Lost Images Reunited

09/11/2025

I've created a blog!

I am constantly thinking of ways to help people accept my messages at face value and not view them as a scam. Which is why I created this FB page, which has helped.

But of course, in order to view this you have to be a member of facebook, and not everyone is, and my target demographic are probably less likely to be on social media than average. |

So, I've started a blog (using the same content) and am gradually transferring these posts over. I will, in future be creating posts on both platforms. Please go and have a look - and leave comments if you'd like - it will help with the launch of it.

https://lostimagesreunited.wordpress.com

Do you think this is a good idea?
Would you respond better to a message from someone with a blog and page? Please let me know what you think.

Reuniting vintage photographs with their families so they can be treasured again.

08/11/2025

𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 #𝟭4𝟭: Elusive Foxes

I bought this photograph a while ago. It came annotated with "Charles and Ida Fox," was taken in Liverpool, and even dated "4th March 1880." On the face of it, this looked like an easy case. I wasn't sure if they were husband and wife or perhaps siblings, but I thought it would be the work of a moment to track them down.

Well, this one proved surprisingly difficult, which is why I've had it a while. I had to call in what I am now referring to as the "Lost Images Reunited Special Investigations Unit"—who is actually my wonderful follower and now friend, Rose! Rose has helped me out on a few occasions now (you might remember her excellent work on other cases as a follower) and she loves digging a bit deeper into the ones I find difficult (I tend to stick to the "low hanging fruit"!). She has loads of research skills, and after constructing a short list and whittling it down, she found the answer. She is utterly brilliant and also really makes me laugh!

This is a portrait of siblings, Charles James and Ida Alma Fox. We think it was possibly taken to celebrate Charles' qualification as a Master Mariner (what we would recognise as a ship's Captain), a role that took him all over the world. Their father was also a mariner, and Charles was actually born in Cape Town, South Africa (Master Mariners regularly took their wives with them on ship). Charles was a good mariner, too—he invented a ship's hatch cover that was also a lifeboat! In 1880, the same year as this photo, he was awarded a bronze medal for "services to shipwrecked seamen" after he was involved in a rescue.

I'm thrilled to say the photograph has now been reunited with a Great Grandchild of Charles and Ida's sister, Emily Jane Fox. And Emily's story is just as fascinating! The reunitee told me:

"Emily Jane Fox... married Elias Joste in Chile – they are my great-grandparents. Reportedly, it must be true, Elias had been shown a photograph of Emily Jane and asked her brother (which one, there were several who went to sea) whether she would consider coming to Chile to marry him. She was very brave and accepted… It was said to be a very happy marriage."

How amazing is that? She travelled all the way to Chile to marry a man who had only seen her photograph! I've included a photograph of Emily and Elias presumably taken in Chile.

This case has also brought Fox family members together as others have responded to my messages and I have been able to put them in contact with each other.

27/10/2025

case #137: The Typist, the Widow, and the Bootmaker
I found this fascinating photograph for sale on eBay. It had a lot of information on the back. It took some deciphering but there are interesting relationships and a few stories to tell here! Luckily there were plenty of names, including Alfred Woodruff, Emile Monchablon, and Annie Gilbert, so I was able to track them down and research them. This photograph was taken in the late 1890s or early 1900 in Wellingborough, where Alfred's family was from.

It all centres around Alfred Woodruff (born 1870, centre middle). Behind him are mother and son Elizableth Monchablon and her son Emile. Elizabeth (a widow, who had, with her late husband been a leading light in the emerging world of stenography) and Emile were so close to Alfred that they listed him as an "adopted son" on both the 1901 and 1911 census! Also in the photograph are Alfred's sisters: his older sister Annie Gilbert (b. 1864, on the right) and his youngest sister Louisa Robbins (Mary Louisa b. 1873). In 1906 Louisa married Walter Robbins in China, where he was a clergyman in Ningbo Cathedral. How Louisa came to be in China is unclear. As the annotation says, sadly it appears that Walter and Louisa's life together was sad and short, they had three children together, and Louisa dies shortly after the birth of her 3rd child. None of the children appear to have survived. Walter went on to remarry in 1912.
Alfred's own family was involved in boot manufacturing. Alfred began his working life selling boots, but during his time living with the Monchablons he seems to have been a typist and stenographer. He later returned to the trade as a boot buyer. This is probably how he met his wife Alice (20 years his junior!), who was the daughter of a boot shop manager. They married when Alfred was 50, they went on to have two children.
I am so happy to report that this photograph has now been reunited with the Great Great Granddaughter of Annie Gilbert (pictured on the right)! Which is a great outcome. It's wonderful when a photo with such a complex and interesting story finds its way back to the family.

