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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: Peter Kassies on Tuesday 23 January 18 14:38 GMT (UK)
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Hi all,
I need some help with the attached picture. I've puzzeled a few things together. I am fairly certain that this is the Pyle family. The person holding the dog on his lap is William James Pyle. His mustach matches another picture I have with his name written on. The woman sitting right of him must be he is wife Helena Seaford Beavis. The person holding the black high hat is James Pyle.
Questions:
- They all look very smart, I think it is a wedding. Any other clues?
- How old would this picture be?
- the photographer is Foster, 39 Preston Street, Brighton. That is a bit odd, since the Pyle family lived around Aylesbeare, Devon. Or was Brighton a special place to celebrate a wedding?
- Any other information you can derive from this picture?
Thanks!
Peter
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I'd say early 1900s (1900-1904) and I think it's a wedding. The woman in the middle of the front seated row, wearing lighter clothes and flowers is probably the bride.
Gadget
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I've just noticed the dog - never seen that in a wedding photo before! I think the groom might be in the back row, between the two women. He looks a bit scared. Just my initial comments :)
Not sure about Brighton/Devon connection - they couldn't have all gone on a trip, could they. Maybe the photographer was itinerant :-\
Gadget
Sorry - I should have welcomed you :)
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Hi Peter and welcome to RootsChat....I agree with Gadget's guesstimate....same thoughts before I saw her answer.
Carol
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The woman 2nd in ! middle row from left of photo has a copying Queen Victoria dress style about her attire but the big wide brim (early) Edwardian ladies floral hats suggest (after Queen Victoria died 22nd Jan 1901) 'Gadget's' dating years given are about right but say slightly more from late 1901/early 1902 to 1904
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Welcome from me too, Peter - from another Peter.
Couldn't resist a tidy. ;D
Looks like the two families of the bride and groom, one mainly on the left, the other on the right. Lots of common family traits as you look around at the faces. For example, the two men on the far left - one sitting, one standing - look very closely related.
Has the dating helped with your identifying of them?
Cheers, Peter.
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Ohh, thank you all for your quick replies and helpful comments!
Ever so grateful for cleaning up the picture, it looks great!
I've puzzled a few bits together:
- if it is a wedding and the lady in white sitting on the front row, then it must be Helena Seaford Beavis. She married William James Pyle on September 5th 1898. Attached below you read the marriage certificate.
- The marriage must be before 1899, because that the year is when William Pyle (father of) dies
so in conclusion, I would date the picture a few years earlier than your estimates. Is this a possibility?
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It might just be 1898 as I've got some pics of that date which have the type of bodice that some of the women are wearing.
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Do I see the groom's residence as Streatham?
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Yes. This was the first Pyle who moved from Devon to London area.
He is my great grandfather.
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Hi, Peter
There’s an article about the photographer here:
http://www.sussexpostcards.info/publishers.php?PubID=109 (http://www.sussexpostcards.info/publishers.php?PubID=109)
It does indicate that he operated from 38 Preston St, Brighton only from 1902, but this might only be that this is the earliest evidence the writer has found of him at that address.
One quote from the article does indicate that Aylesbeare might be a bit of a stretch for the photographer: “Although mainly a studio portraitist, Foster published many sepia real photographic cards of Brighton and Hove, as well as a few of more distant places such as Barcombe.” (If Barcombe was distant, Aylesbeare must have seemed a bloody long way! ;D) It does perhaps seem more likely that the photo was taken a bit closer to Brighton (or Hove where the photographer lived).
Peter