Luxury Victorian wedding & home
QI think these pictures are quite early, 1860s/70s? I love the wedding photo, which I think is now the earliest wedding group in my collection. The album from which they came was apparently split up and the photographs have no information attached. I have scanned the couple posing in front of the house so that you can see the fashions more clearly. I also wondered whether any readers may be able to help identify the big country house.
Lynn Heiden
AThese are special photographs that evidently represent two elite images from a Victorian country house photograph album. It is a shame when these rare collections are split up and any identifying clues or historical context lost. In order to place them firmly in time, locate them geographically or identify their subjects, we must first date them accurately from the appearance of the human subjects of the scenes, essentially from the evidence of dress.
As you note, Lynn, these do indeed date to the 1860s/1870s, when most of our ancestors had to visit the studio of a local commercial photographer if they wanted their likeness taken. Until the end of the 19th century, only the affluent leisured classes had the time or means to dabble in the time-consuming and expensive pastime of amateur photography, yet this was a popular pursuit among wealthy gentlemen (and some ladies) interested in art and science.
A white wedding group photograph
The wedding scene is an early example of an ambitious, large outdoor ‘white wedding’ group photograph taken in the 1860s. A substantial building provides the backdrop and the setting is probably the bride’s family home (or the house from which she was married). The bride wears a special white gown and bridal veil – a romantic, luxurious ensemble that could never be worn again and was therefore the preserve of only a few lucky ladies at that time. As was usual at such weddings, her attendants also wear white costumes, some carrying small posy bouquets. Their centrally-parted hair drawn down into low chignons, and their vast crinoline-skirted dresses indicate a date in the early-mid 1860s, most likely 18611866. The groom behind wears a formal frock coat and the entire wedding party is well-dressed for the event.
A country house scene
The other image is typical of an elegant country house scene comprising a sprawling mansion and well-tended grounds. It was probably shot by a privileged amateur photographer, as described above – quite likely one of the residents of the property itself. The close-up of the two figures is immensely helpful as the details of their high-fashion dress enables a close date estimate. The lady displays the distinctive early-1870s bustle silhouette, formed of layered garments – a skirt and overdress – the back drapery of her over-skirt piled high behind her waist over the hidden bustle projection. Her jaunty felt hat represents the fashionable ‘postilion’ style of headwear, perched atop her tall, ornate coiffure and tilted forward over her forehead. Together these details confirm a date range of c.1870-1876.
Her companion wears a slender suit in the prevailing mode, his trousers of narrow cut and his felt hat with curved brim a fashionable semi-formal style. Residents of, or visitors to this fine property, it would be great to identify this house, at the heart of this photograph collection. It could be one of thousands, and I don’t recognise the building. However, if any FT readers can help solve this mystery, please contact the magazine. Having a known location to add to our early-1860s to mid-1870s dates may well enable Lynn to identify these unknown people. JS