Another one for dating

[carol80]

Maybe she dressed up for the "Photo" Something for the kids as they seem so young. Still not helping with the year but may help mallow pinpoint who it is.

[Emmeline]

Ooh Andy - you could well be right ! A most interesting idea and you are right in saying that ' the deceased' was often fitted into the photo after.
This will give us all something to think about.

[J.J.]

Haha...this is turning into a good one! Rowley...you kill me! I knew you'd do
well in here...yes, I kept looking at that greyed out tone that didn't fit with the
rest of it...you are so right that what is behind seems to be someone else's tuft
of hair...Likely the fellow was reamed out for not giving it a good combing down!...
This more or less shows the outline of the overlay...there is even some "other"
hair to the front....I am now wondering if the fellow forgot to straighten his
collar and the photographer tried to colour it out.... as it seems to be an object
for sure, rather than immulsion...Also note that the original fellow below may
have had his head straighter....the "new" head seems to be turned down
unnaturally askew, perhaps there was not enough "neck" to have it  "put on
straight"...thus making the turned up collar seem even moreso...
Good thinking Andy,...

Apparently, "W J Lapworth" was an "Antiquarian" of Stafford (found on cached site for antique books...)

[mallow]

Well what can I say, only glad I sent it in it has given endless hours or entertainment, great laugh and I think Andy is saying something similar to what I said about pushing your head through a cardboard cut out allready there,  "I dont know why"  Her husband outlived her so it was not a case of second husband, "Wow" this is turning into some mystery, but please keep going someone is bound to solve it yet. Here is Stamp on back of photo hope it will help and thanks to everyone for their input

[J.J.]

I don't  know why this might have been done, but could it be that the husband
 was away when there was an opportunity to be photographed...and was
added at a later date? 
OHHH...Found William J. Lapworth (photographer ) worked out of 10 Gaol St,
Stafford in 1872!  J.J.

Couldn't see him in the 1881...for Stafford...and no photographers at all by that
 name in the 1881......so that might narrow it down...
( Found an Auctioneer and a Hawker, neither in Stafford in 1881....which might
explain the next leap to "Antiquarian" haha...)

Rowley and Prue rule...(polite bow or curtsy...or something)

[J.J.]

Aha...I think we have "between dates" for sure now as c.1880 10 Gaol Square,
 Stafford...were the studios of Andrew Taylor and George Taylor ! (would this
be the same address as previous? Am thinking that since a studio existed
there that it might be the same one?)


A new theory...Perhaps we have a "reverse" of the photo board theme
happening...where everything is real "except" the cardboard face of the
man...which is cantilevered out from a clip on his upright collar and suspended
 thus in front of the man's head...as the real one was having a bad hair day!

Maybe Lapworth was just a lousy photographer, and since he couldn't get it
right, perhaps took the best face of the man and put it onto the better image
of the family....this was the straw that broke the camel's back, as he spilled
fluid all over the image of the fellow....so off he went to hawk or auction or
hawktion...hence finding his true calling....A Mavin amongst his old relics

   J.J.  Punchy once again!

[Dave Francis]

In the 1871 Census, William J Lapworth (photographer) was aged 36 and living at 10 Gaol Square in St Mary Stafford with wife and children. [RG10/2816 folio 91 page 1]

By the 1881 Census, he appears to have been working as an auctioneer and had moved back to Aston, his birthplace. [RG11/3019 folio 81 page 38]  Perhaps he wasn't a good photographer after all! 

So, the question is: where was William in 1861 and what was his job?

[J.J.]

Oh, dear, Mallow...seems we've hijacked your thread and made it a rootschat
 challenge...!  ( or tease site )  Thanks, Dave, I haven't access to the censuses...
My thoughts, exactly...he was perhaps one of those fellows who tried his hand
at many things!  I can't wait to see the answer!
Oh, I'm sorry, Mallow...did you have a question on this thread?
Something about dating? No thanks, I'm taken!
  teehee - punchier than ever -  J.J.

[mallow]

Hi JJ  only question for Old Rowley I think he dated photo at around 1865 what is difference between 1865 and 1862 also the 1861 census will end the suspence if he was working as a photographer