Yerbury - Cabinet Prints

Cabinet Prints

Thank you to Steve Aitken for allowing me to reproduce these photos from his family album.

Steve wrote:

Ladies' Outfits

"These photos show my great grandfather's sister, Isabella Hislop Veitch. In both photos she and the other person are wearing the same top-coat or jacket, albeit one is late Victorian and the other, a later Edwardian version *** .

*** See also 'Dates of Photos' below

Question

"They both have the same three buttons, and could be worn over the person's other clothing. Are you aware of a source giving pictorial details of temperance or other religious groups operating in Edinburgh? I suspect this is what they belonged to. I would appreciate any advice, including if I am barking up the wrong tree.

I hope that I am right, and that the older photo shows a development of the 'uniform' if that is what it is.

I know that there would limited choice in clothing, but it does seem a strong coincidence, as women don't usually like to be seen wearing the same outfit."

Family

The other lady in the first picture is Isabella Fowler, sister in law of my Great great grandmother, Janet Fowler. She appears to be wearing some sort of rosette.

"Incidentally my Mother was born in 1928 and Isabella Hislop Veitch died in the late-1930s. My Great grandfather lived at 13 Brown Street (now demolished) and Isabella lived next door, a spinster.

My mother could remember being taken out by Isabella around the park in Brown Street, across from the flats. She wasn't allowed to run or play and had to walk quietly beside her great aunt. She was a bit of a tartar and perhaps a prime candidate for the temperance movement!"

Steve Aitken, Blackburn, Lancashire, England: April 10, 2011

Dates of the Photos

Both the photos above are cabinet prints. These were very popular from around 1870s, but most photographers appear to have stopped producing them around 1900, so I think the two photos above may well both be late Victorian, though as Steve suggests, one may have been produced a few years before the other.

We don't get much help in dating these photos from the names and addresses of the studios. Both photographers remained at these addresses from the 19th century until well into the 20th century