A turn of the century family shot
QThis photograph shows my greatgrandparents George and Sarah Ann Tidy (b.1847 and 1848 respectively) with their children. My grandfather, George, is standing at the back in the middle. His youngest brother Edwin is standing second from left. He was born in 1889, which makes the photo at the very end of the 19th century. Edwin is wearing an unusual outfit – my father thought it might be a choirboy’s uniform, if there is such a thing? My great-grandparents seem to be dressed in quite old-fashioned clothes for the time? Also, I’m intrigued about the background to the photo. Would this be a studio shot, or a real location? Many thanks.
Teresa Squires
AThis fine outdoor scene showing an extended family group was taken by a professional photographer hired to visit your greatgrandparents at their house.
Outdoor photography scenes
By the turn of the century outdoor photography had advanced and it was common for representatives from local studios to come out to take photographs at their clients’ homes. Setting scenes outside, where there was plenty of space and light, made good sense and especially when large numbers of people were to be photographed, as here, it saved them from making a mass studio visit for a cramped indoor shot.
So, to answer that particular query, this is a genuine openair setting showing the front of the property where your greatgrandparents’ lived. It appears to be a rural location and offers a precious glimpse of their familiar day-to-day surroundings about 120 years ago. Hopefully you can pinpoint the address by consulting the 1901 Census.
Assessing the fashions
Dating outdoor scenes accurately rests on dating the appearance of the human subjects of the scene, especially adult or near-adult females, for women’s modes were more distinctive than male styles in the past.
This appears to offer a glimpse of their day-to-day surroundings 120 years ago
The women’s fashions
Your ancestors have dressed up in smart daywear for the photographer’s visit and the formal daytime costumes worn by your great-grandmother and the younger standing female confirm a close time frame of c.1899-1902. In particular, this narrow date range is indicated by the style of their bodices featuring high necklines, decorative yokes and narrow sleeves widening at the wrist. The adult men’s fashions
The adult men are also attired in accordance with this time frame, key dress details including the high standing starched shirt collars worn by three.
Overview Their outfits and those of the women look just right for the era, including the older lady’s dark garments – not old-fashioned at all. Two boys, front right and front left (Edwin) wear schoolboys’ clothes, including the iconic large white ‘Eton collar’ worn universally by this time. The older of the two schoolboys, right, wears ‘grown-up’ long trousers, whereas Edwin (aged about 10-12) wears a younger boy’s knickerbockers suit: again this is perfectly ordinary dress and correct for the period.
You have mentioned a few birth years and identities: without further information I would suggest that this is a family group comprising your greatgrandparents and all of their children, from young schoolboy Edwin, up to men aged in their 20s.
Was this a milestone family date?
Usually such scenes, depicting an older couple flanked by their offspring, were taken to mark a milestone wedding anniversary. Certainly, they are touchingly posed, his hand on her knee, and, unusually, she is smiling. The Silver (25th) wedding anniversary commemoration was common and this seems possible, although the older sons might be closer to 30 years of age, so perhaps this photograph depicts the couple’s 30th anniversary. If correct, I estimate that your great-grandparents married in around 1869-1872: hopefully you can verify this from your family records. JS