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Ambrotype
A194

Size
Date
Country
Artist
Sitter
Case

1/4
May 26th 1862
Millom, UK
Unknown
Anne James
Wall case

Notes

Back in 1862 in a little town called Millom a travelling photographer stopped at a farm where a family of 10 lived. Here at their home he took the image of Anne James Newby (1817-1883) and John Newby (1805-1890), 45 and 57 years old at the time.

John Newby, captain and farmer, and Anne James were married in 1840 and had 8 children. They owned 71 acres of land in Millom in 1851, and only 33 acres in 1881.

The photos, a half plate for John and a quarter for Anne and one of their children, were framed and cherished for many years. In 1874, 12 years after they were taken, their son Thomas James wrote down the names of their family on the back.

The poems glued on the back were newspaper cuttings from 1877. John's was called "Death is not Death", remarkable as both he and Anne were still alive at the time. They must've been for their children, as sadly two had passed away in '72 and '73.

There was a list of their children and the ages at the time the photo was made:

Agnes, 21 (1841)
Elizabeth Annie, 20 (1842-1873)
Thomas James, 18(1844)
Mary, 17 (1845)
Johnny, 15 (1847)
Sam, 12 (1850-1872)
Nanny, 9 (1853)
Betsy Anne, 7 (1855)

The boy on Anne's lap must've been either Johnny or Sam, who were 15 and 12. Quite old to still sit on their mother's lap. It's possible the boy might have been handicapped. If it was Sam, he sadly died at the age of 22.

The artist is hard to find, but it's either "Jas. Barclay" who was operating in 1862 in Burrowgate, 53 miles from Millon, and who offered "Families taken at their own residences on moderate terms." or a Mr Lomax, which seems to fit more with the writing.

The poems:

"The old, the young, the meek, the brave,
but tread the pathway to the grave,
and pass from mortal ken.
All we can save is but the trace,
of each familiar well lov'd face,
that still will smile on men.
When those that cheer'd and shared our care,
have gone before us to prepare,
to welcome us again."

 

John Newby: