Author Topic: Old family post card (Read 8486 times)

jharr · « **on:** February 27, 2015, 04:09:44 AM »

I was just recently given a box of family photos and documents. This one is particularly interesting because it is a postcard sent from my great uncle (second from the left) to my great grandfather during WWI. The text of the letter is on Flickr, so click through.

Clarence John Harr by James Harr's Photos, on Flickr

Indofunk · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2015, 04:22:39 AM »

Amazing

Bryan · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2015, 05:40:35 AM »

Very cool piece of family history! Any idea where they were when they had the card made?

Ed Wenn · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2015, 11:34:08 AM »

Nice one, James. I do enjoy a natty angle on any form of headgear.

jharr · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2015, 03:46:24 PM »

Quote from: BAC1967 on February 27, 2015, 05:40:35 AM

Very cool piece of family history! Any idea where they were when they had the card made?

No, it was folded and presumably mailed in an envelope. My grandfather is still around (93 this year), so he might know.

I photoshop'd out the crease, but other than that, it is just good ol' yellowing from 100 years of existence. I've got another similar photo from WWII, but I don't know who is in it. Then there are about 20 or so photos from the 20's, 30's and 40's from the family farm in Cheney, WA. Pretty cool stuff.

Bryan · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2015, 05:22:03 PM »

Forgive me James, I'm hijacking your thread with some old family photos from about that same time. These are both of my grandfather in Brooklyn, NY. In the first one he's working in the family candy store in 1918. The second is his baseball team in the 1920's, he's standing far left in the back row.

Ed Wenn · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2015, 05:43:41 PM »

Nice indeed! I love old family photos like this. Just goes to show how long these things last if properly cared for (cue debate about how easy it is/isn't to store megapixels for 100 years). My own grandfather Wenn passed on quite recently, but worked for a mobile photo unit in the Royal Airforce during WWII. I have a whole box of photos that he took/processed from that time. I really need to scan the best ones at some point.

Leon has some lovely prints from his family which were taken on glass negs...yep, PROPER old school stuff.

jharr · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2015, 06:11:28 PM »

Bryan, I was hoping others would add on. That baseball photo is awesome. The guy pictured in the Navy photo played professional baseball as well, but I don't have any photos of him in that uniform.

Ed, agreed. These photos are in remarkable condition considering their age. Some of them are quite small (around 2x3) and may just be contact prints from an early Brownie. I will post some more as I get them scanned. It seems my great granddad Roy liked taking photos since there are a number of different formats. Sure wish the cameras were still around. There were some glass plate photos and tintypes from the other side of the family, but they have unfortunately been lost.

jharr · « **Reply #8 on:** February 28, 2015, 11:15:37 PM »

Here's a nice shot of my great grandmother (center) and her two daughters. Probably around the late 1930's near the family farm in Cheney, WA. Bernice on the right was born in 1919 and looks to be between 16 and 20. I met all three of these ladies, but Bernice was the only one I really knew at all.
Actual size of the photo is 4"x6". Many of these photos are glued down to album pages. This has saved them from folds and corner damage caused by being stacked in a shoebox. They are in remarkably good shape.

Doris, Maude & Bernice by James Harr's Photos, on Flickr

Verian · « **Reply #9 on:** March 02, 2015, 01:26:26 PM »

My Stepfathers half brother died a few years ago and an envelope stuffed full of photos was in a drawer in the house, my stepfather has no idea who any of the people in them are, although he does know that they were of people in the family. The majority were taken/printed in a shop in Aberdare, South Wales, which is where they are both from (and me as it happens). The shop, of course, is long gone.

Francois · « **Reply #10 on:** March 02, 2015, 02:32:18 PM »

The lady strangely looks like Witch Hazel in Bugs Bunny... Scary

Bryan · « **Reply #11 on:** March 02, 2015, 04:59:27 PM »

Quote from: Francois on March 02, 2015, 02:32:18 PM

The lady strangely looks like Witch Hazel in Bugs Bunny... Scary

I was thinking Quaker, interesting photo.

Verian · « **Reply #12 on:** March 02, 2015, 05:16:21 PM »

Quote from: BAC1967 on March 02, 2015, 04:59:27 PM

Quote from: Francois on March 02, 2015, 02:32:18 PM
The lady strangely looks like Witch Hazel in Bugs Bunny... Scary

I was thinking Quaker, interesting photo.

