What is he wearing - a sash? Tierney, San Francisco, c1900s

[Lisa in California]

Thank you all very much for your comments!

Thank you, Mike, for the clean-up, it is wonderful!  Having the creases removed draws my eyes to Patrick and the horse - before the clean-up I was distracted by the marks.

Jim, I was thinking it might be around 1910.  If it was c1905-1910, it could have been just before the devastating earthquake.  It's something for me to think about.  (I feel like there is a clue, somewhere.)

Patrick was Roman Catholic and I believe religion was a part of his life.

Thank you for the link, Mike; I will read it after posting this.

Pennant lance support - very good suggestion.

Street cars:  I am not sure what he did.  I will research that.  (I know that he was a "Driver" at some point, but I don't believe it was meant in the literal way.)

Address on the back of the photo:  Patrick is my husband's ancestor.  Now that I am communicating with his cousins and we are sharing information and photographs, I have seen a number of photographs for this family.  Addresses have been included on some of the photos, possibly because the family changed locations several times (due in part to the 1906 earthquake).  Supposedly, Patrick helped his son-in-law build/update (an "earthquake shack") their residence after 1906.  However, looking at the writing on the back, it is fairly large - scrawled across the back.  That is not consistent with how the addresses were written on other photos.  I will look for a sample of his writing, to see if it could be Patrick's writing or possibly a photographer's writing.

Writing on the building:  The abbreviations for the railway were (I thought) odd ones.  I will research the abbrevations again.

My mother-in-law only mentioned a few things about Patrick - one was that he used to tell her to sit up straight. (He must have told her that a lot, for her to comment about it.)     I met one of his granddaughters; she had a deep love for Ireland - perhaps acquired from Patrick?  The cousin who just shared this photo with me said that she had heard of Patrick's "fierce love" for Ireland.  She feels that the photo is of Patrick being in a parade; possibly for the Hibernian society.  She also said a family member has a photograph of Patrick - there are a lot of people in the photograph - perhaps members of a society.

Thank you all very much for your thoughts; we have a lot to research and think about.  Mike, thank you again for the touch up.  Now that I've replied, additional comments most welcomed about my reply or any other ideas.  Thank you, Lisa 

[Lisa in California]

Since there were so many great ideas and thoughts, I was trying to capture them all in my response.  Rereading them again, IJDisney, you thought the address on the back was odd.  I believe you are correct - the other photos that have addresses were taken of people in front of the houses.  I don't believe the house in the background is his house.  Good point you brought up!

[Lisa in California]

Unless he was in a hurry to write the information and he scrawled it, or there was some other reason for changing his style, the writing on the back was not done by Patrick.  I have a 1916 post card that includes his signature - it is not the same writing. 

[Viktoria]

It didn't look like a decorative sash to me (too bulky/plain) and I initially wondered whether it might be an easily accessible 'external' pocket for holding tools, food or drink. Much as some modern workmen use a tool belt.

Then I came across a description of the Irish 'brat': a blanket, folded over a couple of times and worn across the shoulder with a pin to keep it in place. These days, they're also worn as part of ceremonial dress but the origins in the 1800's were practical. The blanket gave added protection in adverse weather (cold, wind, rain). They were also a symbol of rebellion against English occupation.

My guess was that the horseman was wearing some kind of 'brat'.

See this link: https://www.shamrockgift.com/blog/traditional-dress-of-ireland-in-the-1800s/

Mike

In Lancashire a "Brat" is an apron,worn by women to do housework to protect their clothes.
Also in the textile industry,where machines were very frequently oiled.
Looms and spinning frames.
The oil sprayed the workers  as the machines moved, and in men who did not wear protective clothing the oil was a danger as it had carcinogens ,it sprayed across the groin area and cancers there were all too common .
Viktoria.

[Lisa in California]

Hi Viktoria:

Thank you for explaining about the textile industry and Lancashire words.  I have ancestors who lived in Lancashire, so it is especially interesting to learn new definitions.

Part of the reason that I enjoy genealogy so much is learning about history, places, people, culture, every day life, etc.  Thank you for sharing, Victoria.  Lisa

PS  I didn't realize that oil was harmful.   

[shanreagh]

I am wondering if this a picture taken just before he led a parade for something like St Patrick's Day, or the 12th (Battle of the Boyne)*.  You have mentioned the Hibernian Society and this seems possible.  He seems to be wearing fancy gauntlets and the horse's mane may be groomed up and tied/plaited to his (horses)  right hand side. Actually both he and the horse look very brushed up.    While my Irish ancestors did carry something like a swag going across a shoulder and under the other arm with their lunch and tools in this looks more like some thing that has been made to support a flag. 

* In NZ protestants and Roman Catholics being spirited Irish people marched in parades on their own day and on each others day 15th March and 12th July as well.  My mother said my Gt grandfather being one of these spirited Irish fellows from the north did this.  The town council assigned each group a marching route well away from each other but what do you know somehow they always found each other!   

I think the name and address might be if he loaned the photograph to someone and wanted to make sure it got back to him. 

[Lisa in California]

Hi shanreagh:

Thank you for your comments and the interesting information about the Irish marching on two different days.  I can just imagine the two groups eventually finding each other.  My mum's grandfather would have fit right in - he was a kind man but he didn't back down from anything.

I noticed the horse's mane, but I didn't think of it possibly being plaited; I was too busy wondering if it was a tail-less horse. 

Family members were told that Patrick worked in the parks - I would think that if it was a work "sash", that it might have shown dirt marks, but perhaps they are not visible in the photograph; or, perhaps it had a different meaning, some of which have been mentioned here.

I don't know anything about clothing from this time period or earlier - but could he have a (added) button or something affixed to his jacket (on the folded part of the lapel)?  The white mark on the lapel seems to be in the wrong place for just a sewn-on jacket button.

Thank you for contributing; it is fascinating to learn new things.  I will have another look around for online photographs from that time frame.  It is looking more likely that he was in some sort of a parade.

[Lisa in California]

Just a thought:  looking online at old photographs, the riders appear to favour holding the reins with their left hands and holding things (flags, ropes, weapons, etc.) with their right hands.  Patrick would have used his left hand to steady a flag if the pole was placed in the pocket in the sash; could he have been left-handed, I wonder.  Also, if he took great care to look so nice and have his horse looking nice, I wonder why the photo didn't include the flag; it seems incomplete.   

It's late here; time to turn off the computer. 

[Lisa in California]

Hello, again.  Is there any chance that the photograph (on the first page of the thread) could have been taken in 1898, please?

I found a possible lead for the reason for the photograph and I am looking on the internet for possible answers.  Thank you for any guidance.  Lisa