Another Album

Another old photograph album - another magical mystery trail to unravel.

Here are just three of the forty-four photographs in an anonymous album
that I purchased for a few pounds a week ago. More images from India -
this time in July 1915 (dated but not named) - about the same time that
my grandfather was there.

Do you wonder with me who these people are? How old they are? What it
feels like to be dressed like this in the hot Indian summer? How long
they will stay in India?  Will any of the soldiers finally end up, not
in the sweltering heat of Hyderabad in July, but in the mud, bullets and
death of the European Western Front.

The colonial India of the British Empire is still in full flourish here
- although there is a War on in Europe, here they still dance around the
maypole as if in a leafy English village - albeit at "The War Fete" as
many of the photographs are labelled.

These pictures are "on hold" until my return from Venice - but who
knows, there may be another story, and other characters to explore in
future.

Comments

[ardi]

What a find, Roz. I know from the journals of my great-auntie who lived in India in the early 1900s that they tried, as best they could, to live lives that they would have "back home". Even with a war raging, they still had their celebrations. I have the letters my great-grandmother and this auntie wrote back and forth to each other. Aunt Edith's letters are typed in a gentian violet as that was the only typewriter ribbon color she could find. Luckily, it seems to be colorfast. The great-grandmother's letters are done in a beautiful script hand and filled with newsy little bits - what the family is doing, a swatch of fabric she bought to make herself a new dress, etc. Thanks for sharing these and look forward to seeing more.

[Britt-Arnhild]

Many interesting stories can be written, or travelled (!) based on these photos. And now they are in the best hands.

Let's go to India together one day :-)

[Carolyn]

Another great find for you dear Roz. I know you will explore it more once you're back from Venice. Great to see these pics friend.

[Nancy]

Very neat photos!!! I do wonder what their stories are.

[tea]

Amazing photos!

tea
xo

[Lauren Miller]

Wow, what a fascinating thing to stumble upon! I am a history student in Oregon currently learning about the British Raj in India, and it is wonderful to see images like this. It makes it come alive.
Thank you!