A studio group photo from Empire Studio

[Adam Gee]

I was wondering if anyone can help me interpret any of the details in this photograph I was recently given by my family. I know next to nothing about military history so have no idea what regiment these soldiers served in. Does anyone know anything about Empire Studio(s)? and who might the civilian couple be in the centre? (ie what kind of people/what relation to this unit?) Many thanks for any clues. Geographically this may be connected to Dagenham, Beacontree or the East End of London. (I am sorry, the Insert Image from URL facility on the site is not working for this post so you need to follow the link in the first line.)

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum. It's not a very clear photo but there is certainly more than one Regiment represented. There are men in hospital blues, Fusiliers, RAMC men, Artillery, possibly Norfolks. I will move this to uniform and cap badges so that you can get some more help.

It might be that the civilian couple are home owners who let their home be used as a convalescent facility. 

 

Michelle 

[Heid the Ba]

As Michelle says: sitting in front on the right, right end of the first row and second right in the middle row are wearing hospital blues so are convalescing from illness or wounds.  Middle right of the back row could be in hospital blues as well.

Edited 22 December , 2019 by Heid the Ba

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Hi Adam,

If you can get this image scanned on a flatbed scanner at the highest resolution possible, then the chance of identifying some of the regimental cap badges will be very much increased. There is potentially a lot of detail in it waiting to be unlocked.

[Adam Gee]

Apologies for the hiatus Michelle, Heid and Dai - was away for Christmas. 

 

Michelle, thanks for what you have identified so far and for moving the thread to a more appropriate place. and of course for your kind welcome.

 

Heid, thanks for clarifying the hospital uniform - I'm new to this and was not aware of what hospital patient clothing looked like, so basics like this is a huge help.

 

Dai, I'll follow up your advice and produce a high res scan later today and post. 

 

What I have managed to find is all the Empire Studio(s) in London and beyond (UK), and got to visit the locations in Kentish Town and Shoreditch. I'd guessed it was taken there being nearest Dagenham but the dates don't match (it seems to have been active after WW1). Some details here for anyone interested in such things https://aarkangel.wordpress.com/2019/12/27/update-to-dive-into-the-box/

 

Your insights are all much appreciated, thanks

 

 

[Adam Gee]

Here's a proper scan of the photo in question - I hope it helps 

[FROGSMILE]

It appears quite an intriguing image to me, in that the majority of the men (but not every single one) have foreign looking facial features, perhaps Jewish, or Armenian, especially in the row sat with the couple in civilian clothes, who also have that appearance.  Perhaps that fits with the racial make up of the local population around Shoreditch, or one of the other locations that you mentioned for Empire Studios, especially perhaps the East End.  If the civilian couple do not own the studios then it seems likely that they had some influence there, or paid for the sitting, as the large backdrop has the look of a large scale theatre and must have been relatively expensive for the time. 
Unfortunately the quality of the photo precludes all of the cap badges being identified, but as Michelle has said, there are Royal Fusiliers, Norfolk Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Artillery, and the running horse badge of either the West Yorkshire Regiment, or 3rd King’s Own Hussars, among the insignia more readily identifiable. The common denominator it seems to me is the apparent racial mix and I wonder if there might be some connection with a Synagogue or a Christian Armenian, or Orthodox church.

Edited 5 January , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[Adam Gee]

Fascinating observations, thanks Frogsmile. The man front row second from right stood out for me as clearly non-native English when i first examined it

 

I'd say the chances are we are talking East End Jewish community here

 

The backdrop I'd assumed was a standard painted backdrop regularly used at Empire Studio, somewhat incongruous given these circumstances

[FROGSMILE]

17 minutes ago, Adam Gee said:

Fascinating observations, thanks Frogsmile. The man front row second from right stood out for me as clearly non-native English when i first examined it

 

I'd say the chances are we are talking East End Jewish community here

 

The backdrop I'd assumed was a standard painted backdrop regularly used at Empire Studio, somewhat incongruous given these circumstances

Yes, I agree with your comment about the “chances” and would add the the men sat immediately left of the lady as we look, could well be brothers going by their resemblance. 

Edited 5 January , 2020 by FROGSMILE