Old Photograph Album c.1912 with Cambridge pictures and more
I have this lovely old photograph album which has lots of wonderful, original photographs from the early 20th C - with many original Cambridge and Cambridgeshire photographs, Fulham Football Club and Military Pictures.
Full album below:
I have done a lot of digging to see if I can identify the original owners of this album, or who the people in the pictures are - the biggest possible link is perhaps to the Marshall family - in part due to the notes made (much later) by someone else in pencil inside the front page of the album, but also because of the Cambridge views alongside a good amount of early motorcar pictures. Marshall’s began as an earlier car dealership in Cambridge, first off of Brunswick Gardens and then to King Street and finally to Jesus Lane in 1912.
The other possible link that may make this an album from one of the Marshall family is that there is a picture of the Beta II airship. It was in 1912 that the army airship ‘Beta II’ had engine trouble and was helped to safety by troops on Midsummer Common and then manoeuvred to an area behind Jesus Green, where Marshall’s helped with some repairs.
The airship photograph at least gives us an approximate date for the photographs within this album.
Marshall’s then go on to expand into aircraft - there are no aircraft photographs in the album, which again helps define the date a little. I have done a good deal of work on the Marshall family, both with separate research that cover the development of the ‘East Barnwell’ / Abbey area, which Marshall’s first aerodrome was situated and where they lived at Elfleda House from 1918.
But despite these clues I have yet to identify any of the people in the album as being part of the Marshall family - I have cross referenced pictures of the older Marshall family and any that would fit the dates but none seem to fit or look like the family, I have also looked at the various address over the years from the 1870’s through to 1920’s of the family to see if any fit some of the street views but so far no match.
Perhaps this album is from a wealthy family that were close in some way to the Marshall’s or perhaps they just purchased their cars? Who knows… There are photographs from Cambridge but there are also some photographs from holiday trips abroad and other places. There is a definite Cambridge link but for now it is all a bit of a mystery.
Perhaps you may recognise something within one of the photographs that will provide another clue or an identification of where the photograph was taken etc.
UPDATE: I have been able to identify at least some of the people in the photographs, through tracing the couple shown on the photograph with Devonshire House. - the album contains photographs of the Hall and Lowe families.
This album likely belonged to Kate and William Hall. You can read more about them HERE
William Hall was born in 1958 Peckham London and died 4th June 1932 Putney, London.
He was a Director of both Fulham and [Woolwich] Arsenal Football Clubs. He ran a successful metal work [lead] business in Battersea, London. He married Kate Elizabeth Davis who was the daughter of a servant at one of the Cambridge University Colleges. They get married in 1899 in Cambridge. They have one daughter, Elsa Kate Hall. They live at 28 Woodbridge Road, Putney, London.
William’s wife Kate dies in 1951 and daughter Elsa never marries or has children and she dies in 1965, where on her probate it is noted that she was living at 26 Woodbridge Road Putney, London - the house next door to her parents.
Please feel free to add your comments and thoughts in the ‘add a comment’ box below.
I will add pictures of the album pages below, along with individual photographs so that you may have a go at identifying them too.
*Where relevant some individual photographs, where place is identifiable, will also be placed in the ‘place’ categories of this website.
*All photographs in this album are completely and utterly stuck down, so no writing on the backs of the photographs to be seen.
*Click on each picture to make larger*
PAGE 1 and 2 of old photograph album c.1912
Notice in photograph 7 how a lot of the spectators are wearing straw boater hats … does this indicate a Cambridge match?
2, 3, 6 and 7 are all pictures of football matches which could be Fulham or Arsenal matches as William Hall was the director for both clubs at one point. You can see more about the football photographs HERE
Photographs 1, 4, 5 & 8 are of 28 Woodborough Road, London SW15 6PZ and include William Hall, his wife Kate Hall (nee Davis born. Cambridge) and daughter Elsa Hall.
PAGE 3 and 4 of old photograph album c.1912
The brilliant part about these interior photographs is the revealing of the furnishings and historical detail in things like the wallpaper - the designs for which may even still be traced.
The motorcar photographs may be traced by the make and model of car - I wonder if we can identify the church in the background of photograph 10 - I think it is possible that photograph 11 is on a Cambridge road, can we identify the houses/street in the background?
9, 12, & 13 - 28 Woodborough Road, London SW15 6PZ and include William Hall and daughter Elsa Hall.
14. Cambridge and Oxford Boat Race? - possibly 1911 or 1912?
PAGE 5 and 6 of old photograph album c.1912
We may gather clues by looking at the background detail of these photographs - the brickwork and door shapes etc.
17, 18 an 22 - Elsa Hall at 28 Woodborough Road, London.
20. Football could be Arsenal or Fulham as William Hall was director of both clubs at one time - can someone identify the kit?
23. Augustus Francis Hall (1849-1923) Corn merchant lived at Devonshire House, Battersea, London.
24. Cambridge/Oxford - rowing on Thames?
PAGE 7 and 8 of old photograph album c.1912
32. Clare College & Bridge, Cambridge.
PAGE 9 and 10 of old photograph album c.1912
46. Take note of the doll, this may also be identifiable.
PAGE 11 and 12 of old photograph album c.1912
53. Conwy Castle, Wales?
59. I can just make out the ‘Victoria Cafe’ on the bottom line of the shop canopy.
PAGE 13 and 14 of old photograph album c.1912
64. Tour Pey Berland, Boudeaux
67. Cambridge College but which one?
70. Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris.
