Group of Men

This photo is stuck to a piece of card, so had possibly been framed. The questions are fairly obvious: who are these men, and when and where was it taken?

The provenance of the photo suggests a connection with the Duncans of Otley, Yorkshire. So was it a works outing from their textile mill, or a men's group from the Congregational chapel they belonged to, or something like a temperance society or political party? Any of these seems possible.

As for when, styles of clothing can sometimes be dated, but men's fashions changed only slowly, and not everyone followed the latest trends anyway. The men here are sporting a variety of styles: some of the clothes might suggest the 1890s, but the lack of beards on the younger men might point to the early 1900s, so it's hard to pin it down more than about 1895-1910.

The location has also defeated me, though it's probably reachable on a day trip from Otley - by train, or from the early 1900s, by charabanc. Places that I've considered include Bolton Abbey, Barden Tower, Kirkstall Abbey, Knaresborough Castle and York, but there are plenty of other possibilities. And as ruins can crumble or be restored, what we see here may bear little resemblance to what's there now.

If you can help to solve any of the mysteries surrounding this photo you can email me at akpak@paxnet.co.uk


Page last updated: 11 September 2021