Can you date this picture

[Patricia Houghton]

Can you assist me dating this picture please.

The man in the centre is Edward CLARK who lived 1836-1886. Around him is his wife and many children.
He is the younger brother of my 2x Great grandfather Thomas CLARK.

I am assuming their attire gives clues as to the date but I cannot interpret those clues.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated
Thank you

[Girl Guide]

I'm no fashion expert but I would consider this to be around the late 1870s/early 1880s.  Edward Clark appears to have been only 50 when he died.

Is there no photographer's name on the photo?  You can sometimes get some idea of when a photo was taken by looking for the photographer to find out when he was active.

It is certainly a large family. My grandfather was one of 12 the eldest being born in 1873 and grandpa in 1895.

[Gadget]

I agree - very late 1870s into the early 1880s.

e.g.

https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~victorianphotographs/history/date/a1880.htm

https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~victorianphotographs/history/date/a1882.htm

[Patricia Houghton]

Thank you both. That has been really useful and especially for the links to the dress code for 1880 and 1882 have been great confirmation.
I just need to sort out who is who now, I already know 7 of them and given the date being narrowed down that should help enormously

[Treetotal]

I was thinking that it could be late 80s as the sleeves of the dress on the lady on the back row, have a slight kick-up. Third left on the back row as you look at the photo,
looking more closely, the pleated skirt on the girl on the front row makes me doubtful 
Carol

[Gadget]

The pleated skirt was one of the reasons I opted for the date range I gave, Carol.

[Peter L. Mitchell]

Hi Patricia.

It's a real long-shot possibility, but you might try sending an email to the Sovereign Hill facility in Victoria(Australia). They have an amazing costume department that provides costumes for students and teachers for their colonial schools' experience. If you send the picture they might be able to help, or they might know someone who is an expert. This is the email to the Costumed Schools programme:

sovereign.hill.sch@edumail.vic.gov.au

They should be able to pass on your enquiry.

Good luck!

Peter

[california dreamin]

Hi Patricia,
If you have done the family tree for this family presumably you can date the attire by the age of the baby in the photo? Just a thought
CD

[Gadget]

Thank you both. That has been really useful and especially for the links to the dress code for 1880 and 1882 have been great confirmation.
I just need to sort out who is who now, I already know 7 of them and given the date being narrowed down that should help enormously

I believe that Patricia was happy with the  3 similar estimates  of the approx date and refs to similar styles.