71. Arc de Triomphe, Paris.
74. Fountain of Trevi, Rome.
75. William Hall sitting in a garden.
76. Colosseum, Rome.
78. Tomb of Eurysaces the Baker, Rome.
PAGE 15 and 16 of old photograph album c.1912
90 and 94 - 28 Woodborough Road, London, William Hall, Kate Hall and daughter Elsa Hall.
PAGE 17 and 18 of old photograph album c.1912
100. Trinity College, Cambridge
102. Devonshire House, 44 Vicarage Crescent London SW11. If so we can then trace who the people in this particular photograph are - it may give us the clues needed to find out more as they may be relatives to the creator of this album. So who was living there is c.1912?
*Edit - got it - The couple in the photograph are Augustus Francis Hall, a London corn merchant and his wife Alice Ann Hall (nee Davis). This photograph album is likely to have belonged to one of their children…. more to follow.
105. Great St Mary’s Church, Cambridge - read more HERE
99, 106 and 107. I wonder if some of these military photographs are anything to do with the ‘1912 Manoeuvres’ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Manoeuvres_of_1912) particularly as we have the photographs of the airship Beta II which were taking part in this. * Edit - It is the entrance to St.John’s College Cambridge and I really do think that these photographs are from the 1912 Manoeuvres now.
108. Suffragette?
PAGE 19 and 20 of old photograph album c.1912
112. Airship Beta II - On Jesus Grove - just over the ditch of Jesus Green - note the crowds in the background. Cambridge.
113. Wimborne Minster Clock, Dorset.
117. Airship Beta II leaving Jesus Grove, Cambridge. September 16th 1912.
118. Football - I’m not hot on my sports info but the kit in this photograph has what looks like the three lions crest - maybe?
124. Senate House, Cambridge.
PAGE 21 and 22 of old photograph album c.1912
128. ‘Hallaton’ built for William Lowe on Wollaton Road, Beeston (Demolished 1937). More clues!
*Edit - Frederick William Lowe (1885-1935 died at Hallerton) was married to Gertrude Ann Hall - the daughter of Augustus Francis Hall.
130. The Palace of Electricity and the Water Castle at the 1900 Paris Exposition.
133. Augustus Francis Hall and Alice Ann Hall (nee Davis) and ?
PAGE 23 and 24 of old photograph album c.1912
143 & 144. Augustus Francis Hall and Alice Ann Hall (nee Davis) and ?
148. A sweet little painting that was included into the album.
149. Sir Henry George Norris (1865-1934) English businessman, politician and Chairman for both Fulham and Arsenal Football Clubs - he lived at 128 Woodborough Road before William Hall - See More HERE
PAGE 25 and 26 of old photograph album c.1912
151. Wedding photograph of Albert E Roberts and Alice Penelope Hall June 1907 at the back of Devonshire House, Battersea, London. Augustus William Hall stands to the right of the groom and Augustus Francis Hall stands to the grooms left.
152. The Pier Largs.
155. The entrance to St. John’s College Cambridge from the 1912 Manoeuvres - see picture 99, 106 & 107.
156. Kings College, Cambridge.
PAGE 27 and 28 of old photograph album c.1912
158. Is that Cambridge College grounds looking over towards one of the bridges?
161. Cambridge College looking down towards the River Cam in centre of photograph?
162, 164 & 167 Ice skating in Cambridge - could be fen skating but I am leaning more towards it being on somewhere like Skaters Meadow between Newnham and Grantchester…
PAGE 29 and 30 of old photograph album c.1912
168. Cambridge …
169. Inside the Senate House, Cambridge.
170. Outside Senate House, Cambridge.
171. River Cam looking westards from Chesterton, Cambridge. That would be the chimney of the pumping station, today the Cambridge Museum of Technology. On the left bank of the River is Stourbridge Common. Read more HERE
173. Trinity Street, Cambridge?
175. William Hall sitting in a back garden.
PAGE 31 and 32 of old photograph album c.1912
178. Cambridge Market Square Read more HERE
179. Rowing on the River Cam, Cambridge.
183. A clue in this photograph is the board which states ‘Great Eastern Railway’ - does the sign beneath the mans legs on the horse trap say something about ‘the Dons’ …
PAGE 33 and 34 of old photograph album c.1912
187 and 190 Elsa Hall with family car on Woodborough Road, London.
191, 192 & 201 - William Hall and Elsa Hall in back garden of 28 Woodborough Road, London.
196. F.F.C. 1907-8 Fulham Football Club - William Hall used to be Director of the club.
197 - unknown man with William Hall’s family dog in back garden of 28 Woodborough Road, London
198 - Elsa Hall inside 28 Woodborugh Road, London.
199 & 202 - Back view of 28 Woodborough Road, London.
200. Houghton Watermill St Ives Huntingdon - more HERE
PAGE 35 and 36 of old photograph album c.1912
If you would like to share your thoughts on any of the photographs above, please use the form below and remember to give the number of each photograph being referred to. All comments will be added here, so that we can all collaborate with this interesting puzzle.