26/10/2025

case #28: A Meticulous Gentleman

I bought this photograph a while ago, as I was intrigued by it. It's a portrait of Kenrick Alexander Dowse, and the back is annotated with an incredible amount of detail, including his exact age in years and days, and even his height! He does look quite particular in this photograph. I wonder if this was a photograph for an official reason? Perhaps it was taken around the time he qualified as a solicitor.

With a little research, I found that Kenrick did indeed become a solicitor and was eventually a partner in his own law firm. His father, Frederick, appears to have been a self made person, who set his son on a good path to succeed in life. Kenrick and his wife, Alice, married late (around 37) and didn't appear to have any children of their own.

I'm glad to say it has now been reunited with a relative. She told me that this has given her a stimulus to research this part of her family tree, which is always a wonderful outcome! It does appear to be quite interesting with an international feel and artists in the family (although sadly I couldn't find any of their art).

05/10/2025

case #132: Another Policeman!

I found another! You know I have a soft spot for photographs of policemen, as one of my own ancestors was one of the first policemen in Portsea. So I was delighted to find this portrait of a young officer. The back was clearly marked with his name, Leslie, his birthplace of Newlyn and that the photograph was taken in Plymouth. With all these clues, it was a relatively straightforward task to trace his family history and find some potential descendants to contact. In my research I was surprised to find that Crowle is quite a common name in Cornwall and also there there were quite a few PC Crowles - maybe there was a relative who inspired Leslie to join the force?

So, this is Leslie Crowle, born in Newlyn in 1909. He tragically lost his father at a very young age in the Battle of Jutland in 1916. He later joined the police force and moved to Plymouth, where he married and raised his own family. He went on to have an illustrious career which culminated in a role with the security department of the Foreign Office. This important position took him all over the world! I wonder if anyone can recognise where this photograph was taken (and I wonder what's behind the drape?)

I’m so pleased to say that this great photograph has now been reunited with Leslie’s grandchildren. They were delighted to receive this portrait of their grandfather as a young man in his police uniform. It’s always special when a photograph finds its way back to such close family who will treasure it and the memories it represents.

28/09/2025

I was having a play with AI today to see if it could generate a good image, possibly as a logo. I asked it to look like the back of an old photograph (cdv). It came up with these, what do you think? I'm pretty impressed. I particularly like the wear and tear on the light ones.

28/09/2025

case #130: An Architect, an Artist and a Fine Memorial

I found this photograph of a stylish gentleman with an admirable beard for sale on eBay. Luckily it was clearly annotated as "Lewis Shanks" in a beautiful and clear hand. It was taken in a studio in Largs, Scotland, sometime in the 1870s. This gave me plenty of clues and I was able to find him.

This is Lewis Shanks (1841-1913), and he was a man of many talents. He began his career as an architect but later in life became a landscape artist (I have tried to find some of his art but I've been unsuccessful). He was also part of the well-known Shanks thread manufacturing family from Renfrewshire, a company that is remarkably still in business today. They managed to survive despite fierce competition from huge international companies like Gutterman. Lewis married his wife Catherine, and they had a daughter named Eleanor.

Unfortunately, I haven't managed to track down any direct descendants to reunite this photograph with. However, when a direct reunion isn't possible, I like to make sure the image is saved for the future. I found that Lewis is buried in the Kilbarchan Cemetery in Renfrewshire, alongside his siblings, as can be seen on this rather great memorial. I have now added this great portrait to his online grave entry on Find A Grave, so his story and image will be available for any future family or local historians. I hope he won't be forgotten.

14/09/2025

case #104: Aren't these cute?

Look at these two beautiful portraits of these two siblings, as well as being lovely portraits they are in great condition. They were taken in 1881 in London. Again there was plenty of information given, names and dates of birth so it was the work of a moment to track down some descendents.

This is Benjamin Worthy Horne (b 1875) and his younger sister Constance Lucy Marie Horne (b 1878). Both born into a wealthy family in London who come from a line of solicitors. They are descended from the Barony of Ramelton. Benjamin became a clerk in a law firm and then eventually he became a solicitor. When he died he left quite a considerable amount of money. Constance appears not to have married and I am unsure when she died.

These photographs have now been reunited with the wider family of the Barony of Ramelton. I do think these are great quality photographs.

31/08/2025

case 102 An Early Photograph

This rather grand photograph appeared on eBay with a really useful contemporary annotation on the back of “Mary Anne Nicholson, Keinton, 1864” taken in Bath. This made finding descendents easy.

