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A mystery to this one!

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  • A mystery to this one!



    Here is half a photo! Just who was on the other half is a bit of a mystery. We have some ideas as to who this woman could be, if we could date the photo then it may help to identify her. If it is about 1900 or so, she may be the one who ran off and left her husband and kids. I suspect that it may be earlier than that though.
    Christine
    Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so.
    Mary Jean Iron

  • #2
    There's a Noah Spence Lees on the 1901 census recorded as a photographer b 1862 and living in Liverpool (Mount Pleasant). I can't find him in 1891 yet, but in 1881 he didn't have a job (dad was a professor of music!)

    There's also a John Spence Lees b 1858 who would need finding.....

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    • #3
      Gong by the style of sleeving on the bodice I would place this within the time frame of between 1893 and 1897 with a firmer date of about 1895/6. The sleeve style, known as Gigot or Leg of Mutton sleeving, reached its height in 1895/96 when the upper sleeve was "puffed" out to some extreme and by 1897 it was on the wain. Her hair style would also fit with the date that I have given as after 1897 the style changed from what can be seen in the photograph to one known as "a loose Pompadour" where the hair was turned over on pads. What can be seen to the right of her (as you look at the photograph) is the right arm and part of the jacket of a male figure.

      don

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      • #4
        Originally posted by don.t View Post
        What can be seen to the right of her (as you look at the photograph) is the right arm and part of the jacket of a male figure.

        don
        I disagree
        It doesn't look like a sleeve, more likely to be a piece of furniture ... a studio prop, possibly with a plant pot or statue on it
        I'd say she's alone.

        Last edited by Rachel Scand; 17-11-08, 10:57.
        ~ FOR PHOTO RESTORATIONS PLEASE SCAN AT A RESOLUTION OF 300-600 WITH THE SCALE AT 100% MINIMUM ~ http://restoreandcolour.brainwaving.co.uk

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        • #5
          just googled "Spence Lees + photographer + victorian"
          there's reference to the Isle of Man

          19th century Photographers


          ~ FOR PHOTO RESTORATIONS PLEASE SCAN AT A RESOLUTION OF 300-600 WITH THE SCALE AT 100% MINIMUM ~ http://restoreandcolour.brainwaving.co.uk

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          • #6
            Hi Racheal, I can see what you mean when you say that it could be a piece of furniture with the possibility of a plant on top. The part of the photograph that I am taking as being part of an arm is at her hip level and to me takes the form of an arm at the elbow joint and being rested on a chair back (or something of a similar height). The dimensions of the figure standing and someone seated would be about right, as would be someone standing next to a small table with a large plant on it.

            don

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            • #7
              Mmmmm ... well I suppose it could be

              She's certainly being careful not to touch him, although his sleeve (and knee ?) are just about touching her dress.

              I know there were rules for touching in photographs .... not too sure how they work but I would assume that he can touch her because she belongs to him.

              How it goes after that ???? dunno

              ~ FOR PHOTO RESTORATIONS PLEASE SCAN AT A RESOLUTION OF 300-600 WITH THE SCALE AT 100% MINIMUM ~ http://restoreandcolour.brainwaving.co.uk

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              • #8
                19th century Photographers

                Listed under L
                Jess

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                • #9
                  There is a heap of information here to follow up on, thanks for that.

                  I suspect that the other half of of the photo was of a man, but why he should be chopped off is a mystery. If she was the woman who ran off to Australia, and as I suspected the date of the photo is a bit early for it to be here, then I imagine that whoever cut the photo in half would have discarded the half with her on it!

                  Tracking down the photographer will help to narrow down who she is.
                  Christine
                  Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so.
                  Mary Jean Iron

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                  • #10
                    I suspect that the other half of of the photo was of a man, but why he should be chopped off is a mystery.
                    Christine my Grandma was famous for cutting people she didn't like out of photographs.
                    A very annoying trait for later generations as we are left wondering just who was the missing body!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you find out eventually

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                    • #11
                      YES! My photo of grandad in his uniform has a bit of leg and arm in, but who? and why was he chopped off??....

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                      • #12
                        it seems it is a person sitting in a chair,not got to be a man,could be some family member who she has fallen out with.i know when my daughter divorced i cut all pictures in half then,and also of a friend of mine who i also did the same.brenda xxx

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Rachel Scand View Post
                          I disagree
                          It doesn't look like a sleeve, more likely to be a piece of furniture ... a studio prop, possibly with a plant pot or statue on it
                          I'd say she's alone.
                          I think I agree with Rachel here,
                          Wasnt it more usual for the man to be standing and the lady seated?
                          Kat

                          My avatar is my mother 1921 - 2012

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                          • #14
                            lees

                            I am related to the photographer - eldest son of Noah Lees proprietor, with Fineburg, of the Star theatre (later the playhouse). Noah was three times married and famously had a child born to his wife and mistress on the same day !! His Son lived at home and only became a photographer late in life - he's listed simply as "gentleman" before this. Oddly none of our family portraits were taken by him...... although they were all taken by Liverpool based photographers. He moved to the Isle of Man after his father died.

                            I agree someone has been cut out of the photo although without family history I doubt you'll ever know the who or why.

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                            • #15
                              i have a photo of an ancester the man is sitting and the women standing.brenda xxx

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