I am lucky to have many many family photos, so many it is almost impossible to select a favourite. I have chosen to write about a picture I only discovered a few years ago, when my mother and I were going through her old photo collection. Many of them have no information with or on the image, which is frustrating and a warning to me to ensure that ALL pictures I now have are labelled, whether prints, with details written on back or digital with meta data added to file!
My chosen picture says on the back “Peter Robinson circa 1911”. We then had to start some detective work…who what when and how?
The photo came from my maternal grandmother’s collection, so that gave us a clue as to who is most likely to be in the photo. Looking at the girls in the front row, second from left is the spitting image of my grandmother, we have other photos of her at a similar age that are labelled. Annie May Dyer was born in December 1907, 9 months after her parents marriage, a honeymoon baby! She would of been around three when this photo was taken, which helps confirm it probably is “Gran”. She had a sister but she was no born till after the first world war in 1920. No idea of who the gentleman with her is, definitely not her father
Peter Robinson was a chain of department stores with its flagship store being situated at Oxford Circus, London. Founded in 1833 as a drapery, Robinson bought up nearby shops on Oxford Street to create a department store. The Topshop chain debuted in 1964 as a section in a Peter Robinson branch. The shop building in Oxford Circus was completed in 1912 and is Grade II listed.
I cannot find any references to this event, but imagine from the title of the picture and the content that it was some sort of “family fun/sports day”. Perhaps for staff, customers or suppliers?
What I love about this picture, everything! The clothes and hats, the expressions on their faces, the fact that the girls do not seem to want to join in the race! I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time with my Gran, she would often care for us when our parents were away etc. so probably also love the picture because she is the subject.
not just any family 