Viewing their battle standards in the Essex Regiment part of the Essex Museum at Chelmsford was for me awe inspiring, to see listed on the standards so many countries they fought in during the regiment's time.
St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, used to have/has displayed the standard of the Loyal Bermondsey Volunteers. St. Mary, Rotherhithe, displayed that of the Loyal Rotherhithe Volunteers, from the Napoleonic War. Both churches have hanging displays of local WWI regiments standards with battle honours. Yep, it's quite a sight.
From memory (something I read rather than being there at the time ) many photographic studios of the time carried a number of military props including swagger sticks so it may not have any significance.
Is Dad wearing a corsage or flower of some kind? Wedding after shots maybe? My Nan and Pop were married in Lismore NSW in 1920. To have their studio wedding photo done they had to catch a ship down the coast to Sydney with all their wedding regalia in a suitcase.
Could be. The placing of the hand to display the wedding ring of the lass at the back may also be relevant.
I enlarged as much as I could without going fuzzy and I believe it is a spray of flowers. The two on the right, instead of being brother and sister (although I think they look alike) could be newlyweds. Both ladies at the back have the same/similar floral/stripe fabric in the sleeves of their dresses. That may mean nothing though.
I know next to nothing about dating photos (and I've got enough of my own to try and work out who was who) but, is there a possibility that this is a family group - brothers, sisters, mum and dad? Could they be celebrating the 'parents' wedding anniversary? Ann
I knew that the frock looked familiar! Below is a photograph taken in 1912 of my great Grandparents. We have no idea as to why, but they too are wearing a corsage each.
Leslie, today In a mad moment I googled WW1 R.G.A. Uniforms. Up came so many photos from war museum newspapers & so many other I lost a lot of my day looking at them. The link addy is huge so I won't bother trying to post it. Just google. sorry, my computer has been having funny fits this afternoon & evidently this evening. Lost all during the afternoon, thought mayhap an update tho' no warning of such. Also manifest in little netbook. Must be my area.
The RGA were responsible for (and operated) the Heavy Artillery guns, as opposed to the more medium sized "Field" guns of the RFA (Royal Field Artillery), or the "Lighter" guns of the RHA (Royal Horse Artillery). The RGA were sub-divided into two catagories... Heavy Batteries, typically equipped with 4 x 60lb Howitzers (per Battery). And... Siege Batteries, who were equipped with the Very Large guns, e.g. "Railway" Guns, or "Fixed" Guns, typically 2 x 12", or 1 x 15". As a result of this, the Seige batteries were usually a fair way behind the Allied lines, as they were, for the best part, fairly immobile. White Lanyard (associated with the RA) My Uncle was with the 140 Hvy Bty RGA. RE:- white Lanyard, please read this, just past half way.:- http://www. thegarrison.org.uk/history/index.php
Leslie, please tell us you have started delving into 1911 censuses or further electoral registers etc. for some of these people. I have a photo of my Grandies in 1834ish with unknown people & it's still driving me nuts trying to figure out if they are family or visitors. Don't want that for you too. It only came to my sight after all rellies who may know were deceased.
Thank you all for the replies and suggestions and comments on womens dress. Re the photograph. As it was in my nan & g'dads album the people are likely one of their families?. My nans parents age's in 1911 was 40 and 36, my granddads 41 and 38. I think too young for the elderly couple and too old for the others. So, the two elderly people may be my nan or g'dads grandparents, but which of these possible eight families? Lookin through my saved copies of Ancestry documents and seeing which couple's were alive in 1911, and who were about the age I think the two older people look, a possibilly is my g'dads parents. His dad was 67 and mum was 64. They had son's who were in their 20's and 30's in 1911. I don't know yet whether their son's were in the Army or not. Looks like I'll soon be renewing my Ancestry sub and will make a start with them. It's a start, and there may be other of their g'parents who were both alive and had son's the right age and in the military, I haven't yet looked through my saved records. The uniform jacket of the lad on the right, even though he is sitting on the arm of a chair, looks to be quite long, about the length I think mounted troops wore. Maybe he was in a horse artillery unit? I think will attempt to try and find a possible son or son in law who was in such a unit, then see if things fit. I realise I will never be able to identify these people for certain, but it's a frustration we all have to live with . Comments about the lapel flower and wedding ring - I attach an enlarged image. It is fascinating to read the comments!
Wendy. I have bookmarked that site. Very interesting what it says about white lanyards! "Prior to the South African War, Gunners were issued with a steel folding hoof pick, carried on the saddle or in the knife. In about 1903 these were withdrawn and replaced with jack knives, which were carried in the left breast pocket of the Service Dress attached to a lanyard over the left shoulder. In the war years that followed, the lanyard could be used as an emergency firing lanyard for those guns which had a trigger firing mechanism, allowing the gunner to stand clear of the gun’s recoil. About the time of the Great War, the lanyard was moved to the right shoulder, simply because of the difficult problem of trying to remove the knife from the pocket underneath the bandolier. By now the bandolier and belt, worn with the battle dress, had long ceased to be white, whilst the lanyard remained so". Source http://www. thegarrison.org.uk/history/index.php So if my chap is in a relevant unit his lanyard identifies the photo as circa 1903 - 1914. Excellent information! Thanks for link!
