unknown photos

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spoonybroony
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Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 3:36 pm

unknown photos

Post by spoonybroony » Mon Oct 07, 2013 6:56 pm

having just gone through a suitcase full of photos I now have bundle of photos of people that we cannot identify. i can't bring myself to just throw them out, but don't see the point in keeping them. is there some organisation that is interested in old photos?

paddyscar
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Re: unknown photos

Post by paddyscar » Mon Oct 07, 2013 9:10 pm

Hi Spoonybroony

I would think that a library, local historical society, museum or genealogy group may take them, especially if related to people, places and events in their locale.

If you care to advise of the location, perhaps someone may suggest something more specific.

Frances
John Kelly (b 22 Sep 1897) eldest child of John Kelly & Christina Lipsett Kelly of Glasgow

Russell
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Location: Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire
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Re: unknown photos

Post by Russell » Mon Oct 07, 2013 10:24 pm

A good proposal Frances. It is always a shame that old photos are often not valued. Here in Kilbarchan we have several volumes of photos that villagers have handed in. we encourage folk, especially the older villagers, to come in and try to put names to them with a degree of success. We feel the prime purpose is to preserve the identity of ordinary villagers. Usually the problem is finding a group who have the space to actually keep them :(

Russell
Working on: Oman, Brock, Miller/Millar, in Caithness.
Roan/Rowan, Hastings, Sharp, Lapraik in Ayr & Kirkcudbrightshire.
Johnston, Reside, Lyle all over the place !
McGilvray(spelt 26 different ways)
Watson, Morton, Anderson, Tawse, in Kilrenny

WilmaM
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Re: unknown photos

Post by WilmaM » Tue Oct 08, 2013 9:12 am

What ever you do don't just throw them out.

Even if unidentified they are still a view of the world at a different period, the fashions alone would make them interesting.
Wilma

Currie
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Re: unknown photos

Post by Currie » Tue Oct 08, 2013 12:30 pm

Hello Spoonybroony,

If the photographs have been handed down to you from past generations of your family my advice to you would be to keep them. If they mattered enough to those who kept them for you, then they should matter equally as much to you.

Once they leave the custody of the family most of their identity goes. They are no longer old unidentified Smith family photographs, they are just old photographs.

If you don’t have room for them make room by throwing out your genealogy research. Genealogy is just a hobby and can be redone any old time, whereas family photographs, even if unidentified, are among the most important thing of all, and are irreplaceable.

If you must get rid of them make sure they go to one of your descendants, or one of your siblings, or to your favorite cousin, or even to the cousin you most despise. Keep them within the family.

If all else fails scan them and distribute copies. Give them names such as Unidentified Smith-Jones c1900, or whatever takes your fancy. That way they take up absolutely no room at all, and there’s at least a slight chance that some of them will survive the test of time.

Next week the long lost cousin who can identify all those photographs could come knocking on your door.

Hope that helps,
Alan

Tracey
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Re: unknown photos

Post by Tracey » Wed Oct 09, 2013 8:12 pm

I would echo Alans wise words.

How long have you had them ?
Long story but i had loads of photos and letters from my uncle. For the most part none of the photos had personal information written on them. I was able to identify photos of my gt grandfather, his sisters and niece from the letters along with my gt x 2 grandparents.

But one was of what looked to be a well to do family. Along the way you make contacts that are not always connected to your immediate family and one such family i was in contact with i happen to mention this family photo. Low and behold they had the exact same family albeit years later in a similar pose that was found by a member of their immediate family in a basement of a family members house in Philadelphia where some of them eventually emigrated to - phew !
Which means i now know who they are !
I have loads of photos of people i dont know but i hope to try my best to find out who they are so dont give up on them.
Scotland - Donaldson / Moggach / Shaw / Geddes / Sim / Gray / Mackie / Richards / Joel / Coull / Mckimmie / Panton / McGregor
Ireland and Scotland - Casey / McDade / Phillips / McCandle / Dinely / Comaskey + various spellings

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