Author Topic: Help with the age of "Mrs. Dodson" please  (Read 4061 times)

Offline Jool

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Help with the age of "Mrs. Dodson" please
« on: Tuesday 09 April 19 19:53 BST (UK) »
I have spotted a Cabinet Card for sale on Ebay and I would appreciate any opinions on the age of the lady in the photograph.  Written on the back of the photograph is Mrs. Dodson March 23rd 1884 and the photographer was Mrs. Williams of Wolverhampton.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VICTORIAN-1884-CABINET-PHOTO-MRS-DODSON-WOLVERHAMPTON-WILLIAMS-PHOTOGRAPHER/312554104741?hash=item48c5ad27a5:g:akoAAOSwaKVclS7-

I am wondering if this lady may be my OH's GG Grandmother Martha Dodson (nee Kendrick) who was born March Q 1840 and lived in Wolverhampton.  I cannot see another Mrs Dodson in Wolverhampton at the time who would fit the photo.

I would be grateful of any opinion or observations on the lady.
Thank you in advance for any help.

Jool

Robbins - Wolverhampton.
Spooner - Monmouthshire & Wolverhampton.
Warner & Loundes - Dudley/West Bromwich.
Dod(g)son - Heysham/Liverpool/Wolverhampton

Offline Viktoria

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Re: Help with the age of "Mrs. Dodson" please
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 09 April 19 22:19 BST (UK) »
Hair still dark and not many wrinkles really,not as old as sixty but more than forty ,so let’s say fiftyish.
Sorry can’t be more specific,a very strong face .
Probably not a pretty girl but good strong features that would age well.
Hope you get a more exact opinion.
Viktoria.

Offline Treetotal

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Re: Help with the age of "Mrs. Dodson" please
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 09 April 19 22:22 BST (UK) »
Hi Jool...in my opinion she looks to be in her 40s...she doesn't appear to be going grey and her jawline still appears quite firm and has not yet developed jowls. People then did often look older than their years.
Carol
CAPES Hull. KIRK  Leeds, Hull. JONES  Wales,  Lancashire. CARROLL Ireland, Lancashire, U.S.A. BROUGHTON Leicester, Goole, Hull BORRILL  Lincolnshire, Durham, Hull. GROOM  Wishbech, Hull. ANTHONY St. John's Nfld. BUCKNALL Lincolnshire, Hull. BUTT Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. PARSONS  Western Bay, Newfoundland. MONAGHAN  Ireland, U.S.A. PERRY Cheshire, Liverpool.
 
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Offline Ruskie

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Re: Help with the age of "Mrs. Dodson" please
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 09 April 19 22:36 BST (UK) »
Before reading the earlier replies, I had settled on 40s too.

Added: I didn’t notice the dates you mentioned either Jool.  :) Seems to fit perfectly with your OH’s relative’s dates.  ;)


Offline Jool

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Re: Help with the age of "Mrs. Dodson" please
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 09 April 19 22:37 BST (UK) »
Thank you Victoria and Carol for your opinions on this lady' age.  I thought she looked in her 50's, but I always think people in old photographs look older than they are.  Good point about the hair not yet going grey.

I have had to stop myself from getting excited about finding this photo as I can't be sure that she is my Mrs Dodson.  If she is my Martha Dodson then she is the second wife of James Dodson in my avatar.

I am going to buy the photo anyway in case I can somehow prove who she is.  My F.I.L. has lots of unidentified family photos so I will see if I can find a match in his collection.

Thanks again for your input, I wanted to run it past Rootschatters first in case I was way off the mark with her age  ;D
Robbins - Wolverhampton.
Spooner - Monmouthshire & Wolverhampton.
Warner & Loundes - Dudley/West Bromwich.
Dod(g)son - Heysham/Liverpool/Wolverhampton

Offline Jool

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Re: Help with the age of "Mrs. Dodson" please
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 09 April 19 22:37 BST (UK) »
Thanks for looking too Ruskie, another one voting for the right age  ;)
Robbins - Wolverhampton.
Spooner - Monmouthshire & Wolverhampton.
Warner & Loundes - Dudley/West Bromwich.
Dod(g)son - Heysham/Liverpool/Wolverhampton

Offline Ruskie

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Re: Help with the age of "Mrs. Dodson" please
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 09 April 19 22:41 BST (UK) »
I think you should buy it. Not much to lose if it isn’t her and it’s a nice photo anyway.


Offline Treetotal

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Re: Help with the age of "Mrs. Dodson" please
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 09 April 19 22:44 BST (UK) »
The age spots on the photo make her face look puffy which is aging, but if they were removed, I think she would look her true age. I would buy it Jool and compare the features with other photos to see if there is a family likeness.
Carol
CAPES Hull. KIRK  Leeds, Hull. JONES  Wales,  Lancashire. CARROLL Ireland, Lancashire, U.S.A. BROUGHTON Leicester, Goole, Hull BORRILL  Lincolnshire, Durham, Hull. GROOM  Wishbech, Hull. ANTHONY St. John's Nfld. BUCKNALL Lincolnshire, Hull. BUTT Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. PARSONS  Western Bay, Newfoundland. MONAGHAN  Ireland, U.S.A. PERRY Cheshire, Liverpool.
 
RESTORERS:PLEASE DO NOT USE MY RESTORES WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION - THANK YOU

Offline Jool

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Re: Help with the age of "Mrs. Dodson" please
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 09 April 19 22:46 BST (UK) »
I think you should buy it. Not much to lose if it isn’t her and it’s a nice photo anyway.

Yes I am just signing in to Ebay now.  For less than £2 including postage it's worth it  :)
I think I will also email the seller to ask where they got the photo and if there were any others with it.  I have checked their other items for sale but there is nothing else connected with the family.
Robbins - Wolverhampton.
Spooner - Monmouthshire & Wolverhampton.
Warner & Loundes - Dudley/West Bromwich.
Dod(g)son - Heysham/Liverpool/Wolverhampton