Author Topic: When & Where - Can anyone help date and place of this photo - William Gill  (Read 2500 times)

Offline C_W

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I have been given copies of an old photo album for my Gt Gt Grandfather - William Gill. He was a Civil Engineer.

Graces Guide website have a really good account of his working life. Between 1863 and 1880 he worked on many railways in Peru, Sardina and Brazil, but I'm not sure if this photo looks like either place and time.

Thank you for any ideas.

Offline bykerlads

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Re: When & Where - Can anyone help date and place of this photo - William Gill
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 07 February 16 17:48 GMT (UK) »
Looks almost like a scene from an old epic movie!
Clearly it's not Europe, though the roof covering in the foreground looks like bracken.
People look dark- skinned.
Long robes and covered heads a bit in contrast with the scattering of large- brimmed hats. Maybe sombrero type hats, so perhaps South America.
If it is a workers' camp, I'm wondering why they are in long cloaks etc, unless these are blanket/ poncho garments.
Can't clearly see the sheep/ goats in the centre of the crowd but I bet they would provide a clue as to which country.

Offline sami

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Re: When & Where - Can anyone help date and place of this photo - William Gill
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 07 February 16 20:03 GMT (UK) »
If it is a workers' camp, I'm wondering why they are in long cloaks etc, unless these are blanket/ poncho garments.
Can't clearly see the sheep/ goats in the centre of the crowd but I bet they would provide a clue as to which country.

Fascinating photo!

I see it as a market rather than a workers' camp. The animals look like horses and goats or burros to me. If its in South America I see it as Brazil rather than Peru.

sami

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Offline C_W

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Re: When & Where - Can anyone help date and place of this photo - William Gill
« Reply #3 on: Monday 08 February 16 08:31 GMT (UK) »
The thing I found strange is the amount of vegetation and particularly the building behind the tree looks like a permanent structure.


Offline Skoosh

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Re: When & Where - Can anyone help date and place of this photo - William Gill
« Reply #4 on: Monday 08 February 16 10:49 GMT (UK) »
Mining, East Africa?

Skoosh.

Offline C_W

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Re: When & Where - Can anyone help date and place of this photo - William Gill
« Reply #5 on: Monday 08 February 16 10:55 GMT (UK) »
Yes, that would make sense if it were mining. In 1880 William Gill became Manager of the Orconera Iron Ore Co in Bilbao.

Do you think this photo would be before 1880?

Offline ShaunJ

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Re: When & Where - Can anyone help date and place of this photo - William Gill
« Reply #6 on: Monday 08 February 16 11:05 GMT (UK) »
Definitely looks like Africa to me. It's a market.
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Offline ShaunJ

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Re: When & Where - Can anyone help date and place of this photo - William Gill
« Reply #7 on: Monday 08 February 16 11:15 GMT (UK) »
It is a wonderfully detailed photo
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Offline bykerlads

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Re: When & Where - Can anyone help date and place of this photo - William Gill
« Reply #8 on: Monday 08 February 16 11:30 GMT (UK) »
What super detail in the enlargements!
Now the men look African, definitely. Their heads and hair.
At the risk of making  a generalisation about ethnic characteristics, they look tall and long- limbed like Ethiopians  or Somalis.
Along with the big hats, I'd say that the style of those big pots would give a clue, if we had an expert in ceramics on RChat.