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Thank you to David Parfitt,
Brighton, Sussex, England
who wrote:
The Studio
"I am hoping to
identify the studio that this precious family
photo was taken in. With no studio name
and only a distinctive backdrop and some anecdotal evidence to go on,
I know it is a long shot, but worth a try.
The Portrait is of two men, one standing, one
seated, in front of a painted backdrop of the Forth Bridge - the seated
man is sitting on a rusticated chair that bears an ID number for the
portrait (890)."
The
Men
"The man standing
was my great uncle (my grandmother's brother)
Arthur Edward Weller. The other man is
believed to be James White. These two men were Admiralty civilians
(canteen staff) aboard the Lion-Class Battlecruiser HMS Princess Royal at
Rosyth.
Both men were killed during the Battle of
Jutland, when a shell pierced the armoured hull and passed through the
canteen before exploding on the armour surrounding the engine room.
This portrait was sent to my grandmother
shortly before her brother died on the 31st of May 1916.
He must have had it taken while on
shore-leave in Edinburgh. He was 22 years
old."
Back of the Postcard
"Sadly, there is no
studio mark on the back of this card.
My mother wrote "Uncle
Arthur Weller & friend" several years ago, so
that the family would know who the photo was of.
The
message, "Haven't had a wet" was
written on the card by Arthur,
before he sent it. I'm not too sure what it
means. It could be a reference to his
coat, or to the fact that he hasn't had a drink
yet?
Be sure to let me
know if that backdrop or the chair is familiar
to you."
David Parfitt, Brighton, Sussex, England: April 28, 2010 |
