We all have them – albums, bins, bags, and boxes filled to bursting with old photographs—those mid-20th century black and white gems and the even older sepia-coloured ones.
The thing is that most of us can’t identify a quarter of the people in them. That’s partly because they are generally quite small and partly because the photos were usually snapped from a distance. The really old ones came from a time before flashes, so unless the photographs were shot in a studio by a professional, they were likely taken outdoors—in the garden, by the lake, on a picnic, or perhaps beside an old car, relying on the light of day to do the job. Each one probably contains several people, because photographs were taken to commemorate special occasions, and it was important to make the most of each shot. Those were the days of film, and taking pictures was an expensive venture. There was no deleting and no indulgent selfies back in the old days. Even supposed candid shots were posed, since any sort of movement would result in a blurred product.
So how do you include these photos with your family tree, if you don’t know who’s in them?
If you are lucky, someone from the period wrote on the back, identifying the subject(s), the date, and the place—perhaps even the occasion. But failing that, there are other ways to identify the people in the pictures.
1. Ask a relative or friend of the family. Even if there are no old-timers left, a grandmother or aunt may know. A cousin I had never met brought a collection of old photos when we finally caught up to each other, and surprisingly, I was able to identify several of the people for her. (I was even in one of them, albeit about seven years old.)
2. Narrow the time and place. You’re the family genealogist. You know the stories. You know where your family is from. If you can zero in on the era of the photo by the style of clothing, year and type of car, landmarks, photographer’s mark, etc., you can probably narrow your search.
3. Compare old photos. Look for faces repeated from one to another and check to see if they resemble anyone in photos where you DO know the people. Who always seems to appear together? What occasions do you think are being commemorated? Who might have attended?
4. Think of the family stories you know and try to connect them to the photos. Could they belong together?
5. Use the Internet. If you think you might know the place in the photo, cross-check with images on Google. People tend to take photos in the same famous settings.
6. Make use of message boards. If you know your family is from Winnipeg, the photo was likely taken near there, so post it on a message board from the area and ask if anyone can identify the place and/or people, etc. You never know when you’ll strike gold.
7. Remember: it’s a puzzle. You have many of the pieces. Bring them altogether and keep twisting and turning them, until you find a fit.
The Campbell River Genealogy Society, Heritage Maritime Centre – http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bccrgc/
