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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: Hibee on Thursday 16 February 17 09:31 GMT (UK)
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Hi
This picture, which may well have been taken by a street photographer, dates from the 1940s and has defied all attempts at naming the location.
Here is the information we have:
It is most probably Scotland, from the style of tenements, and from the places the subjects were known to be found. The pavement is a good 20-feet wide, so a main thoroughfare. There seems to be the corner of a major structure, bottom left. Edinburgh (home of at least one of the subjects) has been extensively searched by many pairs of eyes, without success.
Thanks for reading.
Hibee
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When I looked at the photo it reminded me of the north-west corner on North Bridge near Waveley Station in Edinburgh but it's not there :-\
What is on the left side of the picture?
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By the shadows, the men may be walking in a southerly direction.
There may be some stairs between the "structure" and the cafe as a woman in a white hat seems to be ascending.
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The tall wall on the left has a 'cut out' portion (with a step), what would the 'cut' out' part signify?
Annie
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Looks like an air raid shelter.
What does it read at the top ?ons & teas.
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I thought air raid shelter too...or toilets, but there is no signage.
A little easier to view.
Carol
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I think the sign on the side of the building is for the cafe on the corner- perhaps reads Luncheons and Teas?
Don't know about air raid shelter. I think woman in light hat coming up steps from perhaps stairs for pedestrian tunnel or something.
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Provisions & Teas?
Popular Prices?
Skoosh.
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What strikes me is that there are tenements/buildings/structures and shops on the left giving the impression of an inner city area, but the two or three storey buildings don't seem to continue into the distance. I wonder if there is a river, a park or some other open space on the next block? :-\ I can just about make out something in the distance but I can't work out what it might be - church tower? :-\
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I think "Luncheons and Teas, Popular Prices".
The Bridges (Edinburgh) have been scrupulously examined and can, I think, be ruled out.
The structure on the left seems to be of basalt or granite, with an upwards stairway cut in. Either the corner of a grand building, or maybe the plinth for some kind if statue.
Maybe a row of lampposts disappearing into the distance, with the hint of a hill on the horizon.
Hibee.
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By the shortness of the shadows, and the angle, I'd say these chaps are walking on a street that runs North-South (they're walking in a southerly direction).
Could the sign have said "Prewar Prices", dating it after the war possibly?
Trystan
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I get the impression that they are walking away from a promenade.
Carol
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It's not a very good photo to have been taken by a street photographer, but if it was, they would generally have touted for work around in resort type towns wouldn't they?
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Perhaps the Scotland thing is a red herring. Who knows?
Could the thing in the distance be a roller coaster?
Blackpool? Rhyl?
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I've tried to make the photo a bit clearer and then I've highlighted two areas. Does the sign say
'Star' café.
The background certainly seems to have a church, I can't make out what the tall column is, I suppose it could be a lamp post. I wonder if it could be a square they are walking away from.
Pat
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I think high res scan of the background would help.
Carol
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George Square Glasgow has a very high obelisk and a church but I can't find a street view of them both together.
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Maybe "CAPSTAN", rather than STAR?
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Are the two tall objects chimneys, with smoke drifting to the left?
Trying to judge the length of the shadows of the two men in the foreground (guessing the length of their stride as a reference), even at noon, midsummers day, it could not be much more than 50 degrees north latitude. That would imply the very south of Britain.
The detail on the left looks, to me, more like an abutment rather than an entrance. So I am thinking more of the parapet of a bridge.
Please feel free to shoot down these suggestions!
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It's not a very good photo to have been taken by a street photographer
My thought too when I 1st saw the pic & my reasoning is that the subjects are walking rather than posing?
I think the tall structures (thought to be lamp-posts) are too high/tall to be so?
I think the wall on the left with the 'cut out' bit is not for general use as it's too narrow but may be a view point possibly to a River or Railway below?
I also think the sign which Trishanne thinks may be 'Star' could in fact be a Street/Lane name & my reasoning is that the rest of the signs on the 'Cafe' are symmetrical but this one seems to be too far too the left....just my thought?
Annie
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Hi,
Looking at the bottom left corner of the opening on the bridge/building.....there appears to be a small figure carved into the stone work.
Does anyone else see this? Or am I going mad?
Looby :P
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There could be initials beside this "figure " ---- E R ???
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Looby,
Don't/can't see what you see but there looks to be an initial either side of the gap on the wall?
The right side looks like an 'S' or '5', although I'm unsure, can't make out the left side?
Do you have x-ray specs ??? ;D
Annie
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Haha Annie.
Using a wee magnifying glass. Will try to post a picture
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This is what I saw .....Could be a figure? Or could be sleep deprivation?
