Mystery Picture - help please

[buxtonwall]

Hi,

This is a picture that used to hang in my Gran's house I know very little about the person other than she used to tell me it was her Grandad and was taken in Afghanistan. With some research I've managed to find that her Grandad's where brothers and where both born in Longnor, Staffs but I've not managed to identify there first names only that they were both called Wood C1870 (they might have been John and James). I think the date rules him out of being part of any of the 3 Afghan wars?

If anyone can help with identifying anything about this picture I'd be grateful

[harribobs]

the  british (and indian) army were around the frontier area just about all the time as far as i can understand, if they weren't fighting a 'war' they were on garrison duties or active patrolling to show their presence

[liverpool annie]

1881

Longnor Staffs

John Wood 11 Son Longnor Staffordshire Scholar
RG11/2742 Folio   12 Page   15
With father Thomas and mother Elizabeth and siblings - no James !!

I also have him in 1891 with a wife and child - do you have these already?

Annie   

[buxtonwall]

I do have the 1881 census thanks and like you say at the time John only has two brothers George and Thomas. From what my Gran said her parents were first cousins (Annie approx b1895 and John Wood) and her Grandfathers brothers (Annie's Dad John as far as I can tell) and she refered to them as James and John... However I understand that in rural communities at the time people were offically named one thing and actually known as another, couple this with the surname Wood (v.common) and you might be able to imagine the pickle I'm in with trying to identify her side of the family.

 

[Essex export]

Them pants sure look like cavalry to me.

Regards
Andy

[harribobs]

Them pants sure look like cavalry to me.
Regards
Andy

aye..right  well spotted !! a pair of crap catchers!

but there's precious little else to ID

[buxtonwall]

I couldn't find anything obvious on the picture either but I thought it was worth giving you guys with a bit more experience of these things a go.

Oh well, thanks for looking everyone. Back to the drawing board