If you are new to this project then let me introduce you to what it is all about! I was gifted some old negative films slides from family who said that they were just going to go in the bin otherwise, I couldn't bare the thought of someone's life memories just being lost so I set about scanning them all in and researching where and when they were taken. Its been an amazing project and I am so glad I have somewhere to share these amazing images. If you would like to see all the other posts you can find the links below!
So as I mentioned above this post is different as they are real photograph prints that I have saved from going in the bin not negatives! I don't have a scanner unfortunately to scan them in and I have tried to flatten them by putting a weight on them for over 2 days but still they are curled up at the edges, part of the appeal I think! When I was walking around the car boot sale I saw this box and just knew I had to open it to see what was inside, the first shot I saw was this one :
I didn't need to look at any more I knew I just had to buy them! I can't really remember how much they were but it was definitely under £5 so I was happy! The people selling them had no idea of their origin so I was intrigued to see if I could find out any more. This is the box that they came in, you can see that there is lots of information on it :
I did some searching and found an old photograph of the actual photography studio that these shots were sent to, you can see that the box has "exposed spool" crossed out which lets me believe that this box was sent to the studio from London (as you can see the postal mark) on the 26th of July 1918 from what I can read! So if these photographs were taken in and around those dates makes them 100 years old!! 100 YEARS OLD! I can't believe that they are so old and show so much history. Here is the photograph of the amazing photograph studio!:
There is also some really amazing information on the photography studio on the page including "The photographic side of the business began to flourish and the firm published a monthly journal for amateur photographers, Photographic Chat. In 1905, Dunscombe founded the Kryptok Company in conjunction with Borsch of Paris and Meyrowitz of New York, creating a company which specialized in fused bifocals."
So now we know where the photographs were developed and when, I then looked at some more of the amazing photographs and saw if I could find anything else out. Here are the next 2 images.
I love how the people are sitting in the shots above, there is something really casual and I'm not sure if I am correct but this era saw a lot of people sitting and lounging like this. It's amazing to see their clothes and style from this period, and their hair styles too, most of which would be very fashionable today!!
Now I really wish I could identify the people but the only thing I have to go on is the name on the box which reads "J.Gregory" and an address from where the box was sent "Goswell Road, E.C" which is an area in Islington London. So this possibly means that the woman/man who sent these shots to be developed lived in Islington. We have been there many time and really love this little district. I have tried to look up census's from this era and haven't found anything unfortunately, but at least I have a small idea of where they were from. Was the photograph #1 a photograph of Mr Gregory as noted on the box? Or some other person?!
There are also some very stylish looking photographs of a woman. Possibly "Gregory's" wife. I love the contrast in the shot on the right and how she is laid out on the rocks. Definitely a very artistic shot. I am always fascinated by old photographs and seeing these shots really was amazing for me. I am so glad I bought that box when I saw it.
Below are some amazing shots of Reims Cathedral, I believe these were taken in 1918 after the World War and also just after the damage that was done. Two shells went through the great window causing huge damage. The roof is clearly Reims but the interior shot on the right is somewhat still unclaimed, I have researched it and it does look pretty accurate but not exactly with the same interior under the arch, but maybe this was something that was changeable? With what else is included in the collection I would have to say it is Reims.
Below are some stunning shots captured after the German bombs had hit the Place Drouet d'Erlon. It is also amazing to see similar image here of roughly the same angle and time. The War had almost completely destroyed this part of the city, and it has now been re-built. I am not sure if the people who took these shots had connections with the War or were just out there visiting the sites, it is so hard to tell. But it is AMAZING to see these original shots of such an iconic time and location.
Below is a portrait shot of two people walking by what looks like Reims again. I love how they framed this shot, the two people walking just next to the edges of the frame work so well! And another shot showing a bombed church or building, this shot really shows the destruction of World War 1.
On the left photograph below you can see the Monument Aux Défenseurs de Verdun which was sadly melted in 1942. It's hard to find much more about this statue but amazing to think that its not there anymore! The photo on the right looks to show bomb shelters or bunkers of some kind. The writing on the bricks is really hard to distinguish so I can't really find anything more about where or what it was.