Possibly that latter ;D
Looby
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I see what you mean but I think it may be just markings or even a shadow on the brickwork/cement but again I'm unsure?
My wee spy glass must be worn out as it's not picking this up ::)
Annie
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Hibee,
Can you elaborate on what you know about the subjects please?
They look to be wearing similar clothing, possibly dressed for an occupation but of course it may just have been the fashion of the era?
I still can't work out why the pic is not posed i.e. are you sure of who the subjects are or are you assuming who they may be?
I'm not asking this in a cheeky manner but just to confirm that you do know for certain who they are?
Annie
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I see what you mean but I think it may be just markings or even a shadow on the brickwork/cement but again I'm unsure?
My wee spy glass must be worn out as it's not picking this up ::)
Annie
You are probably right Annie and my tired brain is playing tricks on me. I can still see what looks like a face and a body with an arm crossing over it. And on the left of it, at the bottom, the initials E or F and an R.
However as you say, probably shadows :)
Heading to bed now before I start seeing more wee men
Looby
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Looby,
Was there not initials similar for Railway/Trains along those lines...(no pun intended) ;D
I'd have to 'Go ogle' that 1 :P
Annie
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Unclear whether the fuzzy part on the right of the photo is the street rising upwards at the back.
There are quite a few streets like that in the centre of Glasgow ... Hope Street rises upwards in a south to north direction. So does Buchanan Street and others.
The structure on the left is a real puzzle. Public toilets used to be more common streets in Glasgow streets, but the ones I remember usually had railings round them with stairs taking you below ground level.
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Mystery solved!
Identified as Portobello Promenade. Thanks to all who helped.
Hibee
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At least I got the promenade but right ;D ;D
Carol
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Could the thing in the distance be a roller coaster?
So it was a fairground in the distance, after all? :) Whoohoo. (The 'Figure Eight' at 'Fun City' Amusement Park in Portobello operated by the Codona family. Perhaps.)
The buildings the chaps are striding in front of is Malborough Mansions, Portobello.
Here are images results: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ji8
And here are some recollections from Dorothy Cavaye of Portobello in the Thirties
http://www.kosmoid.net/portobello/craigroyston
(A good couple of shots of that building nearer the bottom of the page)
Trystan
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Yay! Glad it has been solved.
I've had a look at a few of the links but am still not sure ... what is that "thing" on the left of the photo which some people suggested was a doorway?
How did you manage to identify the location Hibee? :)
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Somebody looked out old PCs of Porty, as it had been put up as a suggestion.
The "thing" seems to have been a garden wall, with a recessed gate.
Hibee
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It's not a very good photo to have been taken by a street photographer
My thought too when I 1st saw the pic & my reasoning is that the subjects are walking rather than posing?
I think the tall structures (thought to be lamp-posts) are too high/tall to be so?
I think the wall on the left with the 'cut out' bit is not for general use as it's too narrow but may be a view point possibly to a River or Railway below?
I also think the sign which Trishanne thinks may be 'Star' could in fact be a Street/Lane name & my reasoning is that the rest of the signs on the 'Cafe' are symmetrical but this one seems to be too far too the left....just my thought?
Annie
Street photographers took casual shots of people walking around tourist areas and they weren't necessarily posed for. Here is one of mine.
Carol
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Another view which shows the café better.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01jid/
Pleased it's been located.No more wee men in the doorway /gateway tonight ;D ;D
Looby
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Somebody looked out old PCs of Porty, as it had been put up as a suggestion.
The "thing" seems to have been a garden wall, with a recessed gate.
Hibee
Thanks Hibee.
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Yay! Glad it has been solved.
Ruskie, "Is that a word" ??? ;D ;D :P
Aye, me too, was going cross eyed ;D ;D
Looby, buy yourself a new spy glass or a bigger one ;D
Annie
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Yay! Glad it has been solved.
Ruskie, "Is that a word" ??? ;D ;D :P
Aye, me too, was going cross eyed ;D ;D
Looby, buy yourself a new spy glass or a bigger one ;D
Annie
And cut out the gin....hic :P :-X
Only joking, Annie, I don't need alcohol to "see" things.
Looby
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Yay! Glad it has been solved.
"Is that a word" ??? ;D ;D :P
Aye, me too, was going cross eyed ;D ;D
Looby, buy yourself a new spy glass or a bigger one ;D
Annie
Nah. It's an exclamation Annie. ;D
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Street photographers took casual shots of people walking around tourist areas and they weren't necessarily posed for.
Carol
As a child of the 50's, I remember well the east coast, seafront 'spec' photographers "Wrates" in their stripey blazers. They would snap 'walkies' of likely candidates and hand them a numbered ticket which could, if required, be produced at the Wrates shop along with two bob, to receive the photo in a little folder.