Colette Robertson Posted 9 January , 2006 Share Posted 9 January , 2006 We have this photo which we believe belonged to my grandmother who died 30 years ago. Unfortunately we don't know if any family members are in the picture or have any information about it. I understand it is from the Great War period and wondered if any forum members could give me any other ideas about it. Thanks, Colette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Crame Posted 9 January , 2006 Share Posted 9 January , 2006 That sailor is never 18! Fantastic picture. Various thoughts: all other ranks, all appear to have a full set of limbs and no head wounds, apart from slings no bandaging etc is visible, and no medal ribbons are visible. I would say most likely a convalescent hospital rather than a treatment hospital. I would also say that it probably isn't 1914 due to the age ranges - it looks like it was ata time when volunteers outside the normal age ranges had got into the trenches (ie underage or 'getting on a bit'). Like I said, these are just thoughts though, I really don't have anything concrete but that may give you further ideas. Further thought - might your grandmother have been one of the nurses? Do you have old photos of her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 9 January , 2006 Share Posted 9 January , 2006 Mark has just about covered it. There is a very young looking sailor in the middle. Sergeant on the extreme right is wearing Service Dress not hospital issue so he might possibly be an RAMC Orderly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colette Robertson Posted 9 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2006 Thanks Mark! My Nana wasn't a nurse but we think the connection must be from her side of the family. It's frustrating when older relatives have passed on leaving such fascinating photos behind with no information. We have scanned the photo for a face with a family resemblance but so far have not made any connections. We are trying to compare other old family photos to see if any of the men turn up. It is an interesting photo and the quality is really good on the PC! If nothing else I thought it would be interesting to people here. Cheers, Colette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarylW Posted 9 January , 2006 Share Posted 9 January , 2006 Wonderful photo Colette and as you say very clear. I've been scanning the faces to see if I can recognise any of mine and I'm sure a lot of others will be too I hadn't realised until I saw this pic that the soldiers had stripes denoting ranks sewn into these hospital type uniforms Some battle hardened old Sergeants there by the looks of things, in fact some/most look exhausted Caryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 9 January , 2006 Share Posted 9 January , 2006 A chap @ the back has the MM Ribbon up so that must date it post April 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colette Robertson Posted 10 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 10 January , 2006 A chap @ the back has the MM Ribbon up so that must date it post April 1916. Thank you all for your comments, any information is very much appreciated. I have no idea where this was taken so I guess the nurses & soldiers could come from all over the UK although my family is from Edinburgh. If anyone else spots a relative in the photo I would be happy to pass on a copy. Perhaps someone can confirm, is it correct that the uniforms were blue and white? Thanks again, Colette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 10 January , 2006 Share Posted 10 January , 2006 Blue jacket and trousers, white shirt and red tie as you say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colette Robertson Posted 10 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 10 January , 2006 Thanks Squirrel, I didn't know the ties were red! Further searching through old photos today leads me to believe my granddad may well be in the photo. I am the youngest grandchild and I had no idea he had been in the war and was injured which I assume is the reason for him being in this photo. I only really remember him as an old gentleman and wasn't sure if the photo I found today was of him but he is wearing the same uniform in this small bookmark size portrait below and on comparing them I think it is him in the front row, fourth from the left. I would be glad of a second opinion! Compared with the original photo I posted As an older man The small portrait is embossed with the name of the photographer and "Southport" so I wondered if that means the hospital or home would be somewhere in that area? Cheers, Colette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarylW Posted 11 January , 2006 Share Posted 11 January , 2006 Colette Yes, I would say so. Appears to be the same man - same hairline, nose, ears, eyes Southport Convalescent Hospital and Sea Bathing Infirmary was used as a military convalescent home WW1. During the First World War, two hundred beds were allocated for the use of convalescent soldiers. Called the Promenade hospital today This is a photo postcard of it Here Southport General Infirmary was also used for wounded soldiers From Liverpool Record Office Catalogue The years 1911-1914 saw the erection of a new ward, the opening of a new Massage Department and X-ray Department and the closure of the 'Nursing Institute'. When war broke out in 1914, a schoolroom in Scarisbrick New Road was secured and equipped with a view to providing accommodation for wounded British soldiers. In addition to this, in 1915 the Southbank Road Wesleyan Church granted the use of their schools and members of the congregation provided 80 beds for the reception of war casualties. Further temporary accommodation of 120 beds for wounded soldiers necessitated the provision of a new anaesthetic room and Pathological Department in 1916. By 1918 a total of 1173 wounded and invalided British soldiers were taken during the year. After the