sister, Doris's husband. 
I don't recognise the other 4  ladies
but the redoubtable-looking lady on the right keeps cropping up, 
particularly in seaside photos!
I know that the young boy on the left is Edgar - I don't know 
who the other lad is - but he is sporting a smashing Peaky Blinders cap!


And finally, two of the much older generation, with the youngest generations. Simply lovely photos



Is this the same elderly lady with the hat? I think so?
I have a suspicion she is Joe's mother but cannot verify it.
The child could well be one of the sisters' children.



I know who this is - it is Sarah's dad, Henry Banks Rich. 
Henry was a shipwright in Liverpool. I have touched on his
story previously but will be blogging about him soon. He had 8 children and
four died young. His wife also died very young. 
Sarah took on the role of looking after them. I have told her
story in a previous blog. The young lad is Sarah's son, Edgard.
Look how smart Henry is with his watch and chain and flower! 
 
These people are not my family, but I feel I know them well and find them really charming and endearing. I will find some more photos to discuss and then start to research futher back - there are lots of stories!


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