Birmingham's unidentified photographs from the 1920s to today

 Birmingham/Manchester unidentified photographs from the 1930s and 1940s.

Wondering around the car boot and other second hand sales. I find many photographs that are do not have a name on the back or front and so remain unidentified. In this blog I will add the ones that I find with details of the photographer. Obviously if you know who they are - please contact me using the blog's form. There is an earlier blog dedicated to antique photos from the Victorian and Edwardian era - again taken in Birmingham, Manchester and other places in the UK.

Unidentified lady in photographs taken in the 1930s.

Both of these vintage photographs were brought at a car boot. They seem to have been taken at different times. But they look to be the same woman. The back of the top picture with the lady wearing a fur style coat is a post card. It has the date stamped across it as 17 January 1931. It is by Jerome who apparently had branches everywhere! The card wasn't posted. 

The lower photograph is showing this lady wearing an evening style dress with a crystal necklace. To me she looks a little older than the first one. She also has shorter more pin styled crimped hair. On the reverse it has Navana, Dale End, Birmingham and 8 Tib street, Manchester. There is also a number BE5644-3 Now this may just be the photographic studios identification number or the BE being this woman's initials and date taken of 5th June 1944, then 3rd picture in set???

I think the photographs were sold at a car boot sale near Manchester if that helps anyone? 

Birmingham Victorian and Edwardian people in photographs

 Our collection of Birmingham Victorian and Edwardian people in photographs

Although I buy primary named photographs and ephemera. I occasionally pick up unnamed photographs - just because they came from Birmingham or other areas local to where I was bought up. So I have decided to add these unnamed pictures to this blog post. Maybe someone will recognise him or her. Or just for general interest. Faces not lost in time but on display. 

This is the first gentleman of Birmingham.

A young man probably in his twenties or early thirties with generous whiskers that end in a short beard. With his Sunday, coat, tie and shirt. Displaying a watch chain. 

The photographer was T Pope of 86 New Street in Birmingham. T Pope was an artist and photographer. Haven't found much information yet on this photographer, but I wonder if he is related to Henry Martin Pope, Birmingham artist who married Phoebe Hands - one of my ancestors? 

Another unnamed photograph taken in Moseley, Birmingham during the Victorian times. It shows a young lady who has quite frizzy hair and is probably in her late teens. It was taken by W Baker of Highgate Studios 110 Moseley Road in Birmingham, England. Number 913A 

This portly gentleman photograph, I actually brought from eBay. He looked so like my late brother and as the photograph was taken in Birmingham. I think it may be an ancestor. Taken by A Letalle (from Paris) who too photographs from 58 and 59 New Street, Birmingham, England. Someone has added to the top, died 18 April 1880. Still working out who he may be!!

Just pop back soon for any updates added. 

Lawrence Albert McPhun died aged 16 in World War One

 Laurie McPhun (also spelt Lawrie McPhun) was just 16 when he lost his life during World War One. 

This photograph I found on eBay a few years ago now. I have been researching my soon to be son in law's family history and so I looked at this photo - because it was photographed by Mansfield of 245, Anlaby Road, Hull. Also on the back was a small newspaper cut out all about this cute little boy's unfortunate death at such an early age.

The newspaper cutting has the date 1918 written in pencil at the bottom and says; 

Lawrie McPhun of 12 Tynemouth Street aged 16 years and an old Clifton Street scholar has succumbed to injury received through his ship being torpedoed on May 27th. After being rescue, he was conveyed to a cottage hospital but died the following day. The body was conveyed to the railway station with naval and military honours, the hospital staff sending wreaths and the funeral took place at the Hull Western General cemetery last Thursday. The mourner's included the deceased's uncle (Captain Donovan) commander of the torpedoed vessel. Before joining the ship deceased was a junior clerk with Messrs Dumoulin and Gosschalk of Hull. 

Other information following research on Laurie McPhun

On the Commonwealth War Graves website it has the following:

Lawrence Albert McPhun died on the 26th May 1918.

He was a steward's boy on the SS Kyarra (Fremantle WA) 

Being in the Mercantile Marines he is on the Tower Memorial in London.

He was the son of Mrs Louisa McPhun of 12 Tynemouth Street, Hull.

6 people lost their lives on the sinking of SS Kyarra and was at that time a troop transporter.

Laurence Albert McPhun was born in 1902 JQ Sculcoates with his mother's maiden name Donovan.

His death was registered in Wareham 1918 under Laurie McPhun JQ.

I am sure there are ancestors of the family that would like to see this or be returned. Just leave me a message on this blog. I look at all before I publish any information. 

Nurse June receiving her prize for completing her training in Plymouth 1959

 Prize giving on the 5th November 1959 to nurse June.

