Unidentified photos in the family archive
Before telephones
and the internet, keeping in touch was done by sending letters and photographs
to relatives in far-flung places. They were precious reminders of extended family.
As the years passed these artefacts became keepsakes, kept in albums, boxes or old
biscuit tins. Some were labelled with names and dates but often the identifying
details of the photos were contained in the accompanying letters they arrived
with. As the photographs travelled through
time and were passed to the next generation they were often carefully divided amongst
descendants and their accompanying correspondence discarded and/or separated
from one or more of the photographs.
Around the
year 2005, six Australian fourth Generation Descendants of Alfred Ellis and Martha
Bartlett started to work loosely together to search out and contact other descendants
and relatives. This work resulted in the discovery of eleven new relatives.
Information, memories and images were all shared via the now-defunct Yahoo message boards in
group called EllisCousins.[i]
Like the image
of Alfred’s
shop in England sent to his daughter in Western Australia. Other photographs
were located, often multiple copies of the same photograph some with notations
written on the back, some glued into Albums and others nameless sitting in old
biscuit tins. Images and their information were gathered, compared and shared;
people once unidentified became known. The remaining images still unidentified continue to be discussed and researched, timelines drawn up, foreheads, noses and chins
compared against each other.
Alfred Ellis with his
wife Martha Bartlett were the parents of seven children of which five migrated
to Australia:
1.
Alfred Ellis born 1865, migrated to Australia constantly
moving between New South Wales and Western Australia.
2.
Edward Ellis born 1867, migrated to Australia
initially to New South Wales and finally settled in Victoria.
3.
Martha Sarah (Ellis) Simpson born 1870, migrated to
Australia initially to Western Australia but finally settled in Victoria.
4.
Kate Ellen (Ellis) Wardle born 1872, migrated to
Australia and settled in Western Australia.
5.
Charles Ellis born 1874, migrated to Scotland and
then moved between Scotland and Australia before he finally settled in Western
Australia.
6.
Walter Ellis born 1875, stayed in England.
7.
Frederick Ellis born 1876, migrated to Ireland but
returned to England.
Martha died prematurely in 1880, leaving Alfred with children aged between fifteen and four, the youngest 5 still living at home in the 1881 Census.[ii] [iii] Alfred married Mary Elizabeth Southgate in 1883. Alfred with Mary then went on to have three children, one of who migrated to Australia:
1.
Horace Richard Ellis born 1884, died as a child
in England.
2.
Millie Elizabeth (Ellis) Kennedy born 1885, migrated
to Australia and settled in Western Australia.
3.
Hugh Alfred Ellis born 1887, stayed in England.
Eventually, six of Alfred's ten children immigrated to Australia, settling on both the west and east coasts, a few moving frequently between states. This headcount does not include those that moved within the United Kingdom to Ireland and Scotland. Not everyone in the family would have the time, the money or the inclination to send letters and mementoes
Below is an
example of two images found in someone’s collection of a man whose identity
currently eludes us. No duplicates have yet been located.
Other
images relating to Alfred’s family can be seen in the following places
Inspiration
Sepia Saturday -
Using old Images as Prompt for New Reflections – Prompt 620 : 7 May 2022
Useful Links
For more about Alfred Ellis's descendants see the Family Group Sheet for Alfred Ellis on WikiTree
Related Posts
Comparing two identical photos located on different sides of Australia
A photograph of Alfred Edward Leigh Ellis with his Zither
Article containing images of Walter Todman who married Martha Sarah Ellis
Article containing an image of Ted otherwise known as Edward Ellis
Blogpost Meta Data
The URL for this post is: https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2022/05/matching-faces-names.html originally
published 5 May 2022
Author 2022, Sandra Williamson
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[i] Personal memory of the Sandra
Williamson, moderator of the EllisCousins on Yahoo Groups, recalled 2020
[ii] General
Register Office, England, Death certificate of Martha Lee, died 2 September
1888 while residing at 245 St George Road, Camberwell registration district,
sub-district St George in the County of Surrey; GRO Reference: 1880 S Quarter
in CAMBERWELL Volume 01D Page 534 [Aged 40]
[iii] 1881 English Census, Household of
Alfred Lee, widower, residing with children Martha, Kate, Charles, Walter &
Frederick Lee at 245 St Georges Rd, Camberwell registration district,
sub-district St George, County of London, Enumeration District 21; RG11; Piece:
698; Folio: 21; Page: 35
