Friday, October 09, 2015

Sepia Saturday 300 : Let Us Remember Them



We are away at the moment but I could not let Sepia Saturday 300 pass without a quick post. This is a scan of a photograph which was part of a job lot of old photos, bought from eBay for a few pounds. It shares a number of elements with our theme image. Hopefully, by buying the box full of old photos I have saved them from, at best obscurity, and at worst the dustbin. Thus it has been saved. I have no idea who the people in the photograph  are; they are not my relatives, they may be yours, they certainly are someones. Thus it is unknown. And judging by the clothing and the styles and the uniform of the young man on the left, it must have been taken during World War 1. Given the unlimited carnage of that conflict the chances are that at least one of the subjects may have been dead before the photographic emulsion had dried.

So whoever they were, wherever they were from, whenever the lived and why ever they died : let us remember them. That, after all is what Sepia Saturday has been all about for the last 300 weeks. 

Happy Birthday Sepians everywhere.

17 comments:

  1. Such serious expressions, such a delightful glimpse of the past, Alan.

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  2. You could weave stories about the people in this lovely photograph. - the young soldier with haunted eyes, the apprehensive looks on the faces of his parents, sister and brothers. A telling image of its time.

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  3. Hi Allan, the gentleman in the middle, back row, seems to be a bit crossed eye, or is it my imagination? I can't see people nowadays stay so still for such a long time to get a picture taken. Good post!

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  4. Don't tempt me to buy a box of old photos on eBay! I have all I can handle with my many boxes of postcards (all chosen individually and carefully filed).

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  5. I think Rosie is right...that man in back had lost his patience and was rolling and crossing his eyes in frustration. The woman on the left in the front row looks like she's holding back a laugh. The woman in the middle front looks kind of resigned. The photo is full of fuel for the imagination. Thank you Alan for Sepia Saturday and all you've done over the years.

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  6. A fine photograph to rescue, Alan. I don't think they are completely relaxed. There is an underlying tension, even anxiety in their expressions that makes them all look a bit overwhelmed. Perhaps they recognize the risk when the eldest boy goes off to the front.

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  7. It really is too bad folks back then couldn't smile in their portraits, for smiling faces - especially smiling eyes - could tell so much more about a person.

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  8. I've been listening to "Home Front" on BBC 4 about WW 1. I think I could give a character's name to each of the people in the photo.

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  9. There is definitely an implication of 'will this be over soon?' about this photograph. The mother is trying to smile, but the others are looking exasperated and just waiting for it to be over. Well rescued though!

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  10. Anonymous5:12 AM

    Well I think they just look lovely people. They all look so kind and I would be happy to be a member of their family, What is the leather strap with pockets over the shoulder of the soldier ? Did all WW1 soldiers have this accessory ? Is it a clue to his regiment or is it common to all soldiers. This doesn;t look lie a snapshot so does it have the photographer or any other inforrnation printed on it ?

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  11. Great photo. How sad that it is lost from it's family. So many like this end up in resale or tag sales. Sad.

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  12. It's a beautiful photograph, Alan. I think the subjects all look a little apprehensive, as though they believe it may be the last ever photograph of their family together. It's sad to imagine that that may have been true.

    Thanks for keeping Sepia Saturday going these many weeks, months, and years. It's a great link-up.

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  13. Is Dad cross-eyed?

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  14. I agree with Mike; this is as unsettling as our prompt image. Good rescue!

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  15. Mum may be thinking 'one son is off to fight, will the war be over before the other sons are old enough to enlist'.

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  16. Congrats on 300 weeks. Well done. One does wonder who they were, where they lived, what they did. Shame the meta data can't tell you ll this.

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  17. Wow, the fella on the left looks a lot like my great Uncle Andrew from Scotland. It's NOT him, but he looks very similar. And the fella in the middle with the unfortunate crossed eyes reminded me of coming down the stairs at Blair Castle in Scotland. All the portraits hung on the walls and one fella with crossed eyes. At first I let out a laugh because it was so surprising to see, but then I felt good that they hopefully painted him as he was and would be remembered. Well, I hope he was like that and someone wasn't pulling a stunt.

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