Red Velvet Victorian Photo Album
Genealogy

Red Velvet Victorian Photo Album

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Now there’s a title, right?  I couldn’t believe that in 30 years, no one had seen or heard about this album that contains images of family members dating from the 1890s.  My grandfather passed away this summer, and we went out earlier this Fall to help grandma do some cleaning and to spend time chatting and whatnot.  Grandma brought out the album that she had found while organizing grandpa’s computer room.  It’s covered in worn red velvet with a mirror sewn into the cover, and is closed with a metal latch.  For being over 100 years old, it’s in pretty good condition.

I’m willing to bet it hasn’t been opened much, and it’s a real shame that so few of the photos are dated or labelled. Great Grandma had passed the album along to grandpa and now it’s come home with me. I decided to scan in all the photos in hopes that maybe someone, somewhere might recognize a few and help me solve some of the mysteries inside the album – we were able to identify a few photos from the other trunk (not joking, great-great grandma’s old steamer trunk that came with her from England was home to ALL THE PHOTOS) full of photos. Great grandma had gone through and put names on the back of some which was really pretty helpful. I’ve included the backs to the photos when there was something on the back, and some of the designs are really gorgeous.  The photos are all arranged on the page in the order they appear in the album and I’m sure there’s something to the order of the photos.  If you can help identify or date any of the photos, please leave a comment. Click on through for the photos! (Warning, VERY graphics heavy below the cut)


Click any photo to view bigger

Photographer: Bank of England Studio. F. W. Knight
Location: 3. Bank of England Place, Plymouth
In this photo:  John Samuel Creber (at back), then L to R, Alfred George Creber, Mary Jane (Battin) Creber, and Bessie Melita Creber.
Notes:  Identification provided by Dave Creber
Photographer: E. Kelley
Location: 31 Old Town Street, Plymouth
In this photo:
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Photographer: Major & Darker
Location: Falmouth & Camborne
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. Curtis
Location: 8 Union St. Plymouth
In this photo:
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Photographer: Heath & Bullingham
Location: 24 George St, Plymouth
In this photo:
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Photographer: Pierce
Location:  5 Market Street, Carbondale, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: John Hawke
Location: 8 George St, Plymouth
In this photo:
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Photographer: Cramer
Location: 312 Main Street, Carbondale, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: Frey Bros
Location: 9116 Commercial Ave, So. Chicago
In this photo:
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Photographer: W. & D. Downey
Location: 57 & 61 Ebury St, London SW
In this photo: Martha Richards (1840-?)
Notes: Written on back, in pencil is the name Martha.  I’ve been able to identify her as the sister of Elizabeth Richards (1824-?) who married Daniel Battin (1837-1918)
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Photographer: Cramer
Location: 312 Main Street, Carbondale, PA
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Photographer: W. McFadden
Location: Oxbridge, Ontario
In this photo:
Notes:
Photographer: Hayman & Son
Location: Launceston
In this photo: (Top, L to R) Kate Battin, Bessie Battin(Bottom, L to R) Jessie Battin, George Battin, Alfred Herbert Powis, Mary Jane Battin
Notes: George Battin shows up in other photos as “[great-great grand]Mother’s father”, and it’s easy to assume that the four girls in the photo are his four surviving daughters.  The child is Alfred Herbert Powis, son of Jessie Battin and Alfred Powis, he’s 3 years old in this photo, taken roughly in December 1895.
Photographer: Theod Mueller
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo: Olga Powis
Notes:
Photographer: J. H. Truxell
Location: 12 & 20 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
In this photo: Olga Powis
Notes: A living family member identified this photo as being Olga Powis
Photographer: J. H. Truxell
Location:  12 & 20 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. C. Patrick
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: Reger
Location: 1018 Eleventh Avenue, Altoona, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: Reger
Location: 1018 Eleventh Avenue, Altoona, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. C. Patrick
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. Krismer
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. Krismer
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. Krismer
Location: Coalport, PA
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Photographer: J. C. Patrick
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. C. Patrick
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. C. Patrick
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: Towne Portrait Studio
Location: 425 Washington Street, Boston, MA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. C. Patrick
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
Notes:  Written on the back,
“Eula F. Patrick’s Birthday Party
July 10th 1891
8 years old”
Photographer:
Location: India?
In this photo: Harry Battin, Jessie Battin’s brother
Notes: Taken between 1894-1900, likely in India while in the British Army.  More information can be found on this thread in the victorianwars.com forum.
Photographer: Heath & Bullingham
Location: 24 George Street, Plymouth
In this photo: Jessie Battin?
Notes: Written on the back is Jessie Powis, Coalport, PA, even though the photo was taken in England.  Looks like there are instructions for reprinting, so I’m not 100% sure this is her.
Photographer: Reger
Location: 1106 Eleventh Street, Altoona, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: A. R. Maytum
Location: 10 New Street, Wellington
In this photo:
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Photographer: Parisian Photo Co
Location: 75 Prices Street & 1 Hanover Street, Edinburgh
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. C. Patrick
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. Krismer
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. Krismer
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: Mrs. J. Haines
Location: Phillipsburg, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: W. Grey
Location: 4 Clifton Place, Plymouth
In this photo:  John Samuel Creber
Notes: Likely taken before 1898, identification provided by Dave Creber
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Photographer: J. Krismer
Location: Coalport, PA
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Photographer: Miller
Location: Coalport, PA
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Notes: Written on the back is “Mrs. Powis, Blain City, Coalport, PA” – it’s written more like an address and looks like an envelope on the back.
Photographer: John C. Patrick
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: Cramer
Location: Scranton, Carbondale, Jermyn
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. Krismer
Location: Coalport, PA
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Photographer: Cifskey?
Location: 291 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. Krismer
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. Krismer
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. Krismer
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. C. Patrick
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: Pierce
Location: 329 Main Street, Carbondale, PA
In this photo:
Notes: Written on back, “This was about a year after” – in reference to the next photo
Photographer: Cramer
Location: Carbondale, PA
In this photo:
Notes: Written on back, “This was taken when we where married next-day”
Photographer: Mellon
Location: Carnegie, PA
In this photo:
Notes:
Photographer: J. Krismer
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo: Two Powis boys, possibly Alfred Herbert and William Earl?
Notes: Don’t they look happy?!  Written on back seems to be an order for reprints..
“Nov 6.  Mrs. Alfred Powis, Blain City, PA.  Bust of both 20×16.  Hair both golden light, eyes bluish gray, very fair complexion, childish [??] while waists little boys …” and the rest is pretty illegible.
Photographer: F. M. Spencer
Location: Mansfield, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: F. M. Spencer
Location: Mansfield, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: Russell
Location: Blossburg?
In this photo:
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Photographer: Hill & Wakeling
Location: Stonehouse, Plymouth
In this photo:
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Photographer: T. Atkinson
Location: 8 Grove Road, Harold’s X, Grand Canal, Dublin
In this photo: Harry Battin, Jessie Battin’s brother
Notes:  Photo  taken between 1892-1894 right after he joined the British Army.  More from my thread on the victorianwars.com forum.
Photographer: Hawke
Location: 8 George Street, Plymouth
In this photo:  Mary Jane Battin
Notes:  Identification provided by Dave Creber.  Unkown date, likely before her marriage in 1898
Photographer: Heath & Bullingham
Location: 8 George Street, Plymouth
In this photo:
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Photographer: W. Field & Co.
Location: 9 High Street, Putney, S.W.
In this photo:
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Photographer: H. Hayman & Son
Location: Church Street, Launceston
Date:  c. 1915
In this photo:  Possibly Olga Maria Row and Kathleen Mary Rowe
Notes:
Photographer: Charles Keeping, Exonia Studio
Location: 1 Exe Bridge, Exeter
Date:  c.1879-1885
In this photo:
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Photographer: M. E. Low
Location: Greensburg, PA
In this photo:
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Photographer: A & G Taylor
Location: 63 Princess Street, Edinburgh
In this photo:
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Photographer: J. C. Patrick
Location: Coalport, PA
In this photo: Alfred & Jessie (Battin) Powis?
Notes: There’s a reorder written on the bottom, so I’m assuming these two are Alfred and Jessie.

