Help please to date my Great Great Great Grandmother's photo

[jim1]

Doesn't look well does she.

[Helen Shipley]

You are right Jim, she doesn't look at all well. She does look like a lady burdened by her years and what life has thrown at her. She outlived her daughter Elizabeth, who died in 1875, which I imagine was an added sorrow. I wish I had a photo of her when she was a bit younger and hopefully, happier.

Helen

[Helen Shipley]

This is just me thinking aloud as I was looking again at the photo on here. It is enlarged more than I usual and it has struck me that there is a considerable likeness to a photo of my mother, in her old age. I would welcome the thoughts of others as to whether they agree as it could just be wishful thinking. My mother looks much happier than GT Grandmother Ann but I think there is resemblance. What do you think? I ought to have added that my mother died in 1986, as I know we aren't supposed to post pics of anyone living.

[warpo]

Didn't photographers travel to peoples homes back then? Was it definitely taken at the studio? Just a thought.

Helen, please get in touch with me. This is my 4th Great Grandmother 

[StanleysChesterton]

LOVE the photo of your lovely GGG-grandmother.  She does look "life worn", but, considering the age she must have been in the photo and getting all those clothes on I'm not surprised!  By the time she'd finished each day it was probably nearly time to get undressed for bed again.  Dressing older/frail people isn't easy, even today with a quick dress over their head!

She might also be looking sadder than your mum (who DOES look like her, same eyes and nose) because it wasn't the norm to smile back then for photos, whereas your mum was having a right old laugh when somebody snapped her.  So different rules, different times.

Lovely old photo though ... enchanting, enigmatic.