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December 4, 2012

Another Rescued Victorian Photo Album

Rescued Victorian Album R. Caton Woodvile illustrations
Cover of Album
Recently a gentleman from Kent England wrote to Olive Tree Genealogy about a Victorian Photo Album he found and wanted to make available to others.

After a few emails he decided to send the album to me, free of charge, so I could scan and put the photos online on Lost Faces. I offered to pay for shipping from England to Canada but he refused! Such generousity is very much appreciated and I hope to the album justice on my blog and website.

The album arrived yesterday and I'm very excited to begin archiving and researching it! It's an unusual photo album from Victorian times full of beautiful coloured military prints with an opening on each for one photo the size of a Cabinet Card.
 
The album cover displays the words The Army and Navy Album. It was made in Germany with illustrations by R. Caton Woodville

My first step when I receive these rescued photo albums is to take photographs of each page. That is what I did this morning so I'm going to share the first inside page here today.

Rescued Victorian Album R. Caton Woodvile illustrations. Page 1
This is the first inside page. It consists of a military scene by R. Caton Woodville and a small photograph.  The title of the illustration is Royal Horse Artillery

This page is in rough shape due to being exposed to the elements. The Englishman who sent it to me found it in an old garden shed and thinks his mother may have rescued it from (as he called it) "a rubbish tip" aka a garbage dump in the 1970s.

The facing photo is a carte de visite of a man. There is no identifying information on the front or verso of the photograph.

The back of this page contains another photo of a woman. It too is a carte de visite with the photographer's name J. G. Charlton and address 14 Mercery Lane, Canterbury on the front.

Rescued Victorian Album R. Caton Woodvile illustrations. Page 1 verso
The verso of the carte de visite reads "J. G. Charlton (Late J. Bateman), Cathedral Studios, 14 Mercery Lane, Canterbury. Portraits enlaged & finished in Oil, Water Colour etc."

Tucked into the album is a hand-written note from the man who found it.

 Neither photo is identified as to the subject. I'm hoping that other photographs will have a name attached!

To view all pages of this beautiful album as they are put online, please click on R. Caton Woodville



For photos of an empty R. Caton Woodville album see Victorian Albums
at

5 comments:

  1. EboWalker6:30 PM

    This is so exciting! So good of you to make this available to everyone and what a generous man! My ancestors came from Kent, is there a way you could make a list of any surnames mentioned (a lot of work, I know). Let us know if you need help!
    Thanks again for all your hard work.
    Christina

    http://brownsyard.wordpress.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Olive Tree Genealogy1:23 PM

    Christina - When I do these photo and album rescues I always list all information - front of photo, back of photo, written in album, etc.

    Any identification will be published if found.

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  3. Mariann Regan4:40 PM

    This is all quite amazing, both the pictures and the props. These photos deserve an article in "Shades of the Departed."

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  4. Anonymous5:03 AM

    In case it's not clear, I should explain that I think the album has two types of images: (1) drawings/paintings (usually military scenes) that are probably prints reproduced in each "blank" album to help it sell; and (2) personal family B&W photos subsequently added in by the owner into blank slots designed for the purpose.
    Thanks Lorine for continuing to scan it all in. I hope one day someone will identify the family pictures!
    Chris AC Baker (supplier of the album).

    ReplyDelete
  5. PeggyLu 3:56 PM

    Such a beautiful album. I look forward to seeing what you uncover.

    ReplyDelete