Genealogy Chat

Very useful information. Thanks Peter. ...Babz

IDing soliders Things to look for.WW1 Style of uniform. ther were sevrale dress uniforms for different operationl areas, and officers were a better fit and cut than other troops. Boots most troops had DMS style but cavlry and officers had high boot or rideing boots, Artillery (mounted) had puttys that came up to mid Shin were other troops had them just around the ankle. Jopers (Riding breeches) were normaly seen only on officers. These are rules off thumb tips as there were exsetions to the rule. When looking for markings and badges you will offten find thay are blurd when you Zoom in but the shape can give a clue. dose it remind you of a crown or faethers, may be a skull, dose it look like a belt, all these shaps are cap badges of regements that exsisted in WW1 and it might take some time but compairing it to pics off a good badge site can narrow it down to just a few or even one regement. Medal ribbons. I helped with a photo were the person had 2 medal ribbons, as the pic was sepia I had no coulers to work with but as there is only a limeted number of medals its not to hard to work out what they are or at least to narrow it down to one or two, I am not talking Campain medals as they were awarded after the war (thou in the above case they could of been pre WW1 campains as he was in for some time) there are only a few that could be mistaken for each other but can offten be sorted out becuse of who can and can't get them. To find out more about all of the above try this site (exsept badges, for them, untill 1914-1918.net have there id page up you will have to pick one of the badges for sale sites) www.stephen-stratford.*co.*uk/index.htm remove*

Back grounds and studio furniture In some portrate photos you have other stuff apart from the back drop that can help. Chairs and other seats can be dated from any good site on Antiques. But remember it can only tell you a date that it can not be befor, as old chairs could of been used and be some years out. The same gose for tabels and other items. Lights on tables are they gas or electric, if electric what about the shade its dateable. any thing eles there baners, flags, a telephone, recordplayer or phonograph. most things can be dated and if there are sevral then whats the latest one. more to come

Fashion There are sevral sites that can help pin point hairstiles dress and other clothing accesarys, some are obvuse such as the flappers of the early 1900s. But a VERY lose rule of thumb is the higher the skirt the later the date. if its full length its pre 1900. Perms were more in fashion in the 1930-40 and hair was worn up pre 1900 it was rear to see bussels after 1900 but they were alredy going out of fashtion around 1850 (I beleve). Jewellry was more broches, hat pins, tearras and big necklesses (lots of stones) for Victoria and befor. Beads and fethers Early 1900s After the death of prince Albert. Black and somber cloths were in fashion for sevral years and morning jewellry, this was small broches and rings with black some were on them. More to come.

Most of us have had problems of one kind or another in dating Pics.or in the case of soilders there regements, owing to lack of knowledge. But there are lots of clues in the pics to help or guide you, if you know what to look for. So here is yet another of my theads to do just that.................................................................................... befor 1884 (a part from some early protertipes of paper film) all photos were taken on Glass there are sevral methods for this dating from 1829 when the first pictuers were taken to 1884 when the firs proper Flexible film became available. I wount name them all but will give you clues as to the date. The first kind called the Deguerreotype took so long (1/2HR ) to exspose that most pics were of buildings or other non-moveable objects so if you see one were people are acticdently or unavoidable in it they are blurd or streack across the shot. The Dates of this kind were from 1829-1851 Improvments took place and exposer times came down to 2-3 seconds, so from 1851- 1884 portrates photos were pos but the sitters were stiff as any movment whould still blur The eyes are a big give away here every one blinked so the eyes are normaly blurd. From !884 flexible film and 4 years later the first Box camara ment that photos could now be taken any were and no longer were restricted to studios and professionals....................................................................... Any one eles whant to add a tip do so I will put more on as I find them