Sunday, July 22, 2018

SEPIA SATURDAY ~ Today’s theme is STUDIOS : BACKGROUNDS : GROUPS : HATS–I had so many photos to choose from

Sepia saturday theme photo

WHAT IS SEPIA SATURDAY?
“Launched by Alan Burnett and Kat Mortensen in 2009, Sepia Saturday provides bloggers with an opportunity to share their history through the medium of photographs.  Historical photographs of any age or kind (they don’t have to be sepia) become the launchpad for explorations of family history, local history and social history, in fact or fiction, poetry or prose, words or further images.”


My grandmothers, great grandmothers and aunts, all wore hats.  Some of them were born in the mid to late 1800’s and came of age at the turn of the 20th century.  Hats were all the rage back then.  This trend continued into the 1950's.  The men also wore hats.  In fact, I had so many pictures of my ancestors in hats, it was difficult to choose which ones to use.

My paternal grandmother, Marie Lindsay Gould had her photo taken with hats on more than one occasion.  I didn’t know my grandma until she was in her 60’s.  By then it wasn’t fashionable to wear hats.  I wonder if she missed those times?
 
Marie Lindsay Gould, her sister Ellen Lindsay Pickard and their husbands.
LINDSAY_Marie_in largestraw hat__probably circa 1910-1915_enl
Marie Lindsay Gould, my paternal grandmother
PICKARD_JamesFred_LINDSAY_Ellen_GOULD_HarryW_LINDSAY_Marie in hats_
Fred Pickard, his wife, my grandaunt Ellen Lindsay, my grandfather, Harry Gould and my grandmother Marie Lindsay Gould
LINDSAY_Ellen_portrait with her wearing a straw hat_unk yr_enlr
My grandaunt, Ellen Lindsay Pickard

Now to my maternal grandmother and great grandmother.  Florence Hunter Bowden Bell is my great grandmother.  Born in 1869 in Kentucky and died in 1946 in Missouri.  She had two daughters, the oldest, a name sake, Florence Lee Nora Bowden (my grandmother) and Edna Mabel Bowden.
 
Here’s my grandmother, Florence Bowden Milne, about 1909, with her little girl Dorothy and her son Robert.  Notice that all of them are wearing hats.

MILNE_Florence in hat on porch with Dorothy & Bob circa 1909
My maternal grandmother, Florence Bowden Milne with her first two children, my Aunt Dorothy (1907-1920) and my Uncle Robert (1909-1969)


Here is my great grandmother, Susan Gillespie Milne Smith (1860-1947) and her daughter, Irene Milne (1893-1989) showing off their hats.

Gillespie_Susan_circa 1911
My maternal great grandmother, Susan Gillespie Milne Smith
MILNE_Irene_headshot wearing a hat_enh
My grandaunt, Irene Milne, daughter of Susan Gillespie Milne

In times past newspapers would take pictures of people walking in downtown areas and publish them.  I don’t know how many of you have photos like these?  If you do, please share.

Here’s my great grandmother, Florence Hunter Bowden Milne Bell, mentioned above and her daughter, my grandmother, Florence Bowden Milne standing downtown together.  And a separate one of my great grandmother, in foreground.  I don’t know if these were taken in Detroit (that’s the most likely place), but they could have been elsewhere.

BOWDEN_Florence & her mother Florence downtown
My grandmother, Florence Milne with her mother (my great grandmother) Florence
BELL_Florence walking downtown in hat_1938
My great grandmother Florence Hunter Bowden Bell

I’ve covered groups and hats.  Let’s post one of my favorite photos of my grandmother, Florence Bowden Milne sitting in a studio in a rocking chair.  Her Aunt, Grace Hunter married Charles Henry Fenner.  He and his brothers, Nicholas & William Fenner owned a couple of photo studios in Ohio.  Many of the pictures I have from my family have the Fenner studio name on them.  I feel very fortunate to have had a photography studio connected with my family.

BOWDEN_Florence in rocking chair at Fenner studio
My grandmother, Florence Bowden


Let’s not leave the men out of this story.  They wore hats too.  Here are both my grandfathers and my Dad sporting their hats. And lastly, my great grandfather William Val Gould (1859-1924), always debonair.
MILNE_Joseph_close up in hat probably 1950s
My maternal grandfather, Joseph A. Milne - circa early 1950's
GOULD_Harry_Whipple_Bowler_Hat_Head_&_Shoulder_Enh
My paternal grandfather, Harry W. Gould - circa 1912
GOULD_H Norman in a hat in from of 16814 Winston_1950_DetroitMI
My Dad, Harry Norman Gould in front of the house I was brought home to when I was born 16814 Winston, Detroit, MI
GOULD_William V_standing w-coat and hat on
My paternal great grandfather, William V. Gould circa 1920


I had to stop here or I could go on all day with this particular theme.  Thanks for enjoying these memories with me.

TO SEE OTHER SEPIA SATURDAY POSTS, PLEASE CLICK HERE

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl
Copyright ©  2010-2018   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

12 comments:

  1. And maybe even a lampshade for a hat!

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  2. You are lucky to have such a wealth of interesting hats! Those Lindsey sisters look like they were fun.

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    1. Thanks Kathy - I had quite a few more to choose from. I am blessed to have them. Those were the 2 quieter of the Lindsay sisters. Their sister, Bessie, was apparently a wild one. LOL!
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  3. Snap - we both chose hat fir our response, and you have a great range amongst your family. I favourite has to be the two little children, Dorothy and Robert.

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    1. When I saw this theme come up for July, I knew I would have to feature hats, with so many to choose from. It was fun, wasn't it?

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  4. You are indeed fortunate to have had photographer in the family. This set of photos is spectacular! And so are the hats. I have not heard of the on-street photos before, but what a great way to sell newspapers...and lucky for you, to preserve some of your heritage at the same time. Candid shots seem more personal than those posed in a studio and these are just wonderful.

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    1. Thanks Molly. This theme was such fun for me. It seems as though these Sepia Saturday themes take me to such a happy place.
      Thanks for your comment.

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  5. What a great collection...and any time you post more, I hope you'll share them here too! I think of how women's hair was so long, and had limited styles in the late 19th century, without chemical products to "hold it" or even curl it...and so much harder to wash (and set?)...hats were a great way to go out into the world and look beautiful. And I also thought how hats kept heads warm in any weather. Some of these are real beauties.

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    1. I agree with you Barbara. We take for granted how easy things are for us now, as far as our beauty regime. I remember growing up, we didn't even have hair blowers. We had those little portable hair dryers with the plastic caps that the hose was attached to. Hats certainly helped the ladies out back then.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  6. A great collection of hats - both female and male! The photos of your paternal grandmother, Marie, and her sister, Ellen, must have been taken at that same time what with those fun hat poses. I love Marie's pose especially. She looks so happy. Interesting they both have the same middle name. Makes me wonder if there were other females in the family if they all had that same middle name?

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  7. A terrific set! I especially like the first lively trio of photos that show off a bit of fun that's rare to see in vintage photos. And you should point out the tiny photo of a man in a hat that's on the table next to your grandmother Florence. It may have some special significance to have been placed there.

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    1. I agree about having lively photos from back then. Lots of fun. I do wonder if the man in the photo background is significant. Good question.

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I look forward to reading your comments. If you have any connection to the people mentioned in this blog, please let me know. I write about mine and my husband's ancestors and would welcome new information or meeting a new cousin or two. Thanks for visiting and come back soon.