Quote from: Francois on March 02, 2015, 02:32:18 PM

The lady strangely looks like Witch Hazel in Bugs Bunny... Scary

It's traditional Welsh dress, which, admittedly, might be a little scary looking, particularly the hat. Most of the girls used to wear it when I was at school, on St. Davids Day, the boys got away with wearing a daffodil or a leek on their lapel (I do believe the leek was often a spring onion though)

jharr · « **Reply #13 on:** March 02, 2015, 05:27:53 PM »

It's a nice set of portraits. I think the ones with traditional/costume dress and military uniforms are the most interesting. Thanks for sharing those Verian.

Paul Mitchell · « **Reply #14 on:** March 02, 2015, 05:28:04 PM »

What a fascinating thread! Looking at old family photo's is always a treat but to have a bit of background behind them makes it extra special. Without wanting to hijack jharr's thread I thought I'd post one of mine.

My Grandfather (on the far left) circa 1920. He along with quite a few of my ancestors were showmen who travelled the length and breadth of the country. The traction engine pictured was used to pull and power a traditional carousel but instead of the usual galloping horses it had flying pigs. As far as I am aware it was totally unique and ended its days somewhere in the Republic of Ireland.

Paul

jharr · « **Reply #15 on:** March 02, 2015, 05:48:11 PM »

That is an awesome machine Paul. Those three gents must have been pretty proud to roll into town with that in tow. Thanks for sharing!

Here's another of my great grandmother, three years before she had any children. It looks like she was bringing lunch or dinner out to the farm hands. Note the equipment to the left rear and the 'chuck wagon' behind her. I like this photo because it has that feel of being out on the windswept prairie (or in the case of E. WA, wheat field). I also like that my great grandfather (Roy) took time out of his busy day to stop and take a photo of his lovely wife.

Maude Harr 1913, Cheney, WA by James Harr's Photos, on Flickr

Bryan · « **Reply #16 on:** March 02, 2015, 06:11:41 PM »

Beautiful shot of the Palouse James. My great grandmother lived in Eastern Washington as well, she grew up near the Yakima reservation. She used to tell me a story of the Yakima chief trying to purchase her from her parents for 6 horses. They declined the offer.

Paul, that contraption looks massive!

jharr · « **Reply #17 on:** March 02, 2015, 06:20:05 PM »

Quote from: BAC1967 on March 02, 2015, 06:11:41 PM

Beautiful shot of the Palouse James. My great grandmother lived in Eastern Washington as well, she grew up near the Yakima reservation. She used to tell me a story of the Yakima chief trying to purchase her from her parents for 6 horses. They declined the offer.

Paul, that contraption looks massive!

Not to denegrate your great grandmother, but 6 horses seems a princely sum! I wonder how long they thought that over?

Bryan · « **Reply #18 on:** March 02, 2015, 07:16:52 PM »

Quote from: jharr on March 02, 2015, 06:20:05 PM

Quote from: BAC1967 on March 02, 2015, 06:11:41 PM
Beautiful shot of the Palouse James. My great grandmother lived in Eastern Washington as well, she grew up near the Yakima reservation. She used to tell me a story of the Yakima chief trying to purchase her from her parents for 6 horses. They declined the offer.

Paul, that contraption looks massive!
Not to denegrate your great grandmother, but 6 horses seems a princely sum! I wonder how long they thought that over?

Good point, that would add a whole new dimension to the story. I guess we'll never know, all involved are long gone.

Terry · « **Reply #19 on:** March 03, 2015, 02:04:12 PM »

Here's an old and not very good scan of a group photo of all my mom's family--a tough group of Kansas farmers. I should dig out these photos and re-scan them...

My mother is the little girl bottom right; she was born in 1913, so I'd guess this was shot about 1919/20.

jharr · « **Reply #20 on:** March 03, 2015, 06:26:05 PM »

Nice one Terry. I'm assuming that those two in the middle (holding the baby) are your mom's grandparents, but I could be wrong. People seemed to bear children much later in life in those days.

Bryan · « **Reply #21 on:** March 03, 2015, 07:08:33 PM »

These Cabinet Cards are some of the older ones of my family. These were taken in Russia in the 1890's. I guess these Cabinet Cards were quite popular around that time. I'm not sure why some of the text is in English if it was taken in Russia but the second link shows other Russian Cabinet Cards in english, maybe they bought supplies from elsewhere. The link has some information on Cabinet Cards.

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/photographs/cabinet-cards

https://cabinetcardgallery.wordpress.com/category/russia/

Terry · « **Reply #22 on:** March 03, 2015, 08:03:14 PM »

Right you are, James--they're my grandmother's parents. My favorite is the girl second from the left in the front who seemed to find something more interesting out-of-frame to look at.

Bryan, I can read "Odessa" in the lower right, but the name of the studio escapes my limited skills. I have a couple of cabinet cards of my own family; it strikes me that the style in which these were staged (with the painted backdrops etc.) is consistent, no matter where they were shot.

