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Our photo dating expert, Jayne Shrimpton, analyses your family photos.
Laurel Fitzsimonds sent us a photo and asked:
‘Please could you help me determine the date around which this photograph may have been taken? Obviously, I know it was taken in Quebec, Canada, and I would guess in the latter half of the 19th century, judging by other photos I have from a similar time period. The style of dress, however, is quite different to that in the other family photos I have, taken in the same place. Perhaps the subject is not fully an adult so her dress is different? If I knew the timeframe I might be able to narrow down the search for this family member. Any assistance you can give me would be greatly appreciated.’
Click to enlarge
Jayne says:
‘This is an interesting studio photograph taken, as you say, in Quebec, Canada. The printed details on the back of the mount confirm that the photographer is J B (possibly Jean Baptiste) Roy of Beauharnois, P.Q., the initials standing for Province of Quebec. Unlike UK photographers, not all early Canadian photographers have been recorded and I have been unable to find out anything online about this studio located in Beauharnois in the environs of Montreal. The style of the mount reverse design is most characteristic of the 1870s and early 1880s, however, while the rounded corners of the card would usually tend to suggest a date of at least the mid-late 1870s.
Turning to the image, we see a girl posing solemnly in the contrived setting of a commercial studio. The backcloth and props look rather rudimentary and the feet of a posing stand appear behind her ankles – a support that studios sometimes used to help clients maintain their pose during what could be a long exposure time. The full-length composition allows a perfect view of her appearance and you are quite right in suggesting that she is still a child. This seems to be confirmed by her undeveloped figure and is indicated, dress-wise, by her calf-length hemline, for an older ‘teenage’ girl who had come ‘of age’ and was considered a woman would wear an adult floor-length skirt.
Jayne Shrimpton
The style of the girl’s garments, especially her thigh-length outdoor coat, which follows the elongated cuirass line of the later 1870s and early 1880s, indicates that she was photographed between around 1876 and 1884. Her tiered skirt also expresses the fashions of these years, although the buttoned gaiters worn over her stockings and boots or shoes would not be usually be seen in a British photograph of this date; nor would her distinctive fur hat, probably of local manufacture. These accessories are smart enough for visiting the photographer but are also practical items that no doubt reflect the geographical location, the harsh winter climate and what may have been a predominantly outdoor lifestyle.
Generally a formal studio photograph was taken to mark a special occasion and, in the case of a junior member of the family, this was often a birthday. I would estimate this ancestor to be aged between about 11 and 13 years old here. If correct, she would have been born between 1863 and 1873, or thereabouts. If this was a birthday portrait, then the warm outdoor clothing that she wears here suggests the likelihood of a month between around October and April. This may be something to bear in mind when trying to pin down her identity.’
If you’d like to send your photo to Jayne, please register or opt to receive newsletters in ‘my account’. Jayne only has time to analyse two photos each month, but if yours wasn’t chosen this time, you could be lucky next month!
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Family Tree Forum neither endorses nor is responsible for the views of the author or any other content.
Laurel Fitzsimonds sent us a photo and asked:
‘Please could you help me determine the date around which this photograph may have been taken? Obviously, I know it was taken in Quebec, Canada, and I would guess in the latter half of the 19th century, judging by other photos I have from a similar time period. The style of dress, however, is quite different to that in the other family photos I have, taken in the same place. Perhaps the subject is not fully an adult so her dress is different? If I knew the timeframe I might be able to narrow down the search for this family member. Any assistance you can give me would be greatly appreciated.’
Click to enlargeJayne says:
‘This is an interesting studio photograph taken, as you say, in Quebec, Canada. The printed details on the back of the mount confirm that the photographer is J B (possibly Jean Baptiste) Roy of Beauharnois, P.Q., the initials standing for Province of Quebec. Unlike UK photographers, not all early Canadian photographers have been recorded and I have been unable to find out anything online about this studio located in Beauharnois in the environs of Montreal. The style of the mount reverse design is most characteristic of the 1870s and early 1880s, however, while the rounded corners of the card would usually tend to suggest a date of at least the mid-late 1870s.
Turning to the image, we see a girl posing solemnly in the contrived setting of a commercial studio. The backcloth and props look rather rudimentary and the feet of a posing stand appear behind her ankles – a support that studios sometimes used to help clients maintain their pose during what could be a long exposure time. The full-length composition allows a perfect view of her appearance and you are quite right in suggesting that she is still a child. This seems to be confirmed by her undeveloped figure and is indicated, dress-wise, by her calf-length hemline, for an older ‘teenage’ girl who had come ‘of age’ and was considered a woman would wear an adult floor-length skirt.
Jayne ShrimptonThe style of the girl’s garments, especially her thigh-length outdoor coat, which follows the elongated cuirass line of the later 1870s and early 1880s, indicates that she was photographed between around 1876 and 1884. Her tiered skirt also expresses the fashions of these years, although the buttoned gaiters worn over her stockings and boots or shoes would not be usually be seen in a British photograph of this date; nor would her distinctive fur hat, probably of local manufacture. These accessories are smart enough for visiting the photographer but are also practical items that no doubt reflect the geographical location, the harsh winter climate and what may have been a predominantly outdoor lifestyle.
Generally a formal studio photograph was taken to mark a special occasion and, in the case of a junior member of the family, this was often a birthday. I would estimate this ancestor to be aged between about 11 and 13 years old here. If correct, she would have been born between 1863 and 1873, or thereabouts. If this was a birthday portrait, then the warm outdoor clothing that she wears here suggests the likelihood of a month between around October and April. This may be something to bear in mind when trying to pin down her identity.’
If you’d like to send your photo to Jayne, please register or opt to receive newsletters in ‘my account’. Jayne only has time to analyse two photos each month, but if yours wasn’t chosen this time, you could be lucky next month!
More...
Please note: This post has originated from a news feed from an external website.
Family Tree Forum neither endorses nor is responsible for the views of the author or any other content.