6 Comments

  2. Lori

    This is a long shot, but I guess publishing your old family photos is too! My name is Lori. I was born in Scranton, PA. I am researching my GG grandmother. Until a few months ago, I didn’t know her name. She likely was born around 1861 in Aberystwyth, Wales and died between 1888-1891. Her name was Anna or Annie with last name Davis or Davies. She married my GG grandfather, William D. Morris Sr in Scranton, PA. She had a son, my G grandfather, William D. Morris Jr in April of 1888. I can find no records of her after this time, but her husband and son go from Scranton to England in the early 1890s, and she doesn’t go. Her husband also moves the year after his son was born and his home overlooked the Washburn St. Cemetery in Scranton, PA. Her marriage record indicates her parents were Richard and Jane Davis. We may have found her mother and brother (Evan) in Wales in the 1861 census, but can find no trace of any of them thereafter. Her father was possibly a merchant seaman, so perhaps they all came to the US.

    Anyway, I am writing this because I tried searching for information on a photography studio named Cramer at 312 Main St., Carbondale, PA. I have a photo of Anna (she looks young, maybe teenager), and this is where the photo was taken. This led me to your photos and 2 pictures of yours that look very similar to mine (older and heavier), all taken at the same place. I would love to e-mail you a copy of the photo, if that’s possible. Hope to hear from you. Thank you!
    Lori

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  6. Lori

    Hello again! You were such a help to me on my Anna. I am forever in your debt. I wondered if you could help me dating 2 new photos we have found, one from Henry Frey in Scranton (it has a number on it), and another, likely Scranton, with no photographer listed.

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