Guest Andy Prime Posted 21 July , 2005 Share Posted 21 July , 2005 Its my Great Grandad, on the back it says 'Pvt A.Woolls, Walworth, London' but no date. First name was Arthur I believe. Can anyone tell me what regiment he was from this ? Many Thanks Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 21 July , 2005 Share Posted 21 July , 2005 Is there a badge on the side of his slouch hat. If so, can you post an enlarged scan of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J T Gray Posted 21 July , 2005 Share Posted 21 July , 2005 Andy, Can I make a couple of suggestions, please? I'd send them privately, but I think they are useful guidelines for anyone considering a photo post. Scan the photo as colour. Save the original somewhere safe! Now convert it to grayscale. It's surprising how much detail can sometimes appear in a yellowed and faded photo when you do this. Secondly, don't compress the JPEG quite as much when you post it. I'm happy to offer suggestions as to how to do it if you aren't sure, but I have only used Photoshop Elements so I don't know how much help I'll be. If you look at it there is a lot of distortion of edges and things that will mask any fine data. Thirdly, scan anything that looks like a badge (eg his belt buckle - though this may be a generic badge, I'm no uniform expert) seperately at the highest resolution your scanner will do and post it seperately. Litle things can help a lot. Hope that's of some use andy, and I hope you get an ID! Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 21 July , 2005 Share Posted 21 July , 2005 Andy, It looks like the uniform of one of the London Volunteer units. What is the photographers address on the back of the photo? Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andy Prime Posted 21 July , 2005 Share Posted 21 July , 2005 Wow, thanks for the speedy replies. The hat does unfortunately fade into the background, so the badge if there is one, is not visible. The picture is very dirty, maybe its possible to do some gentle cleaning? I have not knowingly compressed the image, thats a straight scan to file. I have scanned the back (should have done that sorry), and enlarged the badge at max resolution. Thanks all Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andy Prime Posted 21 July , 2005 Share Posted 21 July , 2005 reposted, as it got clipped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 21 July , 2005 Share Posted 21 July , 2005 Andy We can't tell a lot from the belt buckle, which was worn by all sorts of units. The thing that will identify an individual unit is the cap badge. Are you sure that there is nothing there? It could be fairly small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 21 July , 2005 Share Posted 21 July , 2005 Andy The photograph is pre-war, and is of a type known as the "Cabinet Card" which had pretty much died out by WW1. The belt buckle appears to show the Queen Victoria Crown, and at a guess, I would say that this was a Boer War photograph. A search of trade directories for London, under photographers, would give you a time-line for the photographer. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andy Prime Posted 21 July , 2005 Share Posted 21 July , 2005 Great idea. A search here http://www.photolondon.org.uk/directory.htm#B puts it at 1908. Thanks Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 21 July , 2005 Share Posted 21 July , 2005 Andy, Having looked at where Walworth is located in London, and checking the Boroughs around you have Southwark, Lambeth and Camberwell. The period time we're looking at is around the early 1900's as he's wearing the felt slouch or "smasher" hat. His tunic is a known as a frock coat because of the pocket flaps. In Southwark you had the 4th Volunteer Battalion, Queens Royal West Surrey Regt, which in 1908 became the 24th(County of London)Bn, The London Rgiment(The Queens). H.Q. & 'A' to 'H' Company's were at 71 New Street, Southwark. In Camberwell you had the 1st Surrey(South London) Volunteer Rifle Corps, which in 1908 became the 21st(County of London)Bn, The London Regiment(1st Surrey Rifles). H.Q. & 'A' to 'H' Company's were at 4 Flodden Rd, Camberwell. In Lambeth you had 3rd Middlesex Royal Garrison Artillery(Volunteers), which became the 5th London Brigade,R.F.A.(T.F.) with H.Q. and 12th & 13th(County of London)Battery's at 76 Lower Kennington Lane, Lambeth; THe 14th(C.O.L.)Bty at Porteous Rd, Paddington and the Ammunition Column at Lambeth. Now the uniform isn't too clear, but I reckon that he may have served in either of the two Volunteer infantry units, which were located around Walworth, although I have to confess that I don't know the actual colour of the tunics worn by the Surrey Rifles or the Queens. Being Rifles the 1st Surrey should be wearing a green tunic, and I get the feeling it's a dark tunic he's wearing. Artillery Volunteers also wore dark blue tunics, but in sepia photo's it does look really dark. As for the Queens I don't know what they wore whether it was scarlet or green. Hope this is of some use to you, at least the choice of units have been narrowed down. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 21 July , 2005 Share Posted 21 July , 2005 Just to set his age into context this is seems to be Arthur Woolls family on the 1891 Census. 10 Marsland (?) Road, Newington. Woolls, John abt 1848 Lambeth, London, Head, Fishmonger Woolls, Esther abt 1864 Southwark, London, Wife Woolls, Fanny abt 1872 Peckham, London, Daughter, Machinist Woolls, Alfred abt 1875 Walworth, London, Son, Errand boy Woolls, Arthur abt 1881 Walworth, London, Son Woolls, William abt 1882 Walworth, London, Son Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andy Prime Posted 25 July , 2005 Share Posted 25 July , 2005 Just to set his age into context this is seems to be Arthur Woolls family on the 1891 Census. You certainly seem to have the right family there Stebie, thanks. The man in the photo went on to work for his fathers fish business after the war in Billingsgate, London. Someone must have a history of traders at Billingsgate somewhere, but I'm still looking. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 andy,i think hes in the 28th county of london regt [artist rifles],bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TScho Posted 28 March , 2023 Share Posted 28 March , 2023 Hi Andy Are you still active in this group? Love this photo - Arthur was my grandad's brother! Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TScho Posted 28 March , 2023 Share Posted 28 March , 2023 Hi Andy Are you still active in this group? Love this photo - Arthur was my grandad's brother! Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 28 March , 2023 Admin Share Posted 28 March , 2023 Andy is no longer a member of the forum, the Guest prefix shows that. We won’t have any contact information for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 28 March , 2023 Share Posted 28 March , 2023 The soldier in the OP’s photo is wearing the 1899 pattern drab khaki serge frock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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