On the floor of my study, as I prepare for removal day, I noticed two brick shaped packages wrapped in brown paper. Surprisingly heavy, I unwrapped them and found two or three dozen glass plate negatives. Holding them, each in turn, to the light, I was amazed by the quality of what I saw. I share some samples with you in advance of my doing some research into them. I think you will agree that they are a bit special.
The Game Keeper
A number of the slides depict not only members of a well-to-do family on their country estate, but also the workers, beaters and, here, the game keeper. Click on the image to enlarge it and then ask yourself the question, why is there a spoon tied to a stick resting against the saddle of his bicycle? Is that a sack of grain on the ground and why would he need to reach the feeding place with a spoon? Even worse, does the sack contain rat poison? Shudder!
Who is this?
The car is extraordinary and so is the occupant, by today's standards! Could she be the District Nurse or Midwife - she looks too mature to be a bride and driving yourself to your own wedding would have been a bit daring at that time. And why the floral decoration - was it a holiday or a jubilee occasion that involved a procession? I don't know - what do you think?
The Age of Steam
A passenger train somewhere in Britain - early 1900s. The engine number is visible on the front - No. 454. Any train enthusiasts have any ideas?
Industrial Heritage
This is some sort of industrial works. Note the winding wheel behind the chimney. I wonder where or what it is.
These are really wonderful! I'm so taken by the train. Well all of them are great. And the little car reminds me of the car my dad has told me about that his cousin owned. Over here it was called a Baby Austin. His cousin's was a convertible. They were also very popular in old keystone cop movies. Great post!
ReplyDeleteOh my - what historical treasures you have there! Love the train, and what appears to be a building site.
ReplyDeleteThese are amazing photos, all the more amazing because they were negatives your scanned to get the images. I was thinking how sad that someone threw away the negatives - and then I thought of my own photographs. I never save negatives. So, maybe, somewhere each of these has a twin, a real photograph pasted into someone's album or hanging on a wall. What serendipity should an owner find your blog!
ReplyDeleteAbout the first photograph - the bag looks too bumpy to have rat poison, but I don't have a guess about the spoon. I wouldn't want to mess with the dog, though.
I really love the last photo best. I wonder what they make/do in the buildings and on the grounds. I love the building, how the stones are not all the same size but are still laid in rows. Did you notice the long narrow window proped open toward the back of the building?
Thanks for sharing these photos. They are wonderful.