Help with Photograph Dating

Post by **Pandabean** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:11 pm

I found this old photograph amongst a fair few others but this seemed to be the oldest. I am trying to work out how old it is and hopefully who is in it.

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... p?pos=-965
http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... p?pos=-966

As you can see on the second image it has Mother and Aunt in pencil. I am wondering if this photo is Victorian?

Also the only family I can think of in the Fife area were the Greenlees family.

Andy

Post by **Pandabean** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:14 pm

I had a look on the web for him. This may confirm it is pre-1900?

TAYLOR. ALEXANDER P (d 1892): Dunfermline, c 1860-1884; son of James Taylor (d 1853), grocer and spirit dealer in Kirkgate Street, he followed in the same line, but being interested in photography, he began practising on a commercial basis; by June 1860 he had erected a studio in Kirkgate "for carrying on photography in all its departments;" the grocery was given up in June 1864, and he concentrated soley on his photographic business, which was later removed to 1 Eastport Street; retiring in May 1884, and he was succeeded by Aexander McIntyre of the Oakbank Studio in Glasgow; died June 23 1892 in 68th yr.

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:22 pm

Hi Andy
My thoughts would be 1880-90s from the dress, going from a photo I have from 1890.
This site is good though for a comparison of the backs of photos too.
http://www.cartes.freeuk.com/time/time.htm

Best wishes
Lesley

Post by **Pandabean** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:48 pm

Hmm thats what I was thinking.

Also found this:

MACINTYRE, -ALEXANDER: Dunfermline, 1884 from Oakbank Studio, Glasgow, he succeeded to A P Taylor's business at No 1 East Port Street, opening May 28 1884, and 3 years later removed to 12 Bonnar Street, opening 1 June 1887; listed at that address in Dunfermline Directories of 1890, 1894 and 1896

It also seems that he did not stay their after 1887:
MUNRO. J K: 1 East Port Street, Dunfermline, 1887 - a photographer and portrait painter from Princes Street, Edinburgh, he opened the studio at No 1 Eastport Street, corner of New Row, in June 1887, and is listed there, 1890-1896

That may mean the photo was taken between 1884 and 1887.

Also would people from Midlothian likely travel to Dunfermline for a photo? If not then this may narrow down the family to the Greenlees lot. But I am trying to work out who. Only two brothers moved to Lochgelly/Burntisland in the late 1800's while the rest of the family stayed in Musselburgh.

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:55 pm

Hi Andy

Also would people from Midlothian likely travel to Dunfermline for a photo?

....Seems unlikely, I'd have thought. There were plenty photographers in Edinburgh to choose from, but maybe it depends where they were living in Midlorthian? Unless too, they were on a visit to some friends or relatives?
Could they maybe be more distant relatives? I only mention this because I have a few unnamed & unknown photos and I realised that I was making the assumption that they were close family ...when maybe they were not.

Not very helpful, sorry, just more questions to condsider!

Best wishes
Lesley

Post by **Pandabean** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 1:04 pm

The family were from Musselbrugh/Inveresk which is on the boundary of Midlothian and East Lothian.

They could be rellies but I am trying to fit it in with where the families were in that time.

Just checked my Andrew Greenlees and Sarah Davidson, they didn't marry til 1888 in Prestonpans. There is only one other couple that I know of in the Fife area at this time. They are Andrew's brother and wife. Might be them.

At least I have narrowed down the date which is more than what I hoped for. Any ideas of how old they look? I would say in their 20s but I am not really good at guessing ages of people.

Thanks,
Andy

LesleyB wrote:Hi Andy
Also would people from Midlothian likely travel to Dunfermline for a photo?
....Seems unlikely, I'd have thought. There were plenty photographers in Edinburgh to choose from, but maybe it depends where they were living in Midlorthian? Unless too, they were on a visit to some friends or relatives?
Could they maybe be more distant relatives? I only mention this because I have a few unnamed & unknown photos and I realised that I was making the assumption that they were close family ...when maybe they were not.

Not very helpful, sorry, just more questions to condsider!
Best wishes
Lesley

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 1:12 pm

Hi Andy
As Musselburgh is on the coast, a wee trip over to Fife may have been a possibility...? But Edinburgh is closer. (6 mins by train these days! ...allegedly, but not with the current building work at Waverley Station perhaps!!)

Best wishes
Lesley

Post by **Pandabean** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 4:14 pm

I have just relooked at this photo and after starting at the second word that is obscured by the logo. It seems like the word is aunt. Took me long enough lol.

So in all I can say now this photo was taken between 1884 and 1887 in Dunfermline. It is possibly two sisters based on what is written on the back, with one being a great great grandparent of mine.

The only thing I can assume is that it may be related to the Greenlees line as they lived in Burntisland/Lochgelly/Lochore area around the 1880's. It would make more sense for them to travel to Dunfermline for a photo rather than other relatives to travel all the way from Musselburgh or Broxburn. Looking into it further, Andrew Greenlees was not married until 1888 but he did have a illegitimate kid in 1886 with his soon to be wife. Looking at another photo (one of Robert) the writting on the back is similar.

I once heard that some photography studios kept a list of their customers. I was wondering if anyone knew if this is true? I am tempted to write to the Fife FHS but i am unsure who to contact and whether it would give me any more clues.

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 7:36 pm

Hi Andy

The best authority I know on photograph dating and professional photographers of that period across Scotland is Peter Stubbs - the webmaster of edinphoto.org.uk. He is most obliging and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of photography. If the photgraphy studio in Dunfermline have any records still in existence, he is the person most likely to know.
I very much doubt that folks would cross the Forth from Musselburgh to have a photo taken. There were plenty of professional photographers much closer to hand in Musselburgh and Edinburgh (My g-grandfather was one in Stafford Street)
Back in the 1860's on the harbour at Fisherrow was jam packed with fishing boats and not a good place for passenger boats because of the mud flats restricting access to the harbour except at the top end of the tides. You have to wait until the tide comes in before you can re-float your boat and sail out.

Russell

Rach · Post by **Rach** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 11:45 am

Hi Andy,
I have a photo of my great grandmother wearing a similar outfit to those in your photo. She lived from 1851 to 1899 and, although it is difficult to say what age she was when the photo was taken, I think it would be 1885 to 1890.
Good luck in your search.
Rae