Tuesday 12 April 2011

Somebody's grandmother, by Fred Smith of Chesterfield

Image © and collection of Brett Payne

This carte de visite portrait of an unidentified elderly woman (with a look that you want to hide from) was taken by Fred Smith in his studio on the corner of Brewery Street and Tapton Lane, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. Smith was operating from those premises from c.1869 till c.1879, and judging from the square corners and design on the reverse of the mount, the studio setting and style of portrait, I estimate a date of no later than 1873.

Image © and collection of Brett Payne


Fred was actually Alfred Edward Smith, born in Coventry in 1846, who moved to Chesterfield in the 1860s, and married Scottish schoolteacher Martha Hughes in 1872. By 1881 they had left Derbyshire and were in Holdenhurst near Bournemouth (Hampshire).

It is possible that his studio was then taken over by the celebrated Chesterfield photographer Alfred Seaman, who operated from premises at that ocation from the late 1870s.

Image © and collection of Brett Payne

Post Script
I was indeed being a little unkind, but then I'm allowed to be a little provocative, occasionally, if it gets people commenting? An enlargement shows quite different left and right sides to her face. If you cover the right hand side, the baleful stare has almost disappeared and she looks substantially younger. I wonder if she'd had a stroke?

7 comments:

  1. But she looks like she has great bone structure --- I'd bet that she was a real beauty in 1720. Love your pictures, thanks for sharing so generously of pics and knowledge.

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  2. She doesn't look mean, just old and tired. I wonder how old she was.

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  3. I've added an enlargement of the photograph showing her face, and revealing perhaps a little more to the story.

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  4. Hi and thanks to the three of you for your unintended help. I knew my great grandfather was a photographer, which bought me to your site, which confirmed my findings and gave me so much more information. So, 'Somebody's Granmother' is infact mine - great, great grandmother, even! I fear that I see a family resemblance. My grandmother was frighteningly stern looking and lived up to her looks! If someone let's me know how I'll send a photo.

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  5. Hi angiejoy, and thank you very much for your response. How exciting to have found a descendant, and I'd very much appreciate a scanned image of your photo - please send it to me at gluepot@gmail.com

    Regards, Brett

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  6. Hi Brett,
    On re-reading my last message I note that I state that the lady in question IS my grandmother. In fact, I meant to write that she maybe. Regarding the photo I offered: I only have what you would call family snaps, so possibly no use?

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  7. Even if it's a family photo, it may still be of interest. Regards, Brett

    ReplyDelete

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