are they masons? *Completed*

[Shaztoni]

I think one of the men this photo might be of my gggrandfather Joseph Beer who was a stone mason, but he died in 1900, would this picture have been taken before that?, are the men in it masons? where could it have been taken, what's the building behind them, he was living in Clase, Wales in 1891 and his family were living in Llantwit and Neath, Wales in 1901.
Thanks
Sharon

[Keith Bateman]

Hi Sharon,

I'm afraid I can't help with your question - but think I have made the photo a bit clearer for someone else to see?!

They look like builders of some description to me!!


Cheers

Keith

[PrueM]

Hi Sharon,
Can you describe the mount a little more, or post a picture of the full card and the back?  It looks like it might be a postcard format - is that right?  Getting the format  right can help us to date it.
Prue

[Paul E]

I like their sense of humour, anyway ... rare to see such informality in a photograph from the nineteenth century

[Shaztoni]

here's a full scan of the front, unfortunately its a copy so I don't have information on what was on the back.
I've taken a close up of the writing in the corner if this helps, I have no idea what it says.

Paul E, apart from one hitting the other over the head that man on the left seems to be picking his nose, I thought it was a very odd and amusing picture.

[Paul E]

Looks a little like 'Ilfracombe' there, Sharon.

Paul


PS  I was being discrete in not mentioning the nose-picker!!

[PrueM]

The printing in the bottom corner probably gives the photography studio ("Something-or-Other Photo") and then the place:  Ilfracombe I reckon, as Paul says.

It looks like a typical postcard style print to me, a style which came about in around 1900 and remained popular for decades.  Not sure whether that helps at all....

Prue

[Shaztoni]

Thanks Paul & Prue,
I would never have figured that out Paul, I just googled 'Ilfracombe' it's in Devon isn't it, Joseph Beer came from Devon (all his siblings remained there) he only moved to Wales in 1880, he came from a place called Alwington is that anywhere near 'Ilfracombe' or am I miles away.

[Keith Bateman]

45miles south of Ilfracombe and you come to Alwington - could be just about right?!

This will take you to an old map of the place:
http://www.devon.gov.uk/etched?url=etched/ixbin/hixclient.exe&_IXP_=1&_IXR=100044

Cheers

Keith