“Dead people are easy to love. It’s the living ones who are hard.”
― Laurence Overmire
This late Victorian beauty in her exquisite wedding gown is an ancestor. At least, I have assumed she’s part of my family. Unframed, she was among my father’s possessions when I was sorting everything out after he died in 1997. Was she a Vernon marrying someone else? Was she another lady marrying into the Vernon family. She lay among a pile of other—recognisable—family photographs but I had never seen her before. There is nothing written on the back and it is too late to ask him about her identity. I have wondered ever since, a wondering that may well lead to a work of fiction!
It could be, of course, that she is from my mother’s (Hoskyns) side of the family and became accidentally mixed up with my father’s photographs. Her eyebrows suggest she’s a Hoskyns. Alas, I will never know.
“You are the fairy tale told by your ancestors.”
― Toba Beta, My Ancestor Was an Ancient Astronaut
There was little restoration needed: I have merely brushed out the imperfections and made the sepia tones a little more vibrant. I almost adapted her in my usual way but when I added a French Brocante document as a faint background, Mr FND said, ’No!’ He was quite right.
“No one can be free who has a thousand ancestors.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Emily Climbs
I did do a Google search in case the lady was a known person but all it came up with was ‘Best guess for this image: Lord Tweedmouth‘, which made me hoot with laughter.
Available at the following galleries:
Redbubble
Crated
Zazzle US
Zazzle UK
Fine Art America
Take care and keep laughing!
First Night Design 
Great find Sarah. I’m currently going through lots of photographs that my late mother had. Don’t know most of the people in many of them. I only wish we had sat down together over afternoon tea and gone through those photos. It’s almost as if the past has been lost.
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It’s so sad, isn’t it, not to know. I went through many photographs with both my parents but not ones that were packed away in old, forgotten trunks in the attic. I do hope that going though your photographs gives you some comfort, Hugh. x
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It is, Sarah. Bringing back many happy memories as well. 🙂
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I love the quote:). The photograph is beautiful in every way. I love to look at old pictures ( especially Famiky) and try to imagine the life the subject had. Thank you for sharing this. It’s just a pity you can’t find out more about her. Enjoy the day and keep smiling:) xx
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That first quote is a goodie, isn’t it! It’s imagining the life that is so enticing. Enjoy your day, Janet, and keep grinning. 🙂
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She is very beautiful. Of course you are related! How frustrating it must be, to not have more information. I wonder if a fiction would ameliorate or increase this… At least you can cross Mr Tweedmouth off the list. Or perhaps, in your novel, she marries him! 😉 x
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Ha! It is frustrating. Maybe I’ll find out one day. I’m sure fiction would ameliorate it. Thanks, Juli.
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Nothing like old photos to stir the imagination, Sarah. I would suggest that she came from a very well-to-do family, given the expensive dress, and coiffure. I like her enigmatic expression very much.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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She is a rather grand, isn’t she!
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Reblogged this on ' Ace Friends News ' and commented:
Just love old photographs of the way things used to be when a bride looked just as a bride should do on her wedding day. Gorgeous post 🌟
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She’s a beauty and it’s both frustrating but at the same time quite enchanting not to know all the details of an old picture. There is a story there, for sure. One wonders what will happen to all these pictures…
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Yes! Got to continue the memoir first…
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Spellbinding – the image, the quotes, your text, your delicate spin of them all. Through your empathy with them you have turned the Bride Beautiful and great-grandmother Lucia into heroines for all of us. I look forward to reading the fictional version.
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Your comments are worth publishing in book form because you word them so beautifully. xx
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Beautiful post. This woman is a real beauty – and her dress is stunning! You’ve done a lovely job matching quotes to this photo.
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Thanks so much, Ruth.
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stunning image, beautiful woman. The photo is in very good shape; you did a great job re-processing it.
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Thank you, Robert. Yes, it is in an amazing condition so it didn’t need much processing.
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So beautiful and amazing to read. I love how you weave the story of the photograph in with an understanding of our own mortality and the infinitesimal power of ancestors. The dress is also so breathtaking. The woman is breathtaking. I enjoy your writing style.
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What a perfectly glorious comment! You’ve made my day. Thank you.
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