Identifying a uniform

[di2315]

Hello

I'm a 'newbie' from Australia, with a photo of my great-grandfather, Robert Benson. In it he is wearing a uniform that I am unable to identify.

I know he went to Taplow College in his early years, but in this photo he looks to be in his early teens.

I'm unsure where abouts on this forum I should post a message for someone to hopefully help me identify where the uniform may have been from.

Many thanks for reading this post!

[christanel]

Welcome to the British-Genealogy forums
I think you may have come to us from Forces War record so reading This will tell you a little about us.
You can upload your photo to this thread by going to advanced reply and clicking on the square picture frame to the right of the globe.
Then those who have far more knowledge than me re uniforms will be able to help.
Christina

[di2315]

Here's a copy of the uniform picture:



Any clues would be appreciated! Di

[di2315]

Whoops . . . Christina was what I should have typed!!

[christanel]

No worries about the name

Can you tell us when Robert Benson was born and where. It may help with identifying the uniform.

I have moved this thread to the Photographers and old photographs forum as it is a research subject.

Christina

[di2315]

Thanks again Christina. Robert Benson was born 1860 in London. His mother moved around quite a bit, but I know he went to Taplow College (near Windsor but no longer in existence) for a short time. Most of their lives they lived in the London area, apart from some time in Edinburgh. I can't give a date for the Scotland time frame - it must have been between censuses.
In 1874 Robert went to sea, then in 1878 began working with NSW railways. Di

[Allan F Sparrow]

I am not sure that he is wearing a uniform, strictly defined, but just the ordinary clothes of the day. The cap is the exception: at first sight it looks more like the French style than British; but then I saw your mention of railways, and thought that (if I remember correctly) railway workers used to wear something similar in my younger days (now a long time back!) – so might he have had a trend in that direction even as a lad? In the 1860s and 1870s railways were still wonderful things to many people, in spite of the many accidents. Wearing such a cap for a photograph may have been part of a game...

Allan

[Megan Roberts]

I think Allan is correct about the railway connection. The picture below is the brother of my great grandmother who worked on the railways and died in 1896. Its cropped from a larger photograph of a group by a signal box and level crossing.

[di2315]

Thanks for the railway suggestions. I'll contact the NSW Transport Heritage website and see if they can be of any help.

[geneius]

Hello

Could it be a porters uniform?

At #6 you seem to have a bit of family background. I have had a look around and found the following and am assuming it is your Robert BENSON

1871 Scotland census

Robert Benson
Age: 10
Estimated birth year: abt 1861
Relationship: Son
Mother's name: Clementine Benson
Gender: Male
Where born: London
Registration Number: 685/4
Registration district: St Giles
Civil Parish: Edinburgh Newington
County: Midlothian
Address: 17 Palmers Bldge St
Occupation: Scholar

Name: Clementine Benson
Age: 36
Estimated birth year: abt 1835
Relationship: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: London
Registration Number: 685/4
Registration district: St Giles
Civil Parish: Edinburgh Newington
County: Midlothian
Address: 17 Palmers Bldge St
Occupation: Authoress

In the same household were Rachel Maitland Age 55 Housekeeper & Margaret Ingles 38 Housemaid



Robert William Benson
Age: 15 Birth Year: abt 1860
Birth Place: London
Registration or Indenture Date: 8 May 1875
Port of Registry: Southampton

John Baker WALKER S.O. Middlesborough

Vessel Thomas SORBY 4 April - 6 October 1875 vessel wrecked sent home form Rotterdam

Vessel North Caroline 1 Dec 1876 - 5 April 1877 Deserted at Demerara per ???

The above records show hints in NSW


Backtracking

1861 finds a WHITEHEAD family with a child that 'fits' for Robert BENSON as per the 1871 census

John B Whitehead 58 Knaresborough, Yorkshire Comedian ( John Benson Whitehead aka John Whitehead BENSON )
Clementina Whitehead 31 Alnswick, Northumberland, England Actress
Caroline B Whitehead 10
Robert B Whitehead 6/12 born 1860 London

John B Whitehead ( John Benson Whitehead aka John Whitehead BENSON ) 58 Knaresborough, Yorkshire Comedian

MARRIAGE 1
John Whitehead widower
Spouse: Clementina Enoch
Record Type: Marriage by License
Event Date: 21 Nov 1860
Parish: Parish Chapel, St Pancras
Borough: Camden
Father Name: Robert Whitehead General Dealer
Spouse Father: William Enoch Gentleman

witnesses Robert STONE / M BUCKERIDGE

MARRIAGE 2

Clementina Isabelle Enoch Widow
Marriage Date: 13 Jun 1871
Archive Provided Parish: Barnes, St Mary
Parish as it Appears: Barnes
Spouse: Frederick Montague Watkins
Father: William Enoch
Spouse Father: Ferdinand Montague Watkins

witnesses Julia WATKINS / CA GOULD / EH TREMAYNE /? Elliott GRAHAM

marriage certs on line at ancestry

Society of Friends (Quaker) Births

Clementina ENOCH d/o William & Lucy b 11 January 1830 at Hay fathers occupation Mercer & Grocer

1841 The Friends School Ackworth Yorkshire has Clementina ENICH (sic) as a scholar
https://www.ackworthschool.com/historyoftheschool

At long last I have found ( I think Robert's birth entry ) Robert William WHITEHEAD registered Mile End v 1c page 536

William ENOCH
OTHER PROMINENT QUAKERS IN HAY
https://welshjournals.llgc.org.uk/bro...195906/getText

Clementina MONTAGUE mhttps://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Can_Such_Things_A_Story_of_a_White_Slave_100027414 1/107

ooOOPS! I seem to have runaway with this not answering your request but maybe some of this IF the correct person may help in IDing the uniform!