Tuesday 11 August 2009

Family portraits


I have a large number of photos belonging to my father's family, most of whom I don't recognise nor, sadly, are they labelled.  These two are are exceptions to that, and I know that the lady on the left is my great-grandmother and the man with a sword is my great-grandfather.  They were married in 1849.

The picture on the right is quite faded.  I don't know if there is anything anyone can do about it.  Can it be rescued?  I would love to have it preserved for future generations.  The sword in the photo has been preserved or at least it is still in existence.  It, as well as the pictures, has moved around with us for years. It's sitting up in our loft right now waiting for its next move to a new attic. 

Intriguingly, alongside these two photos, I found this in a better condition.


Why on earth would anyone include an advertisement for Globe Polish, albeit with a picture of Lord Kitchener, amongst family portraits?  Perhaps they used the polish for the sword. I wonder if Lord Kitchener was happy for his name and image to be used to endorse a metal polish?

11 comments:

  1. It's funny what people keep - or get rid of. The polish ad must have had sentimental value, the reasons for which fade over the generations.

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  2. Old ads are valuable now. It may be your inheritance.

    Or the Sudan lord may be an old lost uncle.

    Or polish was the family business back then.

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  3. @j, well that's certainly true. I've found some very strange things during my sorting out.

    @Lady Banana, hello! I'll admit to spending far too long looking through them. I wonder what they were really like, because they all posed without any smile and it made them look so very serious, even downright miserable.

    @Max, my inheritance?! It could make all the difference! Even if it's the long-lost uncle, that may be worth a few bob, to have a lord in the family. Unfortunately I would say the bookmark theory probably gets closest, except that the picture section was carefully inserted into a frame section of the album.

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  4. Beautiful photos, I'm very jealous! Yes, they can be rescued by professionals, there are also programs that you can get for your computer I think.

    I hope the sword is kept well wrapped and oiled? It could be damaged otherwise. (Sorry collections care hat on!)

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  5. I have some old photos passed on by my Grandmother, but like yours most are not marked. I also found out my Great great great(?) grandfather was Stonewall Jackson. He was a very strange man.

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  6. First of all:
    Thanks for sharing.
    These photos did something in my mind.
    I startet to think about how technology have changed our lifes in only such at short time in the history of humans.

    I'm still reflecting, thanks to your post.

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  7. It's awesome that you still have old photos of your ancestors. I have none.... in those days, they were too poor to have their photos taken. :(

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  8. there is something that can be done with these old pics, A. with technology these days, almost everything is possible.

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  9. @Alison, I must do something about getting at least some of them professionally restored. The sword is in its scabbard so I'm hoping that's protection enough. I hadn't really thought about it. I'm very grateful for your advice.

    @ettarose, so you've been looking into your family history? I'm only just getting the bug. I'll look up Stonewall Jackson and see if there is any family likeness. :)

    @Tor, good to see you! Technology has changed so much.

    @ECL, we're very lucky, that I know.

    @bing, I really must look into it. I hadn't thought of it before, but I feel a duty to preserve things for future generations.

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  10. Well yes, the frame would make for an awkward bookmark. That would make all the difference.

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Forethoughts, afterthoughts, any thoughts. Tell me.

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