Cigarettes in Hand - Sepia Saturday

This week's prompt photograph from Sepia Saturday shows a group of three men in close conversation - all in suits, wearing hats and one smoking a cigarette - c.1944.  In the past I have  done men in hats, men wearing pocket watches, and threesomes, so what could i pick out this time? The answer - cigarettes with a few waistcoats also on show.

 

With my father, c.1946.  Dad's pose with his cigarette in his hand,  near a child would be very frowned upon now!  And he was weanng a waistcoat.

Fast forward to 1961 and Dad was still smoking. 

It was a familiar sight to see my father seated at the small manual typewriter on his bureau, which had been a  wedding present from my mother.  He was either ploughing through the paperwork of his job as a sales rep., or keeping in touch with his mother, sister and brothers  by letter.  

I can date this photograph to around 1961, as it was taken in our new home in Edinburgh.  Shortly after we moved there from the north of England,  my aunt (Dad's sister-in-law)  died of lung cancer.  Dad immediately  stopped smoking and never touched a cigarette again.  

I don't have many group photographs in my collection, but here is one  of my Danson family from Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, on what seems to be a very happy occasion.    But  I don't know  what the occasion was - and I never asked the right questions, when I first came across the pictures in a family album. 

This appears to be taken outside a typical Blackpool bed & breakfast.  My grandmother (Alice Danson, nee English)  is in the centre of the group and to the right her daughters Kathleen (my mother), and Edith, and crouching at the side could be my Uncle Harry, wearing a carnation, though I did not instantly recognise him here.  And he was smoking!

My guess as to the occasion rests on Uncle Harry wearing the carnation  Was this his short- lived wartime wedding?  But where was his bride?  Or was he best man?  Is that the happy couple  on the left of the first photograph where the girl has her arm around the man by her side, who I think is also sporting a buttonhole.   But why was my grandmother taking the centre stage position? 

Throughout my own life,  Uncle Harry lived in the family home with my grandfather and sister Edith (my grandmother died in 1945).  But through snatches of conversation I picked up as a child, I became aware that he had at some time married and was divorced - all very hush, hush  in those days, swept under the carpet and certainly never openly mentioned. 

It was only after his death, I foud in clearing the house  the papers confirming a marriage on 11th June 1940, shortly after Harry had returned from the Dunkirk evacuation),   and his divorce in 1947.  

 

This billboard proclaims "Grey's Cigarettes as "just honest to goodness tobacco."  It was painted by my father-in-law John Robert Donaldson,   directly onto the board, because of a shortage of paper. immediately after the war.    Standing alongside  is  his son Ian  who followed  him into his signwriting and decorating  business. 

Some more cigaetts adverts, courtesy of Pixabay. 

 

 

As a former Reference Librarian, I always like to add some trivial facts to a post - so here goes.
 
Tobacco was first introduced into Europe in the late 16th century by Jean Nicot (hence the word nicotine).  At first, it was used  mainly for pipe-smoking, chewing, and snuff. Cigars became popular in the the early 1800s and by  the early 20th century,cigarettes were widely smoked.  In the two world wars, cigarettes were regarded as the essential gift to send to soldiers and prisoners of war in their "comfort" parcels.

But by the late 1940's and 1950's there was increasing scientific evidence that smoking caused significant health risks.  In the UK,  Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) was established in January 1971 by the Royal College of Physicians.  Campaigns eventually led to the banning of point-of-sale advertising, banning of cigarette vending machines, and the introduction of plain packaging with health warnings. 

And to my mind, it seems to have worked, as you see far fewer people these  days. with a cigarette in their hand.  

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In the prompt photograph I was struck by the middle chap sporting a patterned waistcoat  - a style that became popular, particularly with golfers   much later on and was manufactured by the knitwear firms in the Scottish Borders  where I live. So some more waistcoats on show here.

A photograph from my local heritage gorp connection Auld Earlston of a church choir outing  c.1906.  I was struck by the man on the right wearing an unusal double breasted waistcaot - complete wth pocket watch.   

Edward Henry Coombs(1857-1922) was the great grandfather of my cousin' s wife.  In 1879 Edward  married 19 year old Ann Elizabeth Shaw and in 18 years, they had a large family of 10 children.   He was founder of Coomb Bros.  - a wholesale grocery business and manufacturer of sweets and jams in Essex- and looks as if he  enjoyed his products!  His waistcoat, pocket  watch and chain are very evident in this photograph.

The period 1917-1918 was a tragic time for Edward,   with sons Percy and William killed in the First World War; the death of his wife  and of his daughter Lilian.  Edward died in 1922, aged 65. 

 

Waistcoats were obviously standard wear even for young boys.  Young George Danson, my great uncle is on the left of this group of  boys with their teacher - all of them wearing waistcoats.  

I began with a photograph of my father - and end with one - my wedding with Dad in very formal wear,  including a waistcoat.  

 

 Click  HERE to see other bloggers in conversation over this week's prompt. 

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