I found this photograph below in an envelope with another photo at the Chelford car boot sale. The black and white photograph was taken Plymouth and has the date on the back. Also it has "To Auntie Jen with love from June" 

 

The envelope was addressed to - Mr & Mrs P (or D) Goulding, "Sunnyfield" Higher Rd, Breage, Helston, Cornwall. It was sent in 1962 from the postmark. This would be June having qualified as a nurse being presented with her hospital badge and certificate of nursing or midwifery.

In the envelope was another photo from March 1917. 

On the back of this small postcard photograph is the date March 1917 and it has the address to send to - Miss Jen Williams, 24 Shaftesbury ST, C On M (Chorlton On Medlock) Manchester.

Well I have spend all day researching the link or to find out anything about the two photographs. I have come up with many possibilities but no real link. So here they are. Do you recognise anyone or have any information about these two women. Or have links. Please leave a message on this blog. I look at all the replies before allowing them to be published.

Old wedding telegrams from 1969 - Mr & Mrs Dains Stockport found

 Found some old wedding telegrams sent to Mr & Mrs J Dains in 1969.

Last year I came across three old wedding telegrams at a car boot sale in Chelford, Knutsford. As usual I brought them from the vendor, who looked to be selling house clearance items. They were sent to a Mr and Mrs John Dains to the Belgrave Hotel in Stockport on the occasion of their wedding in 1969. 

Sent the 5th April 1969 to John Dains, at the Belgrave hotel, Dialstone Lane, Hazelgrove, Stockport, Cheshire. "Congratulations and best wishes, Mike and Jacky" who sent it from London.

Also "Congratulations and sincere wishes from Margaret and Johnny at Breage" Who sent this telegram from Breage in Cornwall.

And lastly "Love and best wishes for many joyous years Hubert and May", Sent from St Ives.

What happened to Mr & Mrs Dains?

Looking at the records - Hubert John S Dains past away in 2011. He was born in 1926. Edna Dains (nee Lynch) has also passed away in the more recent 2020's. Edna was born in 1925. Both having lived and died in the Stockport area.  When they married this couple would have been in their 40's - so may have had no children. But there may be other relatives out there who would be interested in the telegrams to add to their family history?

Telegrams are however a thing of the past and should be preserved, especially if they include the works of an artist. The animal picture's were painted by the artist Harry Titcombe. A wildlife artist and illustrator, who specialized in bird pictures. Harry unfortunately passed away in 2016 aged 82, but he left behind some beautiful works of art.   

Does the look of ancestors pass down the family line? - Jewels Vintage Vibes

Does the look of ancestors pass down the family line?

 Yes, I am still collecting old photographs and documents that have found in car boots.

However, life gets in the way and a broken printer that also scans does slow me upon publishing more blog posts. 

So here is a photograph of a child taken in the late 1930s. It is of my dad. I can however see my 3-year-old grandson in his features. 

The eyes are the same and he has that cheeky look to my eyes. But not the home cut hair look. Though I look at some of my family photographs and they look nothing like the family I have today!!  So, are we not actually related? A lot of secretive liaisons took place that were not in the marital bed. But we now have DNA which does tell the truth.

From DNA, I have an idea that my husband's great great grandfather was a Taylor (name not profession) He married someone else though! Now looking to find out why! Don't you love researching your family tree, when it is not straight forward.

Where were my ancestors buried - Jewels Vintage Vibes

 Where were my ancestors buried?

This is a question that up until recently I totally didn't think to look. Most of my family history research ended at their deaths and sometimes I found a will. But one of the resources that I did not know about was burials and the information that they could potentially give me. 

The one resource that I found very useful was the American company "Find a Grave" website owned by Ancestry. Not only does it cover worldwide grave sites - but it is free to access it. 

St Nicholas Churchyard, Elmdon, Solihull

The above headstone I photographed for the find a grave website is a memorial to the Lucas family.

 In loving memory

of
Edward Lucas
Who died 6th Oct 1906
Aged 66 years
And his beloved wife
Annie Lucas
Who died 13th March 1924
Aged 79
And their children**
Herbert Joseph died 27th November 1884 aged 14 years
Ann Maud died 3rd January 1891 aged 23 years
Charles Alfred died June 1901 aged 27 years (died in action in South Africa)

The memorial contains not only the father but name of the mother birth year and death information. It also has his children and the fact that one son died in South Africa - probably a soldier in the Boer War. For someone researching this family it has a lot of information.

Woodford, Christ Church cemetery - Stockport

The above memorial I photographed in Christ Church churchyard in Woodford, Stockport. It has Albert Ward d1949, Esther and his daughter Audrey commemorated on it.  Because Ward is one of my family names. I tend to record all Wards just in case I find a link. 

So have a look at Find A Grave and research where your ancestors final resting place was. It does tend to open up questions and visiting their graves can be very emotional.