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I'm trying to get some more information from this photo.

The lady is one of my gt.grandmothers born Mary Ellen Leaver in 1853, and marries Ben Eastwood in 1871, she died in 1908 age 55.

She looks pretty old to me in the photo , would it be a wedding picture?, if so where is Ben and why is she wearing dark clothing?

Engagement picture? Dark clothing for mourning? Her mother Zilla (Pricilla Berry) died in 1878, no idea when her father died.

If she was a blushing bride she doesn't look to happy about it and her long thin face and that nose was not passed on to the children or even her gt. granchildren,( we are all round jolly faced souls with dainty noses )

Can anyone make anything of this photo that I missed, is the costume too early for her and could it be a photo of Zillas era?

Looking forward to every ones view of this. Hannah

Hannah, where is the photo???

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Give me chance. I'm adding it for Hannah and had to pop out this morning

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Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!

I cannot make out if she has a wedding ring on.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Difficult to tell. Zooming in on the image that Hannah originally sent to me, I'd say there is something on her ring finger but couldn't say that it is a wedding ring. The texture/shading to the finger looks slightly different to that of the other fingers.

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Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!

She certainly looks older than 18yrs, but can't say for sure that she has a ring on. She has a good head of hair and no sign of grey, or of any wrinkles. They didn't seem to smile much in photos in htose days, so I don't think there is much to be read into that.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Yes Gloria, there does appear to be a ring on her finger, but it is not clear even in the original.

If she looked liked that as a young woman, after 7 children, the last born when she was 45, I can't imagine how depressed she could have looked.
Still working at Brierfield Mill when she went to meet her maker.

Try finding out from Directories, or Newspaper adverts, when Barcroft and Crabtree were in business.

Rex

That rang a bell Rex, thanks. Leaver purchased a few trade directories some years ago and added various details. There are some photographers details from the directories he bought at this link viewtopic.php?f=50&t=2214

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Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!

My husband's best guess for the photo's date is no later than the 1890s. He then drew my attention to the fact that quite a bit of information on dating old photos is available online. Googling 'dating old photographs' produces several hits, including the following.

http://www.cartes.freeuk.com/time/date.htm‎

Ruth

Yes thanks Ruth, a good link to match up other photo's I have.

There is an untapped mine of info. with members on this Society website