What date was this photo taken?

kernowmaid

Our very own Cornish Maid
A recent visit to my 80-yr old uncle resulted in him "lending" me a box full of photos - I must return them by Christmas "or else" :eek:
So you can guess how I'm spending my time!

This girl is "unknown" - but definitely a relative. Can anyone work out roughly when it was taken? That would help me narrow the field!

Thanks for looking.
Jane

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Not sure - but googling R.T. Watson indicates he was prolific in the Hull area in the 1880's until mid-1920's. There was a photo on a site that is for sale dated 1905 that could very well have been taken around that time.

That's my input for now.
 
The lady in your photo seems to have a slight bustle on her gown- this is a similar style. Bustles were worn between 1870 and 1875. It was next in fashion between 1883 to I891-2.

1876-1880 dress.JPG
 
Robert Thomas Watson can be found as a photographer on the Bulmers Gazetteer in 1892 in Plane Street (could be his home address) as in 1882 (Trade Directory) he is working from Anlaby Street. He is found on 1893 Trade Directory in Anlaby Road. William Tindall Watson is at Midland Street and William T Watson 20 Ocean Place Anlaby Road.(Ancestry message Boards)
I believe the photo 1890-1893ish.
Not that it is important but 1892 Bulmers has Robert T Watsons studio in Anlaby Street at the entrance to Excursion Platform
 
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In 1881 census Robert Thomas Watson was a photographer age 26 Event Place was Holy Trinity and St Marys Kingston upon Hull. Address was West Parade
1891 census a photographer a widower age 36 Newington. Address Plane Street
1901 age 46 photographer, widower Residence Anlaby Road.
Could this mean he was at Anlaby Road after 1891 census? If so then the photo is after 1891!
 
Well for what it's worth....

The number on the reverse of the photograph is 8519. Assuming that Watson indexed the photographs he took in numerical order then it would have been taken before this photograph of Captain Manson which is number 11176 and is confidently dated August 1885. Note that on the reverse of the photograph Watson describes himself as “Photographer of their Royal Highnesses Duke & Duchess of Edinburgh”.

See>

http://buffalogen.
blogspot.com/2014/06/from-buffalogens-photo-collection-9.html



According to the newspapers on FMP, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh visited Hull in September and October 1884. This suggests, from the numbering, that your photograph was taken in the early 1880’s as pretty certainly Watson would want to advertise himself as a “royal” photographer as soon as possible after that event.
 
I may have to concede here......I didn't look for any other photos but since have found one numbered 41193 c1893 where the graphics on the back name Robt.T Watson.
On the 1871 census he is 17 years old and a photographer living with his mother Elizabeth. It doesn't say that she is widowed but other forums have Roberts father as William Tindall Watson, photographer. William is not on the census with Robert and Elizabeth.
 
I may have to concede here......I didn't look for any other photos but since have found one numbered 41193 c1893 where the graphics on the back name Robt.T Watson.

I wonder if he changed to a more manageable numbering system so that this was photo no.411 of 1893? It feels a bit more logical to do it like this.
 
I wonder if he changed to a more manageable numbering system so that this was photo no.411 of 1893? It feels a bit more logical to do it like this.

Yes - I get the feeling that "my" photo is number 519 in Box/Catalogue 8.
It's just the way it's written - as if the card was already numbered "8", then the rest added.
(And to be honest, the photographer wouldn't want his numbers to be too low - he'd want his clientele to believe that he'd already sold thousands of pictures!)

Trouble is - I've got too many young female ancestors in the early 1890's. Need to find more photos!

Jane
 
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