Can anyone give me any more information on this Jenkin photograph?

[HenningWalker]

Hi,

I came across this photograph about five years ago and I know for a fact that the three people at the back are my 3xGreat-Aunt and my 3xGreat-Grandparents. The woman on the left of the middle row is also my 3xGreat-Aunt and I suspect that the children either side are another two of their siblings as they more or less match the approximate ages and gender.

I suspect this photograph to have been taken in about 1905 and either in Camborne or Helston, but I recently become intrigued as to the possible occasion and who the other two people on the middle row are? Based on his collar, I am under the impression that the gentleman in the middle must be a vicar and given the closeness of the woman next to him, most likely his wife. I am however interested to know what possible occasion this could have been and whether anyone with further information about the local churches might be able to offer some more help on who they might be?

It seems that they are all wearing dark clothes - could this be because it was fashionable at the time, or were they in mourning and that is why the vicar is there?

Any further help would be greatly appreciated. My interest piqued this week as I discovered that we were related to the Reverend John Hockin of Okehampton through my 3xGreat-Grandmother who is at the back of the picture. On the basis that several of her uncles were given the middle name Hockin (presumably to commemorate this line), I wondered, as tenuous as it might be, whether there could be any link for this reason? I am also as yet unsure where this was taken i.e. at home or in a studio.

Many thanks in advance!

Henning

[McGroger]

Hi, Henning.

Just looking at the photo in isolation from what you know about it, my thoughts would be:
Just a family photo, in a studio, where the vicar happens to be part of the family. Of the females to the vicar’s right, at least two are probably his sisters, the youngest (seated on the floor) strongly resembles the one behind her so I was thinking her daughter, and the one to our far left could be another sister or just a random family member. The vicar’s wife is to his left and the closeness of the child makes him/her look like hers. The man to the far right is a little isolated from the lady you have identified as his wife but this could be to emphasise the close relationship of the others - he’s the in-law, not “the family”.

Not sure about a date, but moving this up the board might get it some attention from those more expert than I.

Cheers,
Peter

[jim1]

Edwardian.