This photograph was taken by Thirlwells photographers who had studios in Stockton, Darlington, Guisborough and Spennymoor. The wording Chirlwell on the photograph must mean Thirlwell… I have no idea who the people are or which studio it was taken in. When I copied it I put Watson on the file name. I do have a Watson Swales on my family tree, he was born in Glaisdale in 1826 and died in Whitby in 1891, but I have no idea if that’s Watson Swales or not. Can anyone show a light on the photograph?
Photograph and details courtesy of Brian Swales
Brian Sigsworth – I agree 100% with your comment. Anyone who has seen handwriting from the 1800’s would know this. I’ve done my own (and my husbands) family history and it can be very difficult to understand handwriting from old censuses. (then usually done by enumerators) from 1901 backwards in time. Writing was very ‘loopy’. I don’t know why things weren’t in ‘capitals’ (now called upper case) but that’s just how it was in those days.
Bri. the Credit says Thirlwell. It’s a stylised typeface. The Cap. ‘T’ is not clear but if you bigg’n up the pic you’ll see that the letter ‘T’ is just crossed at the top but curves down into the down stroke.