Need a date for this family photo please!

[Wendl]

Hi Jaylay...

This photo was taken in 1919....At Abernathy's in Belfast, appears that the backdrop is the same as yours...with the moulded wood appearance...

All the Best
Wendy

[jaylay]

Thanks Wendi - yes it looks like exactly the same background - I am now racking my brains to think who this family might be!  It's definitely not my GGrandparents and their children - far too late for that.  And too early to be my Grandparents and their children - where is Sherlock Holmes when I need him?!

Thanks again
Jaylay

[Wendl]

AH.... I know exactly how you feel....I have a whole box of photo's from the late
1800's up till mid 1900's that were taken in Belfast...and have no clue....mind you, have sent ones I don't know back and forth to new found rellies and some
have been identified as they had the same photo's.....might want to try that?  Could it be a sibling to your Grandparents? The photo I posted is my Granda's sister...and there are many more of other rellies that were sent over to Canada of Aunts, Uncle's neices etc...

All the Best
Wendy

[chinakay]

Join the club, you guys...a box of unidentified photos from Belfast including the obligatory Abernethy's

However, if you have any photos taken by Allison & Allison, you might get lucky. Have you heard of the Allison Collection at the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)? Allison and Allison were photographers, first in Belfast, then in other towns. They inscribed a number on the backs of their photos, which corresponded to entries in their day-books. These numbers would identify the photos.

PRONI has those day-books. The Allison Collection's call number is D/2886.

I did get lucky, up to a point. A very kind person from the NI board did a lookup for me while at PRONI, and I did find who ordered a copy of the Allison baby picture I have. Too bad it didn't get any farther than that, but another clue might surface some day...

It's worth a look through the shoebox, though

Cheers,
China

[jaylay]

Thank you both - it's good to know I'm not the only one - it just seems almost like winning the Lotto and then not being able to get at the money if you know what I mean!  Having all of these photos and not being able to connect them to my tree is frustrating to say the least! 

China, I'm going to look through them all this evening and see if I can spot any from Allison & Allison - that would be a step in the right direction!

Jaylay

[Wendl]

China...

Thank's for the insight re: Allison & Allison..the majority of mine are from Abernathy and a place called Moffett's Art Studio, 12 High St  Belfast....also Reid's from 81 High Street, Belfast...However there is one from Allison's Vienna Studio's from 14 Queen's arcade....wonder if it's associated to the Allison's you speak of?

All the Best
Wendy

[chinakay]

Yes, that's the right Allison. On the back there should be a handwritten number, in pencil, not easy to see if it's a black backing but turn it so the light reflects off it and you should find it.

Cheers,
C

[Wendl]

Hi China....

Appears to have the NO. 10P on the back at the bottom....have sent the scan of back and photo to a cousin in Belfast with a request that he check proni's books....
we think the photo is of my grt grt gran Susannah Hedley taken about 1866...
would be fabulous if it was found to be her for sure.

Thanks again.
Wendy 

[Wendl]

this is the photo....