Tag Archives: CdV

history, Monochrome, People, Photography, work

Celebration

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Another photo from my ‘junk shop’ archive, and it’s nice to have one that’s fairly easy to narrow down in date and this is very much a celebratory ‘posed’ shot.

On the wall in the background, in between the two Union Flags is a portrait of Queen Victoria.

The forty-odd children in the picture and the two adults (their teachers?) are all smartly dressed and they are wearing a cross-shaped medal. These were given out on one of two occasions – the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and her Diamond Jubilee.

This narrows the date down to either June 1887 or 1897. Sadly there is nothing on the Carte de Visite to confirm for certain which of the two occasions the photograph celebrates, but either way, it’s a nice insight into commemorations 120+ years ago!

This month’s Mass Observation post was well received, and in these weird and wonderful times, we all need a bit of colour!

Moving forward, the project for June has a new theme…

RANDOM

Who doesn’t like a bit of randomness? Interpret the theme as you will!

To take part, simply take a photo around the theme of random:

  • Email the image to adayinphotographs@outlook.com by Sunday 31st May 2020.
  • Images should be a maximum of 650 pixels wide.
  • Include your name, website/blog address and a short note about the image, including where it was taken.
  • Come back and see the results on Sunday 7th June!
history, Monochrome, People, Photography, Religion

Miss Adelaide Mabel Dickinson

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Miss Dickinson still had butterflies. But that, as her friends reminded her, was only to be expected. Her marriage celebrations were only a matter of days away and getting closer by the hour.

William – that is to say Mr William Walter – was a kind man, and the perfect match. No matter how often her mother told her that, Adelaide still didn’t entirely believe it.

She knew love to be important, and she knew she would come to love Mr Walter. But for now the butterflies in her stomach were not to be calmed.

Adelaide’s main worry was what happened after she and William exchanged their vows. He was older then her – nearly twelve years older – and she knew he had more experience than she could imagine. His three children were testament to that.

That was another thing. She wasn’t ready for motherhood! While Mr Walter employed two nannies, what were the expectations on her? To raise the three girls as her own. She couldn’t replace their mother – poor Evangeline Walter, whose demise had come far too soon. Would they like her? Would they warm to her?

The butterflies fluttered more quickly, as if buffeted by a sudden breeze. She grasped the chair more firmly and breathed in deeply.

It would be alright. William had reassured her of that. But there had been something about that reassurance, something hollow about it, that had left her less reassured than she had wanted.

“Pull yourself together, Adelaide,” she muttered, straightening up and stifling the gasp she could sense was coming.

She heard a clicking from behind the light.

“There you go, Miss. All done.”

(This is a story based on an anonymous Carte de Visite found in a junk shop, and should not be seen as a true reflection of this person’s life or that of the photographer, Wilbert of Bristol Bridge, Bristol.)

This month’s Mass Observation post was well received, and in these weird and wonderful times, we all need a bit of colour!

Moving forward, the project for June has a new theme…

RANDOM

Who doesn’t like a bit of randomness? Interpret the theme as you will!

To take part, simply take a photo around the theme of random:

  • Email the image to adayinphotographs@outlook.com by Sunday 31st May 2020.
  • Images should be a maximum of 650 pixels wide.
  • Include your name, website/blog address and a short note about the image, including where it was taken.
  • Come back and see the results on Sunday 7th June!
history, Monochrome, People, Photography, work

Mrs Esther Alice Wilberforce

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She had waited for what seemed like hours now, in the damn uncomfortable chair, that creaked every time she moved slightly and was as hard as the front step she had cleaned that very morning. But she kept her lips tightly shut, knowing that her son and daughter had paid a lot for her to have this photograph taken.

She didn’t believe in this kind of frippery, of course – it was a waste of money that could be better spent on the house – but she knew Joseph and Maria had meant well.

The Bristol studio Esther Wilberforce had found herself in was draughty, and the cold, damp air was threatening to make her cough.

The photographer – a Mr Houlson – had said she looked the perfect Victorian woman, which was a little embarrassing. He was smartly dressed and young enough to be her grandson. But he wore a fixed smile of someone desperate and she wondered if his business was not all he had expected it to be. She sensed the disapproval of Mr Houlson’s father – his was the money at risk, of course – and felt this young man was trying to come across as eager and professional as possible to hide the resignation of a failing business.

Still, she would have to recommend him to Mrs Whitmore, of course. If nothing else, the Reading Group would get to hear about the photograph – what was it Mr Houlson called it? A Visiting Card? – so she had to remain upbeat.

“Just another 30 seconds, Mrs Wilberforce,” the young man said from the darkness beyond the camera.

Just a few more seconds, and she could rest her aching bones and let out that cough!

(This is a story based on an anonymous Carte de Visite found in a junk shop, and should not be seen as a true reflection of this person’s life or that of the photographer, R Houlson of Griffin Hill, Bristol.)

This month’s Mass Observation post was well received, and in these weird and wonderful times, we all need a bit of colour!

Moving forward, the project for June has a new theme…

RANDOM

Who doesn’t like a bit of randomness? Interpret the theme as you will!

To take part, simply take a photo around the theme of random:

  • Email the image to adayinphotographs@outlook.com by Sunday 31st May 2020.
  • Images should be a maximum of 650 pixels wide.
  • Include your name, website/blog address and a short note about the image, including where it was taken.
  • Come back and see the results on Sunday 7th June!