52 Ancestors – Week 2 – Favourite Photo

In a world of digital photography, discardable photos, getting the perfect profile shot and photo manipulation who would of thought that one of my biggest wishes was to have more photos of my family now passed. A want to have a family portrait with my father and grandparents, a family portrait with my 4 siblings – photos that were actually printed and kept for future generations to look at.

I have a box full of photos from my maternal side of people that I have no idea who they are – they were generously given to me to make copies before a great uncle that I met briefly while in Mudgee years ago. I was young and thought I would remember who these people were but I do not. I am however lucky enough that my maternal grandfather, now at the young age of 97, is now living nearby and I have all intentions of sitting with him and writing down who these people are. With that I will share them through the means that I can – this is how I have obtained many a photo of my ancestors, through ancestry sharing and distant relatives.

For those none family tree interested people, it is hard to explain how good it feels to put a face to a name that you have researched.

With the 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks our 2nd challenge was to highlight a favourite photo. How do you choose a favourite photo when each and everyone tells a story of sorts. I could list so many however when I went through the photos I do have there was one that in particular stood out for me that not only showed a visual of the past but also a story that went along with it.

The focus on my photo is between two siblings, my great grandfather George Douglas Platt and his sister, my great aunt Violet Mary Platt.

George Douglas Platt was born 1890 near Taree, New South Wales, Australia and Violet Mary Platt was born 22 November, 1894 in Port Macquarie area, New South Wales, Australia they are 2 of 7 children from parents John Thomas Platt and Sarah Warren.

I am not aware of who originally shared the photos that I have been able to access however I am forever grateful, mainly because of the style of photos that had been kept and shared. 

They are postcards between the family. In particular I have been able to read a few postcards that these two siblings sent to each other, from this and other photos that I have I believe that they had a close friendship as George and Violet are in many photos together. There are other post-cards between the siblings which has provided me with many details and more questions as well.

I have no idea who anyone in this photo is apart from my great grandfather George Douglas Platt, he is sitting on the chair with a hat on and a gentleman sitting at his feet holding a hat. One of the ladies next to him is casually resting her arm on his chair leaning in towards him which indicates to me a good relationship or sorts, however I unfortunately have no idea who she is. I do feel strongly however that the rest of the people are my family and extended family.

I laugh at the gentleman on the far left of who is looking at the ground – I wonder if he didn’t like getting his photo taken 🙂 

Unlike in todays world it was one chance to get this photo, today it would have been taken at least 10 times to make sure that everyone was looking at the camera and every family member would be tagged on facebook.

I think it is perfect.

The back of the photo is also what I cherish as it makes it more than just a photo of people I don’t know and would have possibly discarded into the too hard pile.

From a simple postcard I can put together a story of sorts.

I am assuming based on the timeline of when he lived in Junee as well as the clothes that are worn that this photo was taken circa 1910 as George has told Violet he returned safely back in Junee at half past four in the morning. 

I know that his brother Harold and his sister Alice along with her husband Will (William Shields) saw him off on his trip.

George mentions that “they were all well in Sydney” so a question that remains unknown is if the picture was taken in Sydney or did he stop by Sydney on possibly his trip from Port Macquarie to Junee.  I also know that he planned on taking another trip to the same location on the 26th Jan.

His mother, my 2 x great grandmother Sarah Ann Freeman (previously Platt, nee Warren) was in Port Macquarie and he supposed that she would have a week or so spell. From this I am assuming that she would then return to Taree .

Whilst small piece of information that would not mean much to some holds so much information for research.

From what I can gather Violet was living in Port Macquarie area during this period, it was not until 1918 when she married do I have her residing in Sydney.

Alice and Will were residing in the Taree area at the start of 1910 as their first child Jessie was born 1912 in Taree so my thought is that the families had made the trip to Port Macquarie for a particular reason as the photo is clearly a gathering of sorts hence why Sarah stayed on.

Harold by 1917 was in Taralga, New South Wales where he married Della Baker, I am unsure of when he moved to that area and I do know that he returned to Taree by 1918 as this is where his first child was born where George mentions “Harold is leaving for home on Saturday” could possibly be a return to Taree or to the Taralga area.

I had originally thought that possibly Harold travelled with him and that is who “we” was but that would not make sense since Harold came to see him off.

The part that gets me in this photo/post card is where George says “ I arrived back in Junee after my trip feel pretty lonely too tonight”

One can only assume that after spending time with his family, in what was in no doubt a conversational time, to then return some 800 plus kilometres home away from the hustle and bustle of family life, the silence and stillness would make anyone lonely – or for some pure bliss.

The fact that he wrote to his sister and was honest as to his loneliness speaks volumes to me about their relationship.

These are the reasons as to why this is my favourite photo.

Till next timeKaren xx