The two shots below are amazing yet again. The top one shows a row of tanks, unsure as to whose they were or what context they have been taken in but incredible to see shots like this. The photograph below shows memorial graves of possible soldiers lost in the war. Its always so sad to see sights like this and really brings the impact of the War home to us all.
I love the next two shots!! The one on the right shows two guys working on an awesome motorbike! I love how it looks and with the broken down buildings in the background it definitely looks pretty epic. I wonder if it was the person who took these shot's bike?? Or if he was someone helping fix it? All these questions I have that just will never be answered.
The top photograph below looks to be the Ruins of the Basilica of Notre Dame de Brebieres. I did some googling and it does look a lot like other examples of this site at this time. This area used to the frontline of British troops and was famous for the statue of a Virgin and child which was unfortunately taken down during the War. It's hard to think what it was like to see these kind of sites so soon after the War had ended, all fresh from the destruction.
The two shots below show beautiful views from high buildings. The second of which I have matched to shots from the Eiffel Tower! Which is amazing to see all the bridges the same but all the buildings around have obviously grown and grown. Its a shame that there are no more shots from the Eiffel Tower or the of the tower itself but amazing to know that this is where it was taken.
One of my favourites from this collection is this tiny print ! I don't know if this was just because the format of the film was this small or that they chose to print it this small, either way I had to include a scale in the shot to show you just how small it is. I absolutely love the shade and light in this shot, the lines are amazing and it looks to me like they could be builders posing for a shot!? But again who knows, and what were they building??
The next two shots are really hard to decipher! The first one though shows people with amazing fashion! Just look at the woman with the umbrella and hat! How stylish. I loved how people used to dress in those days, all the men wearing suits and top hats with canes too, must have been so much effort to get dressed everyday. The second of these shots has a date which amazing to see, it dates to 1911 which is a lot later than I was expecting. The rest of the text is hard to tell but great that I can see a date all the same.
The next two are the same! So easy to date! Look at their fashion and clothes! The one on the left is clearly from a large ship, I have e-mailed a few experts to see if they can figure out which ship but seeing as there is not much to go on its pretty hard! We got as far as a "Harwich Ship" but again we are unsure as to the age or anything which is a real shame! The shot on the right shows a town scene and rather confusingly the word "Kalasaris" on the building in the middle is actually the name for Egyptian wear, not sure if this was a shop selling them or if they were in Egypt??
Some more buildings below, possibly new housing being built in the first shot? I really love the format and look to all these old photographs, the have such an age to them, and being over 100 years old so they should, but its amazing to feel and hold them knowing that someone did the same that long ago.
A photograph of a gentlemen, possibly a family member?, and a group of people below watching what looks like a cricket match. Clearly a time when you were meant to dress up for the occasion! I love the guy in the shot on the right wearing a pin stripe suit, the kind I have only ever seen in films, I am amazed to see it in photographs and know that people used to really dress this way. With their straw hats and all! Amazing!
Below are some more portraits of some women. The woman on the left could be the same woman, possibly "Gregory's" wife, who is in the earlier shots. And as you can see from their rackets the women on the right were clearly playing tennis.
I love taking landscape shots so was happy to find some in this collection. Although it is near impossible to tell where these were taken it is amazing to see the untouched countryside and wonder what the colours of the flowers and trees were like too.
These two are rather interesting too! The one on the left looks and feels a lot older somehow, but completely unknown as to where it was. And on the right hand side you can see a small tent on what looks to be the side of a snowy mountain! Was this just some hiking trip or something else? Either way I am pretty sure its not France or the UK. I would love to know where it was and what was it in aid of!
Below a group of people are posing for a group shot, was this a large family, a club or friends? We will never know! But they all seem to have tags hanging from their pockets, they look like they aren't fully attached, I have no idea what this is for or what they mean but so interesting.
The last shot I am sharing is this one. I love how old it looks and the little dots of light, or possible orbs, is amazing. Again like a lot of them, it is so hard to tell where this was taken and a lot of them will remain a mystery but I am just glad that I have saved them and given them a new light to be viewed in. This post has taken a lot of research and time but I have loved finding out what I can and if I can find out anything else I will be sure to update you all on it.
Thank you all for reading and I am so exited to share the next installment of "Lost in Time" soon!
- Verity x
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