Date of Photo

[Aussie Shep]

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss288/aussie_shep74/securedownload.jpg
This is a newspaper clipping sent to my via a cousin in the uk; the lady second on the right is Alice Deakin born 1867 died 1945. I know the copy is shocking but can someone tell me what year they think it was taken.
The photo is of a Headmistress retiring.
thanks.

[Thomasin]

I would have opted for some time in the 1930s, but Alice Deakin looks much younger than she would have been then. In fact, I would have said 30s or early 40s. Are you sure she is the one who is second on the right?

The ladies all have permed (or naturally curly) hair; none of the 20s bobs are in evidence. The gentlemen have their hair slicked back, probably Brylcreemed, and the little girl's hair is just combed and unfussy. Only two hats - but then they are indoors, and the teaching staff would have removed theirs.

Intriguing.

[Chris Doran]

Do you know the name of the headmistress and/or the school, or at least where it was? As I said on another thread recently, local Education Committee Minutes may record teachers' careers, but you'll need SKS local to the area with time to spare to look. If you're really lucky, the minutes books may index teachers by name.

The Origins Network has teachers' registration forms which list the schools they worked in. Alice Deakin isn't there (many didn't need to register), but maybe the headmistress is. It's a pay-to-view site, but searches are free if you register.

[Waitabit]

Alice Deakin: married name or maiden name? She may be registered under 'the other'.

[Aussie Shep]

Alice Deakin is her maiden name; her married name is Alice Capewell.
Her name is recorded on the back of the photo.
I dont know what school; I have asked my cousin if she knows the name of the paper; alice lived in Fulford Staffordshire so I assume it is a school around there.
Thankyou for your replies.

[Michael Duke]

I would suggest late 40s to early 50s

[Michael Duke]

Sorry, cancel that last message, just re-read the message. Make that late 30s.

[v.wells]

I'd opt with the late 30's as well.

[Thomasin]

This picture is bothering me. Although, because of Alice's age, it seems logical to place it in the 1930s, the teaching staff remind me forcibly of those at my primary school in the 50s. In fact, they could be anywhere within these two decades.

Then again, even if it was taken in the late 30s, Alice appears to be much too youthful. In those days, going by my own family photos, women who were in their fifties looked more as if they were approaching 80. On those lines, if Alice is approaching 70, she should have been looking much, much older. Are you sure she isn't the lady fourth from the right?

It's unfortunate that there is so much unrelieved black in the picture, so that we cannot see clearly what they are wearing. I wonder if it could be lightened somehow?

[Chris Doran]

No Alice Capelands at all on TON. But I would expect the registration to be in her maiden name, as before WW2 it was virtually unheard of for women teachers to continue after marriage.

Can your cousin scan the back of the cutting? There may be clues in a news article. Of course, Murphy's law dictates that someone has stuck it down in an album or it's a timeless report of the allotment association.

If you can determine the area, you could contact the relevant Local Studies Library/Archives -- Google should find it (may be county-wide).

[Thomasin]

Did you look for Capelands, Chris? Aussie Shep said it was Capewell.

Good idea about the back of the cutting.

[Chris Doran]

Sorry, typo in post. It was Capewell I llooked up.

I might have added that when they first put the lists online TON gave a free access period, so I looked up all our local teachers from 1900 to WW2 and found only a small proportion -- far fewer than would be accounted for by the known missing books or teachers in Church schools who probably had no need to register. It clearly was a very voluntary scheme, unlike the way such things are done today.

[bibliojunkie]

I looked at the photo before scrolling down to the replies and my immediate reaction was the 1950’s. The woman at the front, wearing specs and apparently holding flowers, looks so much like a cousin’s grandmother as I remember her in that decade. I echo Thomasin’s comments in post 9.

At first glance, the woman fourth from right looks like a twin of the one next to the girl!

As an aside, my parents had a friend who caused great consternation when she resigned her teaching post c1958 when she was five months pregnant. Her headmistress had no idea she was married!

Ali

[Aussie Shep]

Thank you again for your opinions; I value this forum very highly.
I spoke with my cousin who informs me that she did get in touch with the paper for the area to see if they could help when she received the picture. They advised her to follow 1 avenue; my couisn doesn't explain what avenue or paper explained to her; so i emailed her this morning asking if I can be of any assistance and asking ever so nicely if I could have the name of the paper and so on.

The villager who originally gave her the clipping it very old and sick so my cousin doesn't feel that it is right to ask again.
My cousin and I both agree that we are unsure that it is Alice she does look too young for the age that she is suppose to be.
I have attached a photo of Alice that I have enquired about before; alice is the girl on the left.
http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss288/aussie_shep74/AliceMaryDEAKIN.jpg