family unknown

[crowlie]

Hi,
  Rena, Gadget, BucketsFerret and Ruskie,
                                                          Thanks all for your help, I searched the Cowan Bros from Dublin, they had a branch in Bray which is also in the south of Ireland.
I think that might be the connection, we had family lived there, so I have some where to go now.
Thanks again
       Bob

[Ruskie]

Good find re the Cowan Brothers in Dublin Gadget. I kept getting directed to Coen Brothers. 

[crowlie]

Hi Ruskie,
           Below is the search result on Cowan bros, Bray is just south of Dublin.
If the photo was taken around 1910, it would would fit in with my family who had a son 1904 and died 1918 in Dublin, aged 13yrs six months. I have a bit more searching to do, thanks for your help.
           

"Owner of a number of studios in Dublin: the Franco-British Portrait Company, Grafton Studios, Camden-street Studio, Sackville Portrait Studio, and the Earl Portrait Studio. His brother, Jack, operated the ‘While-U-Wait’ booth on the promenade in Bray during the summer months. There are separate entries for each of these. Harry Cowan also took photographs in O'Connell Street (helped by Jack in the winter), standing outside Clerys department store. He used a 35mm movie camera converted to take single shots. Contact prints could be viewed next day at the studio at 8 North Earl Street, and prints ordered in various sizes mounted in embossed mounts with the studio name."

      bob

[Gadget]

           

"Owner of a number of studios in Dublin: the Franco-British Portrait Company, Grafton Studios, Camden-street Studio, Sackville Portrait Studio, and the Earl Portrait Studio. His brother, Jack, operated the ‘While-U-Wait’ booth on the promenade in Bray during the summer months. There are separate entries for each of these. Harry Cowan also took photographs in O'Connell Street (helped by Jack in the winter), standing outside Clerys department store. He used a 35mm movie camera converted to take single shots. Contact prints could be viewed next day at the studio at 8 North Earl Street, and prints ordered in various sizes mounted in embossed mounts with the studio name."

      bob

Yes  - that's the one I found and referred to in my post (Reply #7)  - I remembered the one brother was a Hugh or a Henry - nearly right with Harry   


Gadget

[Ruskie]

Good that you have a lead to chase up Bob.

Is that the entire photograph do you know? It looks an unusual pose and composition to have been taken by a professional photographer, and I just wondered if there might have originally been other people in the photo, and perhaps this boy's image was cut from a larger photo?

 

[crowlie]

Hi Ruskie,
            The photo looks to be the original size, it is 40mm x 50mm and the stamp on the rear is central, maybe it came from a beach booth?
 bob

[Ruskie]

Thanks Bob. You might be right. It looks quite an informal pose doesn't it?

[crowlie]

It has stayed very clear around his face, compared to the bottom half of the picture. I wouldn't think they would be able to enhance it.