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Hereditary? [message #60574]

Sat, 16 January 2010 21:02

pipo

Toe is in the water

Registered: July 2008
Messages: 35

I am scanning in old family albums and this photo of my grandfather at age 14 in 1895 caught my attention. He is the boy sitting on the knees of two slightly older boys in the middle of the (cropped) picture. It looks to me as if the three boys are quite close. Also, men in my family tend to marry *very* late, hence the long generations. What do you think?

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Re: Hereditary? [message #60575 is a reply to message #60574]

Sat, 16 January 2010 23:22

chrisjames147

Really getting into it

Location: U.S.
Registered: November 2009
Messages: 630

I think you should recognize that this was a different culture than what we have today. In a Victorian setting where touching a woman was unthinkable the touching of men was quite acceptable.
I don't read anything unusual into the photo, this was still a time when photos were posed, the idea of a 'candid' picture had not arrived. We know that in many European cultures that hugging and kissing of men is acceptable and that in the Asian world they still hold hands.
I would say you might need further evidence to speculate that anything overt was happening betwen these boys. But having said that, boys at that age were experimental. I see the young ladies in the background so this was not a boarding school situation, we all know how notorious things are there.
A beautiful glimpse of a time past, your grandfather was a handsome devil:-)

Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)

Re: Hereditary? [message #60578 is a reply to message #60574]

Sun, 17 January 2010 16:03

Nigel

On fire!

Location: England
Registered: November 2003
Messages: 1756

I keep coming back to the picture. I can't get over how good looking your grandfather was. If I'd been there he'd probably have been sitting on my knee.

Hugs
N

I dream of boys with big bulges in their trousers,
Never of girls with big bulges in their blouses.

…and look forward to meeting you in Cóito.

Re: Hereditary? [message #60585 is a reply to message #60575]

Sun, 17 January 2010 20:50

pipo

Toe is in the water

Registered: July 2008
Messages: 35

One thing I probably need to explain was that this picture was taken in the colonies, and the atmosphere was much more casual over there than in Europe. The contrast between the stiff pictures taken in Europe in that period and the more informal pictures in the tropics is really remarkable. My grandfather was a diplomat, and I think his father as well, because the family traveled around a lot in the period 1880 - 1940. The family album has really great pictures from exotic places like Rangoon and Caracas.

You are probably right that I should not read in too much in the picture, I was just wondering. My father's best friend never married and always was very private about his private life. My father clearly did not have a problem with that, but it wasn't discussed either. I never knew my grandfather, as my father married very late and my grandfather died fairly young of cancer.

[Updated on: Sun, 17 January 2010 21:09]

Re: Hereditary? [message #60597 is a reply to message #60574]

Mon, 18 January 2010 22:07

acam

On fire!

Location: UK
Registered: July 2007
Messages: 1849

Splendid picture, pipo. I intended to post a comment but I think I clicked 'close' instead of 'submit': what a wally!
But that must mean he was born in or around 1881 and my grandmother was born in 1882 and my grandfather married her elder sister by whom he had five children but that didn't stop him having two by my grandmother - so my father was illegitimate. It was a big deal in those days.

You are lucky to have a picture of him. I only have one of my grandfather and that must be at the age of 30 or 40.

Love,
Anthony

Re: Hereditary? [message #60598 is a reply to message #60597]

Mon, 18 January 2010 23:08

Macky

Really getting into it

Location: USA
Registered: November 2008
Messages: 973

"so my father was illegitimate"

My grandparents were Eastern European peasants. With those guys, illegitimacy was a way of life. Grandad had his mom send him a bride from the old country. It was a package deal because Uncle John was born 5 months after my grandparents met. I also have grave suspicions regarding my Great Uncle Max. My genealogical research leads me to believe that he may have sired a boy with my grandmother, his sister. Anecdotal evidence has it that the kid's head was a bit messed up, as one might expect from inbreeding.

Max

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Ps 133:1 NASB

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