Posy Poser
 

Any ideas about what this photograph may commemorate? Accrington man, dressed to kill, bearing flowers. It was probably taken around 1910.

I believe that the clean shaven young man, back right, was a cousin of my grandfather. He was born in 1889 and was a Joiner.

In 1901 Census, a Charles Haworth, born Padiham 1870 is living at 190 Bold Street, wife Sarah A. He is a Machine Joiner.
In 1911 Census, Charles Howarth, born Padiham 1869 is living at 41 Owen Street, wife Sarah Ann, some same children. He is a Machine Joiner in an Iron Foundry.

Re: Posy Poser
 

Would probably help if we could identify the building in the photograph.

Re: Posy Poser
 

Well it says Bold Street on the photo, if those men didn't have posy's of flowers, I would have thought it could have been a ride out from Bold Street WMC

Re: Posy Poser
 

Bold St is the address of the photographer who took it:rolleyes:

Re: Posy Poser
 

The quality of the photo suggests it was a pretty expensive camera back in those days, not something you would expect to be owned by a joiner.
In the 1911 census 190 Bold St is occupied by Albert Westwell & his wife Elizabeth.
That leaves us guessing at what date the picture was taken. Could he be using an old stock of paper with his address on, or was the photo taken much earlier in the late 1800's.
Retlaw.

Re: Posy Poser
 

The relative referred to is Harry Haworth who was born in 1889. Photo attached is cut from a photograph of him and his wife Ruth who were married in 1915. I’m pretty certain it’s the same man in the group. In 1911 he was living at 36 Church Lane Clayton Le Moors. He was actually a labourer for a joiner. Given his age, 1910ish seemed a reasonable estimate
Charles Howarth’s wife’s occupation is described as aerographist (air brusher) in a Christmas card factory. Perhaps she had access to a good camera. Perhaps a photography business had come and gone between 1901 and 1911. Or even a joinery business.
Unfortunately the right hand edge of the backing card looks like it has been cut off. Maybe that had more information.
A trawl of the advertisements in the Observer at some time in the future may reveal more.
It would be amazing if someone were to recognise a member of the group from other photographs.
I had wondered if old stock might be involved and if there might be a connection with the 1911 coronation or the 1913 royal visit.

Re: Posy Poser
 

Found this reference on National Archives site:
"Photograph of the Rev Canon John Rogers taken on Saturday the 25th of May 1912 standing figure."
Copyright owner and author of work: Charles Howarth, 41 Owen Street, Accrington, Lancashire.
Form completed 31 May 1912. Registration stamp: 1 June 1912.

Re: Posy Poser
 

It's obviously a very relaxed group of men and some of them are quite flashily dressed - especially the neckties. The men on the extreme left and right of the picture look like real characters. Still can't imagine what was the reason for this gathering.

Just noticed on closer inspection - I think the chap seated in the middle of the front row is holding a concertina on his knee.

Re: Posy Poser
 

I don't think his wife would have been able to borrow a camera of that quality from a place she worked. Not only a camera but a dark room, and an enlarger, and all the chemicals related to developing the plates, then printing them on his own named paper, he must have been creating a lot of prints to be able to afford that paper. Not some back street one off merchant, and not part time either, why he refers to hmself a a joiner in the census returns beats me, when its evident he has a photography buisness.
Retlaw.

Re: Posy Poser
 

Now wearing my architectural historian's hat, it's possible/likely that the building in the photo is a pub. If these men were out on a jolly, it coud be in the Ribble Valley or somewhere similar.

If the pub is still in existence today it probably hasn't now got the wooden porch, but the window in the picture is quite distinctive. There woud have been another light to the window out of shot to the left to make it symmetrical, so it would have had three lights and two stone mullions. The middle light was two panes wide and the side lights each one pane wide.

Re: Posy Poser
 

Forgive my strange response, but I feel "I know" one of the gentlemen in the photo. He looks so familiar, so much so, I have printed the photo off, put it in my bag, and if I ever see this guy in town, I am going to ask him could it be his grandfather, or even great grandfather on the photo. He is standing at the far left of the photo. The guy I know has the surname Dickinson.

Re: Posy Poser
 

This is very frustrating. I find this picture fascinating and could look at it for hours, but can't get any nearer to what it's about.

I love looking at the clothes and the hats, and the different faces, and the wonderful array of moustaches. Love the little man seated in the second row, pebble glasses, big moustache, flat cap and protruding ears!

Re: Posy Poser
 

Could it have been the male members of a wedding party? One of them is holding a posy.

Re: Posy Poser
 

In fact three of them are.

Re: Posy Poser
 

I had thought of that, and wondered if the young man at the front withe straw boater were the bridegroom. But why would three men be carrying posies? Isn't that usually left to the women? and the man seated in the middle of the front row has a concertina - not sure he would take that to a wedding, more likely to the festivities afterwards - unless this was afterwards - but why would they still have the posies?

Re: Posy Poser
 

Add a splash of colour to the piccy. ;)

Re: Posy Poser
 

I've spent ages looking at the faces on that picture, and not one of them matches any of the faces in my WW1 collection, makes me wonder now if any of those men are from the Accrington area.
Retlaw.

Re: Posy Poser
 

An unusual group for a wedding, must have been a dusty place.
the three knelt at the front, are on a few pages from a newspaper.
All of them appear to have a flower in their button hole.
The Thot Plickens.
Retlaw.

Re: Posy Poser
 

Well it was an Accrington photographer so we have to assume that the men were also from the area.
Yes I noticed the newspaper - and their shoes are dusty. I've looked at some wedding group photos from the period on the www and none of the men were wearing hats or caps

Re: Posy Poser
 

Looking closer, the men seem to be covered in muck - could be sawdust, and their clothes definitely aren't too clean - one has a greasy stain on his trouser leg.

Re: Posy Poser
 

On the Beamish website I found a small mention of posies being taken to church/chapel as part of harvest festival celebrations.
I can't imagine any other reason for men to wear flowers (morris dancers excepted)

Re: Posy Poser
 

Looking closely at an enlargement most of those tiny specks appear to have come from the original negative, its surprising how much debris there is in water, especially when processing film, I had a micro filter, for the water I used to process negatives. Look closely at their faces, and you can see those tiny marks caused by dirty water, they can even attracted dust whilst the emulsion is drying after being developed.
Retlaw

Re: Posy Poser
 

Yes Retlaw, I was going to suggest much the same thing, but you do itmuch better than I could. Their shoes are very dusty though.

Re: Posy Poser
 

Perhaps Clayton given that's where my Grandad's cousin Harry was living.

Re: Posy Poser
 

As an aside, there was a photograph of a standing clergyman amongst a collection of old photographs that I sent to Accrington Library some time ago. Could be that referred to above. Canon Rogers was at St. James.

Re: Posy Poser
 

There are flowers/foliage inside the window to the left - so it's likely that it was a big event at that building rather than a day out that happened to be pictured there. The guesses at a wedding or harvest festival seem plausible - they look dressed for mild summer weather.

I'd guess that either the group or the location has to be local, but not necessarily both. I have a few photos were I know that the stated photographers address doesn't hold any relevance to the person pictured.