Photo ID and date please possibly Great Grandfather Edward Houston 1854-1930

[mazzie74]

Hi

We have just discovered this photo in a box belonging to the brother of my wife's recently deceased Grandmother.

We aren't sure who it is.

I posted it in a Facebook group and someone suggested he may be a scarecrow (farmers sometimes employed people) as someone in her ancestry was.

They have suggested years late 1800's to early 1900's.

My thoughts were my wife's 2 x Great Grandfather Edward Houston 1854-1930 who worked on the horse drawn railways in Sunderland and South Shields in the North East and had an accident in 1909 when his arm was almost severed by a 5 ton wagon going over it.

Any thoughts on occupation and date?

The back is a blank postcard

Thanks again

Darin  (Newcastle upon Tyne, England).

[mazzie74]

Since waiting for this to be accepted I have found a link on the Northumberland Archives website which tells us he's "Coffee Tommy."

No relation to us, just seemed strange that we have his photo / postcard.

https://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/005321.htm

Thanks.

[Treetotal]

Hi Darin...great photo... I love it...what a character...if it's a postcard then it wouldn't be any earlier than around 1900. People did swap and collect postcards..."The Golden Age of Postcards" was 1898 to 1918.
Carol

[mazzie74]

Thanks Carol.

I was racking my brains as to what family member it might be, then found the link.

I've sent the Northumberland Archives a copy of our photo as it's clearer than theirs.