war, owing to the large numbers of war casualties attending as out-patients, extra facilities were required and to this end two adjoining houses No 2 and No 4 Pilkington Road, were acquired. Records for the above are at Liverpool Record Office but there is a 75 or 100 year privacy rule There may be others in Southport too that were used by the military WW1 - there are a lot of convalescent homes there There is also a possibility that he was in a Liverpool hospital used for military purposes and had gone to Southport for a day trip to the seaside and had his photo taken. Only a few miles down the coast Caryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colette Robertson Posted 12 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 January , 2006 Thanks for that information and link Caryl!! My sister and I both think it is indeed my granddad in the first picture for the same reasons you observed. We are now going to try and find out from older family members if they know when and where he was injured. We don't even know what regiment he was in so hope my aunt might remember some details. Thanks again, Colette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 12 January , 2006 Share Posted 12 January , 2006 There are a number of ways to obtain the information you are looking for Colette. Do you have any others of him in uniform? Do you know where his medals are? Do you have any other paperwork? What was his full name? Rgds Tim D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom compton Posted 12 January , 2006 Share Posted 12 January , 2006 dear pals i think the young sailor is the son of the man behind him .same chin .what do you think .tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 12 January , 2006 Share Posted 12 January , 2006 Colette- I think the man int he front row, fourth from the left, is your grandad for sure. The picture you have provided shows it beyond my doubt. I agree with Tom, the young man in sailors uniform does look like the son of the man behind him. A marvellously clear photo by the way Colette, considering it's age, it must have been kept well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom compton Posted 12 January , 2006 Share Posted 12 January , 2006 i have just noticed all the nurses have difference uniforms .and the man in the second row therd from left is kaiser bill .tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colette Robertson Posted 13 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 13 January , 2006 There are a number of ways to obtain the information you are looking for Colette. Do you have any others of him in uniform? Do you know where his medals are? Do you have any other paperwork? What was his full name? Rgds Tim D We will have to contact my aunt (he was her father) in the US to see if she can give us any further information as my mother is not sure of these kind of details as it is my fathers family. There may be more photos to check if we can "borrow" them away from my mother. We don't know the whereabouts of any medals at present but his full name is HENRY O'NEILL. Thanks for the advice, Colette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colette Robertson Posted 13 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 13 January , 2006 dear pals i think the young sailor is the son of the man behind him .same chin .what do you think .tom I think you could be right there! Perhaps he was visiting his father that day. Cheers, Colette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colette Robertson Posted 13 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 13 January , 2006 Colette- I think the man int he front row, fourth from the left, is your grandad for sure. The picture you have provided shows it beyond my doubt. I agree with Tom, the young man in sailors uniform does look like the son of the man behind him. A marvellously clear photo by the way Colette, considering it's age, it must have been kept well. Thanks Spike, it's good to get more opinions. We couldn't recognize anyone until I scanned it into the computer and enlarged it. I expected it to look a bit blurred but it turned out really well at a higher resolution. The original photograph is quite small, only 5 x 3 inches and not a large group photograph or anything. Cheers, Colette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colette Robertson Posted 14 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 14 January , 2006 i have just noticed all the nurses have difference uniforms .and the man in the second row therd from left is kaiser bill .tom I thought he looked familiar!! Cheers, Colette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Majordecor Posted 14 January , 2006 Share Posted 14 January , 2006 Dear Collette, Chap 4th from left already correctly identified as MM. See chap third from right in back row. He has a gong (I think) which I can't identify. Contact William Spencer at National Archives (via 'contact us') at Kew. Send the photo. He's a whizz at medal idents. From there, the world is your oyster - London Gazettes, War Diaries etc etc. Gearge (Majordecor). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Majordecor Posted 14 January , 2006 Share Posted 14 January , 2006 Dear Collette, Me again. Note foliage in background. To the right...is it a rambling rose? Therefore July/August of whichever year. Regards, George. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom compton Posted 14 January , 2006 Share Posted 14 January , 2006 . dear pal colette i see all the segeants have handpicked there stripes off there uniforms and sewn them on there hospital kit why i dont know why perhaps they can keep some sort of authority .i see that two men first row on the left are having a oily rag .and the man third row third right must have been in the r.f c . just look at those ears .all the best colette. tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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