Date and best guess at ages for this photo, please.

[Stefan Woolf]

The attached Carte de Visite is part of the family photo archive, but I can't work out who the sitters are.

A date for the photo, along with best guess of ages of the sitters might just help work out who the mystery trio are.

Many thanks,

Stef.

[Stefan Woolf]

And the reverse....

Given the collection it came from this was probably taken in the Tring, (Herts) studio of Mr & Mrs S G Payne.

[jim1]

Early to mid 1880's by the back.The children look about 9 & 12.
I think a girl younger than 9 would be dressed differently.

                                     jim

[jim1]

this may be a bit clearer.

[Stefan Woolf]

Thanks Jim,

Yes it's not in the best possible condition, is it.

The "Hertfordshire Genealogy" web-site features a page on S.G. Payne, where it is suggested the Tring operation only lasted about 1895 to 1907, but I'm doubtful that several pictures I have by this photographer that name Tring are anything like as late as 1895.

You placing this one at least 10 years earlier is more in line with what I feel is right.

So if I'm looking at 12 and 9 year old sisters, I'm looking for births in the rough range 1870 to 1875. 

I'm also wondering if I'm looking for a father who has been made a widower, as posing a man with (presumably) just his 2 daughters might seem unusual if there was a wife around too.  Or am I wrong on that, I wonder?

At the moment I still can't place who they might be.

Stef.

[Niksmum]

Hi Stef
Sorry can't help with dates but here is a clean up for you

Irene

[jim1]

Having a photo taken was a special occasion,
so one without mother would suggest a widower to me as well.

[PaulaToo]

What a cold picture.
Yes, I think he has lost his wife.
'These are my daughters, I am proud of them.
But they are not sons.'
Notice neither of the girls are touching him. It is so formal it almost hurts.
Late 1880s, and the younger of the girls is not dressed like a child any more. I don't know what age they went into full length skirts, but she is wearing one.

You need Old Rowley.

[Stefan Woolf]

Thanks Jim and Irene for the restores.

The original was poor, so it definitely helps.

Paula,

I agree, it is a kind of strange photo.

Whilst I realise that a picture may have found it's way into the family collection that isn't close family at all, I "feel" that this one does belong, but I'm really struggling to imagine who they might be.

I don't have any obvious man widowed by the 1880s, with a brace of fairly closely spaced daughters.

Also he looks rather too smartly dressed for my lot, most of whom don't look like they belong in the smart attire they have put on for a studio portrait.

This threesome would fairly closely have matched the ages of my great grandfather and his 2 oldest daughters, but it's not them, as he is usually seen, (albeit rather later), with lots of hair on the bottom half of his head, but none on top.

I'd love to know - I'll go though candidate families again, but I think this one cold stay a mystery.

Stef.