This is Mary Anne born in 1828, so was around 36 when this photograph was taken and still single. She was born to Henry (a stone cutter) and Harriet.

She married and was widowed twice, first in 1870 to Henry Lloyd, a Sergeant in the Royal Artillery and a widower, when she was 40. Her second marriage was in 1889 to Caleb Ridewood, a stone merchant and widower, when she was 62. Unfortunately Caleb died the following year. It doesn't appear that Mary Anne had any children.

Mary Anne ended up working as housekeeper for her sister in law. She died, where she lived her whole life, in Somerset in 1903 when she was 75 years old.

The picture has now been happily reunited with a descendent.

30/08/2025

pending case #82: A tragic story that I couldn’t resist

Some time ago I found this tantalising image annotated as “Mrs Evans & Family, father drowned on Verulam 6 Jan 77”. I posted asking for information and managed to track it down. I have reached out but been unsuccessful.

It’s a very sad story. Evan Evans, from a family of mariners, married Elizabeth Evans (yes that was her maiden name - I have now develop a great deal of sympathy for family historians with very common last names) in 1863 in Cardigan. They quickly had two sons, John in 1873 and Thomas in 1875 (the observant amongst you will notice a third child, I am unsure who that is and what happened to them, as Elizabeth only appears on the census with her two sons).

Evan prospered in his career as a Mariner and became the Master of the Verulam, a new ship, built in Glasgow. His young family must have been proud of him reaching the position of Master at such an early age and being given a shiny new ship! In early 1877 had a successful voyage to collect cargo from Natal. She returned to the Thames, offloaded her cargo and then, through some freak squall, capsized and was lost in the harbour, killing several crew members including Evan, at the young age of 35 (see the report of the inquest). It appears that his body was never found (update, in the inquest Evan’s body was found in the Thames on 28 th January, thanks so much to the excellent Rose Booth for finding that, amongst a lot of other information). This left poor Elizabeth a widow with two young boys.

Elizabeth must have been made of strong stuff as she went on to become the post mistress and grocer of the village of Verwick, living in Maencoch. This was one of the few respectable careers open to women. She raised her boys to adulthood. Looking at the census’ over the years she remained in this position as a pillar of the community.

I originally researched Elizabeth and Evan’s story back in May. I reached out to people who had them in their trees, but to no avail. Periodically I have been seeing the photograph, still for sale on eBay, and was reminded of the story. Well, it made me sad every time I saw it and I couldn’t think of them being forgotten so I’m afraid I bought the photograph! I would really like to find where Elizabeth is buried (and possibly Evan) to add this photograph on Find a Grave or something. Or to get the photograph to some local history society. If anyone could help reunite this photograph I would really appreciate it.

I've just looked up the Cardiganshire Family History Society and found that nearly all of the committee members last name is Evans!

20/07/2025

case #108: Two Sisters
I found this rather unusual photograph of these two sisters. I think it’s unusual because of the intimate way it is framed and their closeness to each other. It had a lot of detail on the back, identifying these as Jean and Ada Ross, giving Jean’s married name and that Ada never married, and also her parents and more. From the photograph I could tell it was taken in Aberdeen in the 1880s. So, although "Ross" is a relatively common name the other details really helped me to positively identify the siblings and I was able to contact many descendents and potential reunitees.

I’m very glad to say it has been reunited with Jean and Ada’s 1st cousin 3 times removed (Jean and Ada are the nieces of the reunitee’s Great Great Grandfather).

They told me that Jeanie and Ada were two of four siblings (they had two brothers). Jeanie married James Anderson in 1896 and they emigrated to South Africa, where she lived out the rest of her life. Ada, as the annotations show, never married. This photograph must have been treasured by her family with Jeanie being so far away in South Africa.

The reunitee has also said that the photograph has given them renewed energy to look at this branch of their family.

19/07/2025

case #106: Auntie Edith

I found this lovely photograph of this fine lady with lots of useful annotations on the back! “Auntie Edith”, her maiden name, who she married. All of which made it very easy to identify her and her family.

This is Edith Harrison, born near Wrexham in 1874 on Plas Coch Farm. She had two brothers, so the photograph probably belonged to one of their children. She married Alexander Reid, a Scottish civil engineer (I seem to be finding quite a few connections to civil engineers) in 1896.

I was then able to search out and contact possible descendents and possible reunitees of Edith. I’m glad to say it has been reunited with her Great Great Nephew (Edith was his Great Grandfather’s sister).