Today it's 99 years since my dad, Bert Martin, was born on January 12th in 1919. It was a great feeling to get his memoirs published last year, something I had long believed in but dare not believe in, if that's not too cryptic.
I have known this studio portrait for a long time and I have only just realised that it may been taken to mark my dad's christening. He is the child in a dress and with blonde locks sitting on his mother, Florence's knee. It must have been quite an expensive occasion the whole family going to the studio for a photograph.
And why is Levi, their father, not included - perhaps he would have been one of the 10% refusals in my strangers' portrait efforts.
My dad is seen here with three of his siblings: Jack, front left and behind him, Fred and Mary; Betty was not yet born and little Reggie, the first-born, had already died aged five from pneumonia.
Florence herself, with her two girls, was in an accident with a runaway car on Claydon Hill and died 2 year later as a result of her injuries.
I researched, on Wikipedia, the history of portraiture and the photographer's constructionist approach, which, as far as I can see, did not extend to having the happy family smiling broadly.
Love that you shared this. I am into genealogy and I love old portraits. Can’t say I have any where people are smiling...makes you wonder what the philosophy was...portrait was a serious occasion?
I love old portraits. I inherited my mother's photo album with lots of family photos. Most of the people look very seriously. Having your photo taken was an important occasion...
You just can't beat good old family photographs and this one is excellent on two counts, firstly its quality and secondly you can identify every one in it, you've presented it beautifully Hazel:)
You have such a great family story and I'm really enjoying reading your father's diary when I have a chance to pick it up. I have quite a few portraits from my own family and most of the people have a somewhat flat expression. It's my understanding that the photographers had to do a lengthier exposure meaning the shutter was open longer and therefore the people had to stay still longer. It's harder to keep your smile at the exact same intensity for a minute long exposure than something more dead-pan and that's why so many of these photos are "smile-less". How sad about your grandmother!
Ann, I hope you don't get too bogged down in those PoW camps.... and yes, my grandmother, whom I never knew, had a very bad time: she broke her back and had to wear a brace, all the family members gave blood to no avail, she had to eat raw liver sandwiches and died of septicemia. All this was told to me by my Auntie Betty (my dad's younger sister) who was in the accident with her mother.
My mother was born on 9 March in the same year as your father, although sadly the first I have I her was when she and my father were courting. Am I imagining it...are these sepia tones? The shot has a mellowness which makes it even more fascinating.
I think that pretty much sums it up!
Peter, thank you and I've learnt something about portraiture posting this.
Yes, that was it, I think - not something which happened every day.
Your comment is so appreciated - thank you.
Ann, I hope you don't get too bogged down in those PoW camps.... and yes, my grandmother, whom I never knew, had a very bad time: she broke her back and had to wear a brace, all the family members gave blood to no avail, she had to eat raw liver sandwiches and died of septicemia. All this was told to me by my Auntie Betty (my dad's younger sister) who was in the accident with her mother.
That's brilliant!
Margo, it's processed in greyscale to be found on FastStone, the free processing software which I use.