Please help to date an old photo from Southwark, London. Sullivan or Westrop

[Gadget]

When I first saw the first image, I thought maybe early 1910s.

Gadget

[Gadget]

I agree with your age estimates.

PS - the reason I went for the early 1910s is that I have a photo of my mother in 1913 which is so like your photos.

[Gadget]

I've been looking for examples on line - this  dated 1924

https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~victorianphotographs/history/list151/holm3f.jpg

[BrianClaydon]

I agree with your age estimates.

PS - the reason I went for the early 1910s is that I have a photo of my mother in 1913 which is so like your photos.

Thanks again Gadget for your appraisal.

This is an open question. When it comes to dating photographs, would it be safe to assume that there are many factors which can help date them? Such as clothing, composition, location, development technique, size and colouration to name a few.

Would it also be safe to assume that dating photographs by clothing would be much more accurate the more affluent (or fashionable) the subject is? Would our poorer ancestors be less likely to be wearing similar clothing styles to their richer contemporaries? Or perhaps stay in certain clothing styles for longer, or perhaps even wearing newer styles only when they were old, tired and discarded by their richer peers? Bought second-hand or passed over through charity?

Regards,

B

[BrianClaydon]

I've been looking for examples on line - this  dated 1924

https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~victorianphotographs/history/list151/holm3f.jpg

Thanks gadget. The one you have found, if typical to the era, has been developed in a much lighter fashion and in my opinion looks more modern than my two. I guess part of it may depend on the camera the photographer was using too, how long they had been in the trade and how exposed they had been to newer working practises.

I think in the photo which is almost certainly Addie, the photographer couldn't resist capturing her chubby knees in the composition.

B

[Gadget]

All those features that you mention, Brian.  I've got many dating books and online refs that I've acquired over the years - as do Jim and Carol.

I can't find any really similar pics but I'm leaning towards Adelaide.

Gadget

[BrianClaydon]

All those features that you mention, Brian.  I've got many dating books and online refs that I've acquired over the years - as do Jim and Carol.

I can't find any really similar pics but I'm leaning towards Adelaide.

Gadget

Thank you and others for your much more well informed opinion than mine.

That's you, Carol and Keybob (with caveat) for Adelaide, and Jim1 for Victoria. I'll leave the post open a few more days in case anyone else would like to weigh in with their thoughts.

Thanks all,

B

[Neale1961]

In case this helps with dating, here is a photo of my grandmother born in 1894. Does a comparison of clothes and style of photo help?
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=846242.msg7133245#msg7133245

[BrianClaydon]

In case this helps with dating, here is a photo of my grandmother born in 1894. Does a comparison of clothes and style of photo help?
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=846242.msg7133245#msg7133245

Hi Neale1961,

that's a beautiful photo of a very bonny baby. Thank you. Again it looks very modern compared to my two photographs even though they must have been taken after. The difference in possible social strata again I feel may contribute to the difficulty in dating these photographs easily. Thank you for your contribution.

Regards,

Brian