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

[Gillg]

The railwaymen do look genuine and you say that your gt-gt-grandfather was a platelayer, which fits. The others seem to have been issued with new jumpers and hats for the occasion.  It's just the pyramid shape of the group that looks so dramatic, with Andrew's gt-gt-grandfather and the monkey at its peak.

I have a large number of posed group photos from a similar era connected with my family and the various organisations to which they were attached.  It was such a popular thing for the Victorians and Edwardians to do. 

If you live in or near Cambridge, Andrew, why not take a copy of your picture to the Record Office or local paper to see if it features in a back number?  My paper has back numbers on film for this period.

Gillg

[ShaunJ]

The "sailors" have some lettering on their jumpers - you can clearly see an R and an N on the chap at bottom right, with another letter in between. It looks to be just four letters if you look at the chap standing at the right

[AndrewMartin]

The "sailors" have some lettering on their jumpers - you can clearly see an R and an N on the chap at bottom right, with another letter in between. It looks to be just four letters if you look at the chap standing at the right

Hmm.. i thought it was "R.V.T.C"

[goldy]

I downloaded the pic and had acloser look I'm not convinced that all the hats say Albert. the guy on the rights hat looks like a longer word. Is there any chance of a higher resolution pic?

[AndrewMartin]

I downloaded the pic and had acloser look I'm not convinced that all the hats say Albert. the guy on the rights hat looks like a longer word. Is there any chance of a higher resolution pic?

Unfortunately, I dont have the original photo as I only borrowed it to copy it in 2001 and then handed back to the elderly Aunt that i'd borrowed it from. She has since died, so finding the photo again might be difficult.

I'll try re-scanning the copy that i had made - but then that's only going to be like photocopying a photocopy really - in that you lose a bit of quality every time you copy it.

I'll give it a go and post a link back here.

 

[AndrewMartin]

In the meantime, here's a zoom in on the text on the jumper belonging to the man on the far left of the front row.

I've saved them in negative and normal image type.. and to me, this man's jumper says R.T.V.C. I've attached the two versions to this posting.


The man near the back with the big black beard (somewhat scary), appears to have different text printed on his hat, rather than 'Albert'.

[JAP]

I wish this fascinating story were on just one thread 

There's certainly duplication - always undesirable in my humble view.

And a good idea if posters look at both threads.

I feel that the answer must be forthcoming and how sad to miss it - or to miss any parts of the continuing story!

AndrewMartin, should the answer appear please, please post the link!

Incidentally, the rather sour chap at right back looks very like Abraham Lincoln 

JAP

[AndrewMartin]

whatever the outcome/answer is, i'll be sure to post it on both threads.

i felt that posting two threads would help reach a wider audience - those who are looking at Cambridgeshire research and those who are more informed than me, on Occupations.

Fingers crossed that the answer will soon arrive. I've had this image in my collection since about 2001.. and after re-stumbling across it earlier this week, I decided that it was time that i got to the bottom of it.

[elaine447]

if you download the bigger picture and enlarge it
it looks as though the man third row from front second
in from the right
I may be wrong but it looks as though his beard is falling off
the left side of his beard reaches up to his jaw
the right side does not
it looks so uneven
Elaine