Uniform identification

[Hill]

Hi

Attached is the only known photograph of James Kirk

JK was born in the USA c 1855 of Irish immigrant parents. He moved to live in Jersey prior to 1881 where he died 2nd Mar 1912.

Details of his life are known other than why is he wearing a uniform, and what does it signify? What is it on his arm?

Any help would be appreciated.

Stewart

[Regorian]

Something very wrong here. He died in 1912 aged 57. He looks more like in his 20's. The uniform jacket may be the 1908 pattern. The women and children could be 1910 to 1920ish. Do you have the family tree 1900 to 1920 period?

The trailer for Peterloo film (1819) is out now. The infantry uniforms are wrong, they are the 1812 to 1815, not the 1816 to 1830.

[MaecW]

Are you quite sure of your identification? I'm no expert on US uniforms but this young man looks to be about twenty years old, which James would have been c 1875.  The style of dress and hairstyles of the ladies suggest some time around the early 1900s. Could this be James's son, perhaps ?

Maec.

PS Regorian just beat me to it ! But I'll post this anyway to support that view.

[ShaunJ]

I agree. That photo is taken circa 1914 and it is a young man in what looks like British Army uniform.

[Regorian]

Always good for other opinions.

[Jebber]

I agree. That photo is taken circa 1914 and it is a young man in what looks like British Army uniform.

I agree, and the badge on the lower part of his left sleeve looks a signaller.

[MaxD]

The thing on his right arm I suggest is a blemish on the photo.  There were no sleeve badges that stuck out like that.
MaxD

[Hill]

Thank you all for your comments, particularly about JK's age.

I will do some more investigations!

Stewart

[jim1]

I would suggest this is pre WW1 .The wife (if that is who she is) is in a style not seen after about 1910.
The soldier has 1 GC chevron indicating at least 2 years service.
Looking closer it's not a blemish. He's pinned something to his sleeve which wouldn't normally be there as MaxD has indicated.
I thought he'd pinned his cap badge there but I don't recognise it as such.
You need to look for someone in the family who had 3 girls & 1 boy by c.1910.
I would say the oldest is about 13 & the youngest around 7.
The soldier is the odd one as he could be a son aged about 20 or a husband (older than he looks) but younger than her or a younger brother.