Help with the age of "Mrs. Dodson" please

[Treetotal]

Will the real Mrs. Dodson please stand up 
Carol


Added: There is also the option of looking for a Dodson death in that area and time frame...and on that note, I'll say goodnight and good luck Jool 
 

[Jool]

Will the real Mrs. Dodson please stand up 
Carol

 

[Jool]

Carol, I have already checked for Dodson deaths.... 

Between 1880 and 1884 there are only 2 Dodson deaths in the whole of Staffordshire, a 67 year old woman in Lichfield and a 7 year old boy in Dudley 

A big thank you to everyone who has offered suggestions to help with Mrs. Dodson, and thanks again to Pat and Peter for the great restores.

[arthurk]

Could she be mourning a parent, who wouldn't be a Dodson?

[Jool]

Could she be mourning a parent, who wouldn't be a Dodson?

Hi Arthur, thanks for the suggestion.
Martha's mother died in 1874 and her father in 1878, and all of her siblings died in the 1900's, so we can rule them out.

Her husband James had a spinster sister (also called Martha Dodson  ) whose death was registered in April Q 1884 in Liverpool. It's possible that she could have died in March which would fit the date of the photo.  Having said that, I'm not sure she would have had her photo took in a widows cap to mourn her sister-in-law.  From what I understand the widows cap was only for widows, not for mourning of other family. 

The original photo arrived in the post today and apart from the age spots it's in perfect condition, no dents or damage to the edges (the edges are gold).  It appears to have been in a photo album at some time, you can see a clean arched shape at the top above the age spots.  I don't think it's been in a frame as there are no indentations.

Anyway, the Martha mystery continues 

[arthurk]

Having said that, I'm not sure she would have had her photo took in a widows cap to mourn her sister-in-law.  From what I understand the widows cap was only for widows, not for mourning of other family.

Of course - you've all been writing about a widow's cap and I was unconsciously thinking of mourning in general. Sometimes I need to fully engage brain before replying 

[Jool]

Having said that, I'm not sure she would have had her photo took in a widows cap to mourn her sister-in-law.  From what I understand the widows cap was only for widows, not for mourning of other family.

Of course - you've all been writing about a widow's cap and I was unconsciously thinking of mourning in general. Sometimes I need to fully engage brain before replying 

No problem Arthur, as there is no obvious Widow Dodson around we have to explore all possibilities 

[Treetotal]

How about this for a scenario....Mrs D was bored so she went to Mr D's drapers shop to help out. Mr D was busy serving customers and Mrs D was busily sweeping and dusting and getting in his way, so, having just bought a shed load of over produced white lacy fabric at a knock down price, he sets her to work making Copycat versions of Queen Vic's Mourning Caps. That done, he promptly instructs her to take herself, cap in hand, off to the photographer's to have her photo taken in said handmade cap. Doing her very best to suppress her amusement she carried out his request. Having done as Mr D instructed she returns with a cabinet card photo of herself wearing said cap which Mr D proudly displays in his window to attract customers to come in and buy the latest, must have cap as worn by her Majesty.
However, rumours were soon to circulate that Mrs D was now sadly a widow, prompting an irate Mr D to remove the offending photo from his display and sell it on eBay

Carol

[Jool]

Carol, It sounds perfectly plausible to me, I'm sure he must have had an account with Ye Olde Ebaye.  I'm going with your theory as there isn't another one