Dating of Photo from F.W. Bergman Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland

[cosmac]

I was given this scanned photo with it identified as a married couple in my lineage.  The man would have been born in 1778 and his death between 1841 and 1851 and the wife born in 1797 with a death in 1873.  Somehow I doubt if the clothing fits this scenario but would like your input.

Perhaps it might be the daughter of the above couple with her husband.  The husband was born in 1834 and died 1905 and the daughter was born in 1834 and died in 1894.

Thoughts

[Skoosh]

Cosmac,  I think you're right the first time.

Skoosh.

[jim1]

The 1st. thing to say about this is that it's a copy of an earlier photo.
The cardstock is late 1870's-early 1880's.
The woman's dressed in a dateless style & looks very Presbyterian. Her bonnet is typical 1850's-60's.
The man's dressed in a style popular from the 1850's -60's.
The pose sitting side by side with nothing regards a backdrop is typical 1850's.
So I think an 1870's copy of an 1850's-early 60's ambrotype.
If it's who you think it is this would have to be one of the first ambrotypes produced commercially as they didn't arrive until 1851 but I'm not convinced this is that early.

[chinakay]

Hiya cosmac

The gent is wearing a jacket with very wide lapels and a style of beard called a Newgate Frill both of which were popular in the 1860s, and not before. The lady is wearing a sort of indeterminate dress, but the style of sleeving looks to be also 1860s-ish. The pose is rather typical of the late 1850s, with them sitting side by side. If this is an 1850s photo, it will be a copy, because photos from before 1860 were mostly on glass. Some were metal, but the paper print hadn't been invented yet.

Well I see Jim beat me to it but I'll post this anyway...we seem to be on the same page

Cheers,
China

[jim1]

Has to be an ambrotype China look at her bodice.
PS. Newgate Frills were about in the 1850's...wanna see a photo ?

[chinakay]

Sure would!

[Skoosh]

"Very Presbyterian"?    I'm one myself, must check the mirror!

Skoosh.

[cosmac]

The Scottish side of my family were all Presbyterians.  Even the ones who emigrated from Ireland were Presbyterian.  I don't believe my ancestors were well off.  From the death certificate of my GGgrandmother her father (who this might be a picture of) was a carter.  Everyone else seems to have worked in the mines or in the textile industry.

I received this picture from the descendants of the brother to my grandfather's brother-in-law.  That side emigrated to the U.S. in the early 1900s and took with them an album of photos that have survived although many of them were not identified.   That's why I was questioning the identification of the couple.

[jim1]

Here's an 1850's ambrotype complete with Newgate Frill.