As previously mentioned, my husband's family not only took lots of photos (100s!) but they also wrote on the back of many sharing with us their thoughts and comments on them. This gives us a lovely glimpse of their lives, sense of humour and the places they visited - written by themselves. Occasionally though, there are exasperated comments - explaining that their photos are "not very good". These are not only fun to read- but untrue; they are are really "very good"!
"This should have been all of us, on our back garden steps
Elsie Baines snapped up and left us all out!"
You can sense the slight annoyance here! A classic mistake - even today many of us have photos that have been truncated! It is also slightly blurred and in a very poor condition. I recognise my husband's (long lived - 112 years) great aunt on the left, standing somewhat awkwardly. Her neice, Elsie is pictured with her doll (both Elsie and her "dolly" are much photographed!). I don't know the other lady and of course, the others have all been obliterated!
"Not very good of Elsie but thought you could have
an idea of her doll's house that Grandma bought her last Xmas.
The garage is on Elsie's side"
I have found several photos that are deemed not very good which are actually lovely! I wonder if at the times many of these were taken (pre WW1 and inter war years) more formal photos were in vogue. This photos seems to me to be a charming photo of a happy little girl with Granny's Xmas present! Maybe the informality seems far more endearing to modern audiences? Many of these photos have comments that would almost suggest that they were sent to somebody in the post - rather like the writing on postcards.
"I think I was too near when taking this"
This further shows that less formal or composed shots were considered something of a failure. In fact, today, making the subject fill the whole frame is very popular. This is Elsie yet again- there is absolutely nothing wrong with this photo and is a delight!
"This one is really not too good"
Not true! it is really very good indeed! That cheeky smile!
"This taken a month ago is not very good. Gracie was tired.
She would not keep her thumb out of her mouth"
"Taken a month ago" shows the immediacy of the writing on the back and also that the person who wrote it is expecting someone to be reading it very near to the date of the photo. I have no idea of the year. Gracie was my husband's great aunt's name. However, she was born in 1906 and so this would be around 1907/8. I think the clothes make it appear to be a few years later? Again, the comment that it was not very good isn't true!
Finally, a couple of photos that in my opinion, are just wonderful. They show a very happy family. And no negative comments written on the back!
My husband's grandparents, Joe and Sarah
with his mum and uncle
The Vernon Smiths and Richs
My husband's grandparents, great grandad,
great aunts and a few unknowns! A big family.
The gang's all here!
A huge and loving family - perfect photos!
