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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Richard Knott on Monday 08 October 18 13:43 BST (UK)
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Does anyone recognise this building?
The cinquefoil windows within the gothic arch might be distinctive - Victorian?
It looks like an Edwardian/!st WW photo and was with a couple of photos from a school in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, but the teacher is different to the others, so that may be a red herring.
I have no idea whether the large trophy helps, but I don't know what it is.
Richard
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First thoughts - it looks like the cloisters of whatever establishment it is, because of the large windows going down almost to ground level.
It's usually cathedrals rather than parish churches that have cloisters, but I haven't found any with cinquefoils like that. Salisbury has them, but the top ones there are bigger than the other two.
Given the make-up of the group with the schoolmaster in the middle, I wonder if this is actually a school rather than a church/cathedral. That might also account for the stonework looking fairly recent and uneroded (ie Victorian rather than 14th-15th century). In fact, I even wonder if the tracery (the bars etc between the panes of glass) in the windows might be wood rather than stone, but that too would point to Victorian gothic revival rather than something much older.
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I agree with arthurk; may be a 'house' of a public school showing their trophies from a particular year.
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Deleted,mistake,sorry.
Regards
Roger
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Agree - a public school Cadet corps with trophies. Taken 1890's to 1920 ish. Wide date range as the Eton collars were used over many years as was the early style of army uniform.
AJ
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Perhaps a high resolution scan of just the central trophy may help.
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Can you post a copy of the back please...is it a postcard?
Carol
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It looks a bit like crossed keys in the lower part of the main trophy...
best regards,
Karen
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Similar in feel to a photo Westminster School Cadets WW1
Grant’s House photo 1913
Can’t copy from iPad,sorry.
Regards
Roger
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Having spent (some of) my formative years at Westminster, I am pretty sure that is not it! (Will be suitably embarrassed if I am wrong).
I agree with some others that it looks more neoGothic than Gothic, so perhaps not one of the ancient public schools but a substantial 19thC one? Or at least one which was developed a lot at that time?
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Exeter cathedral has similarities.
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Could well be Exeter cathedral. It's clean now but the window and butress is the same.
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Could well be Exeter cathedral. It's clean now but the window and butress is the same.
Have you got a picture of the relevant part of Exeter Cathedral? I can see a window with similarities, but the design is quatrefoil rather than cinquefoil (and not two such windows next to one another).
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I must say Exeter Cathedral looks lovely - never been there :)
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Thanks for the suggestions. I, too, think the building is neo-Gothic (see first post) and agree that it looks like a cloister. I worried that some of the boys were too young for a traditional House group, although they may just look young.
I'll try to post a higher scan of the trophy but that will have to be tomorrow.
R
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Thanks for the suggestions. I, too, think the building is neo-Gothic (see first post) and agree that it looks like a cloister. I worried that some of the boys were too young for a traditional House group, although they may just look young.
I'll try to post a higher scan of the trophy but that will have to be tomorrow.
R
...and the reverse of the photo if you have it please.
Carol
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Here's a relevant crop of windows and butress with statue to orientate. Cathedral Church of St Peter.
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The general format of this is similar,though obviously not the location!
http://firstworldwar.westminster.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/19180918_-Todd-HS.jpg
Regards
Roger
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It's still not much clearer I'm afraid.
There's nothing on the back of the photograph, but the mount does have an impression showing that it was taken by J Russell & Son, of 51 Baker St. They were at 17 Baker St in 1889 and 51 Baker St by 1917 but I don't know when they moved. They also had branches in Sussex and elsewhere.
Richard
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It's not 1890s as it would most likely be a cabinet card.
Carol
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Clutching at the the same straw again,is there a similarity in the shield and this from Westminster School?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Official_rendition_of_the_Coat_of_arms_of_Westminster_School.svg
Roger
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Yes, I may have to eat my words about my alma mater Westminster :-[ <humble pie emoji>
See this photo (if you can):
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/05/28/pictures-day-28-may-2018/westminster-abbey-gardener-comac-conolly-pushes-lawnmower-new/
Or google (images) “Westminster Abbey cloister garth”.
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Well found, everyone!
More photos of the cloisters and Capability Brown memorial fountain at:
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/L7pxp6E9IgN/Westminster+Abbey+Unveils+New+Fountain+Commemorating/TZ0rljYnD3K
A street view of the cloister before the fountain was installed:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01mu1/
(This took me to the map, but if you drag the man to the blue blob on the south side of the cloister there's a good view)
Westminster School Archives (who might be interested in it and/or be able to give further information):
https://www.westminster.org.uk/about/our-history/archives-and-collections/
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Same trophy/shield?
http://firstworldwar.westminster.org.uk/?p=224 (http://firstworldwar.westminster.org.uk/?p=224)
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Excellent; thanks.
I'll send the photo to Westminster!
Richard