Sepia Saturday give bloggers an opportunity to share their family history and memories through photographs.
I must admit that my inspiration was failing when faced with a "Free for All" choice of theme. I clearly need the photo prompt to get my brain buzzing. All I could think of were themes I had already featured.
Eventually I decided this was the opportunity to show for the first time the friendship photographs from my Great Aunt Jennie's collection.
Jennie Danson (1897-1986) was the only daughter and last child of James
Danson and Maria Rawcliffe of Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, born on 24th
December 1897, after eight surviving brothers - George then aged 3,
Frank 5, Albert 7, Tom 9, William 12 (my grandfather), Robert 16, John
18 and Harry 20 - a large family in a small terraced house. Her father
died when she was eight years old. Jennie managed the home for her bachelor brothers, following her mother's death in 1919, and married in 1928.
In Jennie's photograph collection, besides family pictures, were about 50 photographs of friends and I presume friend's children. Very fortunately in most instances, she had
written names on the reverse of the photographs. Many were taken at W. J. Gregson & Co., W.P. Beck Proprietor, Photographers, 92 Talbot Road, Blackpool or the While-U-Wait Studio, Wellington Terrace,The Promenade, Blackpool.
Was it the custom to exchange such photographs? Perhaps faced with a household of all those brothers, Jennie was especially grateful for the company of her female friends.
Annie
Jolly was a popular subject amongst Jennie's photographs.
In the
1901 census, she could well be the 2 year old Charlotte Annie Jolly, living at
Queen's Square, Poulton, daughter of
Edward and Jane Jolly. Edward was a joiner like Jennie's father. Also in the household was Jane's sister Sarah
Haydon Lounds, a domestic servant, who married Jennie's older brother, John Danson. By
the 1911 census Annie Jolly was
aged 12, living at Longfield Avenue,
Poulton with her uncle Richard Jolly, and his wife Isabella. Jennie's
brother William ((my grandfather) lived on the same road with his wife
and young family.
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| Nellie Jolly |
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| Any Dodd |
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| Landgirl Becky Bennet |
3.
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| Billy Hopkins with Lizzie and baby. |
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| Billy Long |
Many of the photographs in Jennie's collection featured young men in uniform, looking apprehensive and about to go to war. One cannot help but wonder if they survived. Given the scale of causalities, and the fact I had only basic details, it has not been possible to identify them on
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.
This is a puzzle! Identified
as "Mr Ashcroft, Postman at Poulton
- daughter Melita". According
to her daughters, Jennie worked in Poulton Post Office. Butthe reverse of the
photograph indicates it was taken by by Photographie
Kramer in Gronungen, a city in the
northern Netherlands.
To end this short selection, two charming photographs:
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| Granny Jolly & Grandchild |
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| Young Jacky Threlfall |
Click HERE to see how other Sepians have taken up this week's open theme challenge
Jennie Danson (1897-1986) was the only daughter and last child of James
Danson and Maria Rawcliffe of Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, born on 24th
December 1897, after eight surviving brothers - George then aged 3,
Frank 5, Albert 7, Tom 9, William 12 (my grandfather), Robert 16, John
18 and Harry 20 - a large family in a small terraced house. Her father
died when she was eight years old. Jennie managed the home for her bachelor brothers, following her mother's death in 1919, and married in 1928. 
Great photos!
ReplyDeleteThat last picture with the baby by the rabbit hutch with the rabbits and a rooster reminds me of the many pictures painted of young cherubic children in farmyard scenes of some sort. The scene here, of course, is a pretended one, but it's still cute.
ReplyDeleteThat little grand daughter of Lizzie is adorable. Interesting history and great photos throughout.
ReplyDeleteYou've managed to feature examples of all the standard poses of old photos. Each one was probably celebrating a different kind of event too. The "Landgirl" is an unfamiliar occupation for me. What work would need a uniform like that?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mike, for your comment. The Women's Land Girl Army was was a civilian voluntary organization founded by the government to assist in food production, when the German navy was blockading imports into Britain and food stocks were running very low . The girls worked on farms undertaking many tasks formerly done by men. A similar army was set up during the Second World War, but volunteers were then supplemented by conscription.
DeleteYour Aunt Jennie was very generous to take care of her brothers at such a young age. You don't mention her personality but in that first portrait of her I can almost imagine her bursting into laughter as soon as the shutter clicked shut. Such a nice collection of photos. I love Nellie's dress and shirt. Are the photographs also dated?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nancy for your comment. There is a profile of Jennie at http://scotsue-familyhistoryfun.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/52-ancesors-fesity-great-aunt-jennie.html which I hope conveys something of her character. No, the photographs were not dated and Nellie's dress is my favourite too.
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ReplyDeleteI love that photo or Jenny She looks so elegant with those marcel waves. And it's nice tto see all her friends- the backdrop to our lives.
Lots of food for thought in this post. I do think friends exchanged photos of themselves, often as a birthday or Christmas greeting. Do you know what uniform Mr Ashcroft is wearing? He may have served overseas where the photo was taken and then returned to work in Poulton. I have photos of our soldier Ancestors taken in Cairo
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment and I must do more research on Mr Ashcroft's uniform. .
DeleteThe variety of photos is interesting even not knowing the people.
ReplyDeleteWish I knew more about Billy Hopkins.
ReplyDeleteNo relation I guess.
Michael Hopkins
I suppose they are the equivalent of Facebook Friends, but what is a fascinating exercise is to compare the poses and looks with a typical cross-section of Facebook Friend profiles of today.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, Alan. I had not thought of it as a Facebook equivalent (not that I am a fan of it!), but it is an interesting point.
DeleteDon't you just love the friends? When I did "friends" as my theme for the A to Z April Challenge, I think I enjoyed learning about them as much as (or even more than) I have enjoyed my own ancestors.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to have all those pictures of friends labeled and in formal portraits too.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is a puzzle as to why that group of women would pose with such glum expressions!
ReplyDeleteThose are indeed charming pictures but I love the name Nellie Jolly!
ReplyDelete