The fire guard that covers the fire place so that it looks tidy was decorated with old Victorian photos, there were women, men and children and it was so unusual that I went away with the intention of creating one for our home but I had no idea where to buy the photos from so it got put on the back burner.
My husband and I like to visit antique fairs so a few years after visiting the grand house we took off for the day and to the antique fair, soon my heart began to thump with excitement because there on the table was a pile of Victorian photos and the rest is history.
I now have a wonderful collection which is still growing, my collection consists of Victorian albums as well as loose photos. I love to connect with the people looking back at me and do wonder what kind of a life they had, where they lived and in particular I love the clothes the women wore. It is quite sad to think that some of these people had a hard life and with a lot of the photos it shows.
I like to give the photos a loving home where they will be cherished by me and looked after, it is hobby that connects me with the past and since I love tracing my ancestry it gives me an insight into how my ancestors lived. I get excited when names are written on the back or a postcard type of message, the very thought that I'm reading a message that was written all those years ago by someone who might have been in service, who was happy or were trying to better their life makes me wonder what became of them.
It is a hobby, a passion and one I will continue because these old photos have a sprinkling of magick within them.
The last two photos are of the same couple, I bought the photos at different antique fairs, one was in Wales and the other in England, what were the chances of that!.....this is a very small part of my collection and soon I'll add more photos.
Rachel x
14 comments:
How enchanting! I am sooo happy Rachel that you beat me to posting ... having read the two posts above, I was just posting my Hedgehog Mom post, when you got in there before me. HEAPS of thanks. This way I got to meet you and be part of your delightful hobby. How extraordinary :) I recently read an article about a young Israeli who stumbled upon an old album at the flea market in Jaffa which had old photos on Israel's Declaration of Independence Day (May 1948). No one knows who the photographer was, but he got some really good shots! Thanks so much. HUGS <3
Hiya Judy, you were probably meant to come this way :) and it's lovely to connect......these old albums/photos are amazing and I think it's important to give them a home, I can imagine the delight of that chap finding that album, I'd be so excited lol......thank you angel x
Wow - your choice and taste is simply elegant. Photographs have a unique bonding. I think the phrase - " A picture speaks a 1000 words" fits best for portraits. Keep the passion alive...
That's a beautiful hobby to have, and so unique. I don't think I know of anyone else who collects old photos and gives them the love they really do deserve. I'm interested in my ancestry too :)
Thank you Viyoma, that is a lovely phrase and it is so true...I'm addicted lol x
It's a lovely hobby Lexi, would recommend it...I love the unique lol and don't know anyone else who collects them but I would encourage anyone to trace their tree, I've been doing mine for many years now and it is addictive, if you need any tips let me know x
I stumbled across your article on UBC on FB. I love this hobby of yours! I've always loved looking at antique photos myself. I don't collect or anything but I love to wonder about how that person or family lived their lives. Were they happy... depressed? Anyway, love that you give all these photos a new home :) Just passing through from UBC.
I started tracing mine last year but then work, study and family got in the way. I'm still not past my grandparents, but my problem is not knowing my grandad's parents and anyone who would know of them are gone. My dad doesn't have much of a clue because he never really knew his dad. One of these days I will pick it back up again and have time to really do the research.
It is hard work and time consuming, maybe get your granddad's birth cert and marriage cert so you'll have his parents names, once you get started again you'll not want to stop x
Hiya Paulette,
Thank you, maybe you could start too, I'm sure you would love it once started x
Like William Faulkner observed, “The past is never dead. It's not even past.”
I LOVE looking at old photographs....
Memories and history captured on paper!
Very true Nancy x
It's all very exciting :) Sophie x
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