Edwin in Sydney

[Neale1961]

I am posting 2 photos of Edwin, for restoration (without colour) for anyone who is keen. They are not in the best condition, so any improvement would be welcomed.
Edwin was born in 1870, Queensland. He was my great-grandmother’s brother.
At the age of 16 Edwin had a huge argument with his father and walked out of the house saying “ You can go to bl…y hell”. (His father notes this in his journal.) Edwin didn’t return home for 9 years.
I am assuming that these photos were sent to the family while he was away, and therefore date from the late 1880s to early 1890s. Some comments from daters would be welcome. I think the one wearing the hat is the earliest – do you agree?
Many thanks for your help.

[Neale1961]

and the second photo.

[Ruskie]

I will leave the dating to someone else, but I think he looks a bit younger in the photo with the hat, possibly late 20s, and maybe into his 30s in the second photo. 

He looks quite dapper for a lad who ran away from home at 16. 

[Gadget]

He was quite the dandy 

I would think that these were mid to  late 1890s, given the boater and the high collar. I've seen some pics that were dated early 1890s but most were mid decade.

Gadget

Add - both in his 20s

[japeflakes]

..

[matthewj64]

Grouzelle was at 308 George st from 1898 to 1902

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article228436683
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112778333

M

ADD: The earliest Trove reference for 'Grouzelle Studios Limited' that I can see is in 1901
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article125882039

[majm]

Dapper outfits... perhaps from same address as the studio....

... From Sands Directory 1900....
 Sydney streets
Page 55 .... George St
304-306-308 (JM notes, so within same building)
Lloyd and Collins, direct importers of hosiery, gloves, mercery, boots, fancy goods, &c,  Grouzelle Photographic Studios
308 Orme, Kelgwin and Co , wine and spirit merchants
310 ..... Kerry and Co, photographers...

At RChats NSW resources board ... thread with live links to the Sands Directories covering 1858 -1933, provided no charge via City of Sydney Archives.. .   

JM. One finger typing.

[Neale1961]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Japeflakes - Thank you very much for your tidy up of Edwin.
Matthewj64 – Thanks, You have given me some useful information. I have since done some more reading about Grouzelle – there is plenty of information in the newspapers about his photographic studio – a very fashionable establishment! I get the impression from my reading that clothes may have been provided for customers and dressing rooms were provided. I wonder if Edwin normally dressed in such a dapper manner.

This has made me rethink my timeline for Edwin. These two photos were taken at the turn of the century, which sits better with the clothes he is wearing. He would be aged between 28 and 32 years old. (Ruskie was spot on with his age.) Contrary to my thinking, the photos are NOT during time he “ran away” from the family farm, which was 1886-1896. So I still don’t know where he was during that time. Once he returned home, Edwin was working as a hairdresser and tabaconist. His clothing in the earlier photo might suggest that type of employment? His first child was born in Queensland in 1903. So there were a few years where Edwin did some travelling between Toowoomba and Sydney, before settling down to family life.

[majm]

I have many offline resources for Sydney and NSW for your era ... happy to look up, but just need to know... what was his surname?   

JM.