Photograph help needed

[stevechippy]

Hi can anyone explain or identify the military uniforms in this wedding picture? and if there is a seating order for the bride and grooms family?
I AM just trying to guess who is who in this picture and not just relying on whats written on the outside of the cardboard. thanks.

 

[Daft Bat]

Regarding seating/standing order - usually (but not always) you have the groom's family spreading out from his side and the bride's from hers.

(By the way - I have added a horizontal version of the picture. )

 

[stevechippy]

thankyou useless on the computer

 

[Daft Bat]

No worries - we are here to help.

 

[Ma-dotcom]

Royal Marines? I googled & found a page but the website title is too long.

Try this google: photo of Royal marines 1914

 

[AnnB]

I am useless at identifying uniforms, but is that a 3 bladed propeller on the right sleeve of the groom?

Ann

 

[Huncamunca]

The marriage certificate or register should give details of the groom's occupation at the time of the marriage and will also tell you the names of at least two witnesses, who may be in the photo. It might also be worth checking local newspapers to see if there was a report of the wedding: if you're lucky there may be a list of guests.

I am going to chicken out of trying to identify the uniforms too! But you could check the National Archives' indexes to Royal Marines and Royal Navy ratings' service records here for any family names:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/our-online-records.htm

You can download records for £3.36 a go.

 

[Findem]

The white top of the caps on the two guys in the rear makes me think Royal Marines but the hat badges are not clear enough to be 100% sure. The groom being a sailor is likely to be on a ship which has Marines as part of it's establishment therefore he could well have friends among those Marines.

 

[Ma-dotcom]

I am useless at identifying uniforms, but is that a 3 bladed propeller on the right sleeve of the groom?

Ann

AnnB, where did you get such great eyesight? I found it rather fuzzy when enlarged.
( Doesn't help when without glaucoma drops)

 

[stevechippy]

Thats brilliant i know the groom was archibald william charles chard who was i believe in the royal marines light infantry, His brothers were also involved in the military too, and henry robert chard i believe was with the royal garrison artilery, could be attached to the royal marines?

 

[Huncamunca]

Thats brilliant i know the groom was archibald william charles chard who was i believe in the royal marines light infantry

you could check the National Archives' indexes to Royal Marines and Royal Navy ratings' service records here for any family names:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/our-online-records.htm

You can download records for £3.36 a go.

I see that two separate records for Archibald are available on the above site, one in the Royal Marines database and the other in the Royal Navy one.

There also seems to be a record card for him (with a photograph) in the Merchant Navy Seamen 1835-1941 database on Findmypast.

 

[stevechippy]

thanks again huncamunca youre a treasure!

 

[AnnB]

From records on Ancestry a Good Conduct Medal was awarded to A. W. C. Chard on 5.4.1916. He was described as Sto P. O. (Stoker Petty Officer) of the Egmont and the medal was sent to SNO Malta on 31.8.1916.

There is also an entry in the National Probate Calender -
Archibald William Charles Chard of 50 Royal Navy Avenue, Plymouth died 20 September 1938 at the Jetty, Torpoint, Cornwall. Admon London 7 November to Florence Chard, widow. Effects Nil.

Ann

 

[Huncamunca]

I am useless at identifying uniforms, but is that a 3 bladed propeller on the right sleeve of the groom?

From records on Ancestry a Good Conduct Medal was awarded to A. W. C. Chard on 5.4.1916. He was described as Sto P. O. (Stoker Petty Officer) of the Egmont and the medal was sent to SNO Malta on 31.8.1916.

That all fits very nicely, Ann! A ship's propeller with star above and star below was a badge worn by Stoker Petty Officers 1913-1932, according to this site:

http://www.
godfreydykes.info/ROYAL_NAVAL_RATINGS_BADGES_19TH_-_20TH_CENTURIES.htm

 

[AnnB]

That all fits very nicely, Ann! A ship's propeller with star above and star below was a badge worn by Stoker Petty Officers 1913-1932, according to this site:

http://www.
godfreydykes.info/ROYAL_NAVAL_RATINGS_BADGES_19TH_-_20TH_CENTURIES.htm

Thanks for confirming that I wasn't imagining things Jane I had intended to look up the insignia for Stoker Petty Officers, but, as usual, got side-tracked with something else

AnnB, where did you get such great eyesight? I found it rather fuzzy when enlarged.
( Doesn't help when without glaucoma drops)

First off I was hoping there might be a ship's name on one of the caps, but couldn't see anything, so moved to the sleeves, in case of there being insignia of some sort - that's when I thought it looked like a propeller If you look at his left sleeve, you can just make out 3 stripes.

Ann