The mystery and the monkey (can you help identify?)

[millymcb]

Hi Gillg. 

Ah well - just a theory. Although the men in this picture are quite young rather than older religious people so maybe it still holds a bit of water

Milly.

[Gillg]

Hi Milly

Maybe they were holding onto the style of their youth.    They were serious about their religion, but had ordinary day jobs as local tradesmen, millworkers, etc.  They were Northcountrymen, and fashions took a bit longer to reach the regions. Maybe Andrew's relative and friends were more up-to-date with their face fungus!

An earlier photo of my gt-grandfather from around 1880 shows him with the same style of beard (i.e. without moustache) as later. This was taken before his hair went white, which leads me to think that the later photo must have been taken even later than I thought, most probably 1890s.

Sorry, I'm not helping at all, am I? 

Gillg

[millymcb]

But a fascinating discussion of men's facial fashion through the ages nonetheless.

[AndrewMartin]

hi Milly, hope you slept well after all that facial hair studying!

My guess at being around the 1880s, was that i believed that my Gt Gt Grandfather, James Martin, who was born in 1851, looked 'about' 30 in that photo (he's at the top with the monkey).

There's a suggestion that maybe it is earlier - that's possible i guess and looking at the fashions of the time is probably a good thing to do.

As for it being his father, well, he was born in 1814 and died in 1868 - so it's probably not him as he'd be an old man.

[millymcb]

Hi Andrew
I'd say the man with the monkey is about 30 too - and if he was born in 1851 then 1880s is a good estimate.   I was just wondering how sure you were that the man with the monkey is DEFINITELY your GGG - I know I've been misled in the past by overzealous relatives. 

If you are absolutely sure then the beard fashion stumps me

Milly

[millymcb]

What we need is a naval history guru to identify and date the hats. Or maybe someone at RTYC can claim the jumpers (and the men in them!)

[ShaunJ]

Just going back to an earlier post - if this is an 1880's picture it couldn't have been marking a visit by Prince Albert. He died in 1861.

[ShaunJ]

However...Prince Albert's son  HRH Albert Edward, Prince of Wales was Commodore of the Royal Thames Yacht Club and the Royal Yacht Squadron in 1881 when they started the Yacht Racing Association

[AndrewMartin]

ah ha, that might possibly be a good link.

there is no certain proof that the man at the top is my Gt Gt Grandfather as there was no writing on the reverse of the photo. I can only go on what elderly relatives have passed on to me. So it is possible that he's there, just as much possible as him not being in that picture at all.