Verian · « **Reply #23 on:** March 03, 2015, 08:05:01 PM »

Quote from: BAC1967 on March 03, 2015, 07:08:33 PM

These Cabinet Cards are some of the older ones of my family. These were taken in Russia in the 1890's. I guess these Cabinet Cards were quite popular around that time. I'm not sure why some of the text is in English if it was taken in Russia but the second link shows other Russian Cabinet Cards in english, maybe they bought supplies from elsewhere. The link has some information on Cabinet Cards.

I do admire a good beard and these are very nice, they would actually be back in fashion nowadays.

jharr · « **Reply #24 on:** March 03, 2015, 08:18:36 PM »

Quote from: Terry on March 03, 2015, 08:03:14 PM

Bryan, I can read "Odessa" in the lower right, but the name of the studio escapes my limited skills. I have a couple of cabinet cards of my own family; it strikes me that the style in which these were staged (with the painted backdrops etc.) is consistent, no matter where they were shot.

My Russian is also very limited, but it looks to me like K. Mulman. A little google-fu found this:

"The photo studio is the studio of K(iva) Mulman from Odessa. This studio was founded in 1899 and existed till late 1920-ies."

Bryan · « **Reply #25 on:** March 03, 2015, 09:36:13 PM »

Thanks for translating that James and Terry, I also found this:

Quote

Akiva (Kiva) Mulman, was the second best photographer in Odessa, after a Mr Belotsrekivsky. He had many awards and even courtier titles.

and this:

Quote

K. Mulman"s Photo Studio in Odessa, Winner of the highest Grand-Prix award at the International Exhibition in Paris. Honorable Cross, International Exhibition, Paris, 1904. Grand Gold Medal, Palais Royal, 1904, Grand Gold Medal, Paris, 1905. Grand-Prix, International Exhibition, Paris.

It sounds like he was a pretty good photographer. My grandfather was born in the Ukraine.

Terry · « **Reply #26 on:** March 04, 2015, 01:24:15 PM »

Bryan, it was probably a competitor who judged Mulman "second-best"! On the subject of small worlds, the couple at the center back of my photo (framed by the porch) are my aunt and uncle who, shortly after the family photo was taken, moved to a small farm on Vashon Island where they lived the rest of their lives. Do all roads lead to Seattle? (I think the occasion for the photo might have been their wedding.)

kentish cob · « **Reply #27 on:** March 05, 2015, 09:45:06 PM »

Truly fascinating to look at family photos from such a long time back.
I've been researching my family history on my dad's side, and have come across some lovely old pictures.

From top to bottom:
1. My great great grandfather, born in 1841, died aged 87 in 1928. I guess this photo must date from around 1920ish.
2. My grandfather seated on the right. He was born in 1914, so this photo, taken in the Kent hop fields must have been taken around 1924ish.
3. Family group with my grandfather on leave in 1943. My dad is the small child standing on the right. Dad remembers there was an air raid the previous night, and when he looks at this photo he remembers the crunch of rubble and broken glass underfoot on the walk to the photographers studio.

My grandmother, seated in the family group, was adopted at the age of 8, and never spoke of her family. Recently I've found out her family was connected with Thames Barges. Her father, uncle and grandfather were all Bargemasters. Census records have provided the names of some of the vessels they worked, but so far I've only found one photo. This barge is called "Mystery" and would have mostly been used to transport bricks from Milton to London and across to Essex.

Adam Doe · « **Reply #28 on:** March 06, 2015, 12:34:09 AM »

I don't have anything on hand that goes back quite as far back, but here is a snap of my maternal grandparents and mother in The Bronx, NY taken just after my grandfather's return from WWII after the war in the Pacific had ended.

g by adoephoto, on Flickr

x100art · « **Reply #29 on:** March 06, 2015, 03:36:34 AM »

Those are some interesting pictures there. I read somewhere that back then people tend not to smile because of the slow shutter speed of the camera, I wonder if that's true? But the last two pictures I did see a few women smiling.

jharr · « **Reply #30 on:** March 06, 2015, 03:49:28 AM »

Tony and Adam those are really cool. Here are a couple more.
The "kids". My Grandfather is on the left. Guessing this one is around 1926 (ages 4, 7, and 10).

Verne, Bernice, Doris Harr by James Harr's Photos, on Flickr

I imagine Doris (oldest daughter) is taking the photo. There doesn't seem to be an occasion for either of these. Just taking some snaps for the family album. Judging by the age of the little one on the left whom I assume is Doris' first daughter, this is early 1940. My grandpa (far right) is rockin' that fedora!

L-R Cheryl, Doris ,Roy, Maude, Bernice, Verne Harr by James Harr's Photos, on Flickr