In the process of scanning in my old family photographs from my grandfather’s albums, there were the odd one or two photographs of people where we had no idea who they were. There were no helpful clues on the back, and there are ones we just don’t know if they are relatives or just friends of the family.
There were a couple that I managed to get sorted out and put names to or at the very least have a general understanding that they were family friends rather than relatives, but here are the ones we know nothing about.
This photograph was kept along with ones relating to my great grandfather Albert Hallas and his parents and sister Sarah. Initially I thought it was his mother but another family member advised that another photograph I had was actually his mother. This photograph would have probably been taken around the 1910s or 1920s. It was originally cut into an oval shape and had been in a frame – this is a restored version, so had perhaps been more likely to be a relative than a friend if it had been in a frame.
I’ve posted this photograph before in my Street Photography post – I know it was taken in Jersey in the 1930s but the people are unfamiliar.
Do you have any odd photos that you wish you knew who the subjects were? Have you got any clues on the back? Any photographers details to narrow down the timeframe and area?
I have a few hundred that I have no idea who they are. It is a real shame. I wrote about it in my blog.
I think if our family had more photographs then I think I would have a lot more! We didn’t really have a whole lot.
I do wish they would have written names on the backs!!
There are a few that I don’t know, but many of ours do have clues on them. Regardless of your identification problems-they are great photographs. I love old ones like these 🙂
Don’t I know it! Most of ours seem to have inconsequential things on the back like shopping lists!
I’m a sucker for old photos!
Me too. Every now and again I feel the need to post some. One of my favourites had written on the back Mary and her grandfather, Jasper. I love that one 🙂
I am tempted to do another post soon about the backs of photographs and include some of the more random ones!
I sure do! I read that there is some website where you can post pictures like this and see if anyone recognizes anyone. Seems like a real long shot…but you never know. It’s also a good reminder to label the photos we take now so future generations don’t face this same problem!
Exactly! These days we take so many digital photos and then not do anything with them! I think I will just keep trying tracking down other family members to see what they recognise!
Good luck!
I have far too many of these. On my recent trip my Grandma was able to help identify several so that was great.
It’s so important to ask family these kinds of things!