Author Topic: Photo believed to have been taken in Fife mid-late 19th century  (Read 2168 times)

Offline Munro84

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Photo believed to have been taken in Fife mid-late 19th century
« on: Tuesday 16 July 19 21:06 BST (UK) »
Someone called Monica advised that I post this here.

Hi, so this photo was found in the collection belonging to my grandad Alexander Mckay Munro (b.1921 in Lanark and d.2008 in Worcestershire, England). Having studied all the photos in his collection all but this one can pretty much be identified as where and when they were taken and who the people are in them.  However, with this one the most likely conclusion is that the man stood on the back row 4th from left is actually my 3rd great-grandad Mackay (John) Munro who was born on the north coast of Sutherland in 1812, moved to and married in Kirkcaldy in 1856 aged 44, fathered 7 children and died in 1875 aged 63 in Kinghorn (although Mornigside is also mentioned on the death certificate and the age on his death certificate is incorrect because his wife was 20 years younger than him and could be the woman stood next to him 3rd from left). I know this is a long shot but here is some information from Wikipedia about the history of Scottish photography: By 1843 the Edinburgh Calotype Club had been formed, probably the world's first photographic club. The club dissolved in the mid-1850s as new processes appeared, such as the albumen print and wet collodion process. The Glasgow Photographic Society was founded in 1855 (20 years before Mackay John Munro died), The Photographic Society of Scotland formed in 1856 (the year Mackay John Munro married) and the Edinburgh Photographic Society in 1861. The tall man stood second from right on the back row may have been a boxer given that he is holding his fist up. The occasion appears to be a wedding given that there is a cake in the middle, but whose wedding is not known. This forum has always been very helpful to me and I was just wondering if someone out there could identify when or where this photo was taken, or anyone in it ? The women's clothes in particular seem to be from a certain era.

Offline DavidG02

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Re: Photo believed to have been taken in Fife mid-late 19th century
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 16 July 19 21:40 BST (UK) »
The woman to the far left , front, has a hairstyle similar to my GGrandmother from around the 1910s

I have no great idea but the clothing felt to be after 1900 (happy to be extremely wrong) but the hairstyle and clothes make me look at that time

Though thinking and looking more I could go back to 1880s. Maybe it took a while for fashion to reach Australia
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Offline Little Nell

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Re: Photo believed to have been taken in Fife mid-late 19th century
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 16 July 19 21:45 BST (UK) »
I think the style of clothes is wrong for pre 1875.  They look like post 1900 to me.

Also I don't think it is a wedding - no big hats!  Some other celebration maybe - a birthday?

Nell
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Offline Gadget

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Re: Photo believed to have been taken in Fife mid-late 19th century
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 16 July 19 21:50 BST (UK) »
I think this  looks Edwardian, as Nell has said.  This means that the gentleman isn't your 3 x grandfather.

Gadget

Added - the cake suggests it could be a wedding anniversary or a birthday party.
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Offline Munro84

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Re: Photo believed to have been taken in Fife mid-late 19th century
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 16 July 19 21:53 BST (UK) »
Well, thanks for your help all. One other possibility is that the man standing 4th from left back row was my 2nd great grandad, Alexander Munro who was born in 1859 in Kirkcaldy and died in 1938 in Aberdeen. I will post two confirmed photos of him. He is sat down far right in the second photo.

Offline Gadget

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Re: Photo believed to have been taken in Fife mid-late 19th century
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 16 July 19 22:00 BST (UK) »
For comparison.  It does look like your 2x

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Offline Munro84

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Re: Photo believed to have been taken in Fife mid-late 19th century
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 16 July 19 22:02 BST (UK) »
For comparison.  It does look like your 2x

Hey, thanks very much for that. Maybe he is older in the photo that is being questioned ? He also seems to have his eyes almost closed in it and the small chin kind of matches up.

Another question, if it is my 2nd great, then would the woman stood next to him 3rd from left in the first photo be his wife, the same woman in the other two photos I posted (sat down on far left in 2nd one)

Offline Rosinish

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Re: Photo believed to have been taken in Fife mid-late 19th century
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 16 July 19 22:14 BST (UK) »
Possibly a retirement celebration, there's not much in the way of smiles, very formal?

Annie
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Offline Munro84

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Re: Photo believed to have been taken in Fife mid-late 19th century
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 16 July 19 22:20 BST (UK) »
Possibly a retirement celebration, there's not much in the way of smiles, very formal?

Annie

Certainly possible. Alexander Munro (1859-1938) was a linen factory inspector but also owned properties and had tenants. My guess is that the first of second two photos that I posted that shows him with his children is in about 1910 because his son (my great-grandad) John Mckay Munro who is stood behind him looks about 20 years old and was born in 1890. So it would seem that the first photo posted which seems to show Alexander Munro older, could therefore be maybe 1920-1930 ish.