Who's That Girl? Family mysteries

Many of us have photos that have been passed down through the family that are so old, there is no-one left to help identify them! When my mother in law died 2 years ago, we found 100s of wonderful family photos - if only we had known about them! She would have helped us to put names to faces. 

 

Although I hardly know anything about some of them, they are such lovely old photos I thought I would share a few of the very stylish women who are in the collection!

"Agnes 1920"

I do have a first name and even a date on the back of this photo but frustratingly, I cannot find an Agnes yet in the family. Both of my husband's grandparents had very large families; Agnes could be an aunt, sister in law or other female member of the family. As  yet I have no idea, but I love her calm face, understated jewellery and smart spectacles! 

 

 "From Auntie to Dorris"

Another photo that has a tantalising message on the back. Dorris was my husband's great aunt. "Auntie" could be one of her mother or father's sisters - there are a LOT! However, she does look very much like Dorris's mother - Sarah Eilbeck. The clothes and jewellery are as similarly understated as those of Agnes, especially the choker worn at the neck.

And now some of the real mystery women!

 

I wondered if these were possibly the same woman at different ages? the photo on the left has the date "25 June 192?" on the back. I need to search through some more photos to see if there are any clues. This lady is wearing far more jewellery than the previous women - and I love the hair decoration. 

My favourite mystery woman! So classy - even the little card that encloses the photograph is beautiful! This woman is the least adorned - and yet the simplicity just accentuates her lovely features. I have inherited a lot of costume jewellery with my mother in law's things. I am going to try and match up some of the items with those in these photos (when I get the time!).

 

 

This lady's accessories are just beautiful. A lovely brooch, gorgeous corsage and a stunning shawl.  Who she is, I have no idea!

My final mystery - are these photographs of the same woman?

I believe the photo on the left is of my husband's great grandfather, Joseph McDougall Smith. The photo was taken in Birmingham - where he came from before moving to the NW. The photo on the right is definitely of his wife as it has her maiden name written on the back (Fanny Vernon). Is the lady in the centre (of whom there are no clues) the same woman? Once again, lovely accessories including lace.

To end - some lovely ladies in the family who I have been able to identify!

My husband's great aunt Grace ("Gracie"). She lived to be 112! I have blogged about her previously. She had a very interesting life, living through two world wars and the terms of several Prime Ministers!

Gertrude was a half sister to my husband's grandfather (and much younger; his father had three wives). stunning photo.

My husband's grandmother, Sarah, older sister of Grace. She has a very large, elaborate bow in her hair but a much more simple outfit.

I have previously blogged about several of the people mentioned here. I shall be blogging about some of the others at a later date- it's not quite as complicated as it sounds! Lots and lots more photographs and stories of this lovely family.

"A good snapshot keeps a moment that's gone from running away" Every Picture Tells a Story Part III

 To this quote from Eudora Welty, we could add "and a few words make it last forever"

I have been blogging about my husband's family's habit of (very luckily for me!) writing little notes and commentary on the back of their copious photo collection (Thank you Joe, Sarah and family!). The examples below illustrate just how much trouble they took to preserve that moment in time for the future.

"Sunday morning.

Nan beating a batter

Bet bursting her sides

Ken has had his 2nd port and pushed his hat back"

 

This delightful summation of a Sunday morning could almost be a poem! Although the photo is of poor quality, the words add so much to our understanding of that archetypal British Sunday morning - and with some affectionate humour! Sadly I don't know who they are - but the three children (Known as "The Triplets" from previous photos) are Ken, Jay and Betty. The older lady (who also crops up a lot in our photos!) is surely making a Yorkshire pud. The children are really enjoying their day, although I HOPE the fact that Ken has had two ports is a joke! The younger woman also features in lots of my photos - she might be one of Sarah's sisters. Did she maybe write on the photo? I need to do some comparisons of handwriting at a later date! A truly lovely snnapshot of a family Sunday a long ago...

 

 "Elsie washing at our back door.

Notice what is on the gas stove, it was not the tea-pot!"

 

Elsie now features in the next few photos. She was Sarah's niece - daughter of her sister Dorris. 

This is a bit of a mystery! WHAT is so amusing about the item that "is not a tea-pot!"? Definitely something seemingly amusing that anyone looking at the photo will need to think about. Elsie is clutching a wooden duck, which appears with Elsie a lot! However, the next  photo shows her with a Teddy - and there is even an explanation of when and where it was bought!

"Elsie in her pajamas. 

Note teddy, Sal {Sarah, my husband's gran and Elsie's aunt} 

bought this for her in Southport 3 years ago"

 

The duck has been forsaken for Teddy and a tennis racquet!

"Taken on the sands at Blackpool

Whit week

Elsie has Dorris's dimples"

 

At first a simple explanation of time and place, but then a lovely little affectionate comment that could only come from a family member. Lovely!

 "Mrs Sharpe's sister's house.

The monkey tree grows a branch higher each year

Elsie ran off when taken!"

I don't know if it is Elsie in the photo and she ran off after it was taken or if she ran off when it was being taken! I do think this is Elsie as have seen her in other photos around this age. Quite a mundane fact about the monkey tree - but clearly the person who took it thought it was worth sharing!

My next post will feature some photos that, according to the writing on the back, had been less than successful although to my eye, 100 years later - they look perfect!

But to finish, just a few more lovely snaps of Elsie, today's Star of the Show!

 

 "Elsie opening the front gate"

"Waterloo"

This is a lovely family photo, taken at the beach, Waterloo, Sefton, Liverpool. Elsie is the baby seen with her mum Dorris (far right) and Aunt Grace. I love this! It has Sarah's three sisters and her father in law. The older lady crops  up all the time!

 

 "Elsie having dollies (sic) photograph taken"

"Elsie on the side of the tennis court"

I have a sad postscript to the story., Elsie died at a young age, of cancer. She was aged 24

 

Elsie with her mum and dad c1928

ELSIE BIRCHALL 1927-1951 

Now reunited.