Sepia Saturday 216: 22 February 2014


Alan from Sepia Saturday says:

Ever since photography was knee high to a grasshopper, the suit has been the be-all and end-all of masculine fashion. And our theme image for Sepia Saturday 216 (post your posts on or around Saturday 22 February) celebrates the suit : or rather three suits, or rather three three-piece suits. And for good measure there are three wonderful hats as well (why is it that the drab suit has stood the test of time whilst the far more practical and visually expressive hat has not?). If you don't like suits and hats you can always focus on the group of three. Or you can hunt out any other potential prompt within this picture by that old Sepia Saturday favourite Sam Hood (1872-1953) which features in the Australian National Maritime Museum collection on Flickr Commons.

I think I have just about drained my resources of photos from my family collection of men in suits but here are some more (I don't think I've used these before....forgive me if I have done so).

Jack Casey
Now all I have to go on is the back of the photo which has, in my mother's handwriting "Jack Casey"....I imagine it is from my grandfather's collection - that is, my maternal grandfather - Tom McLoughlin - although I don't think he is in the photo.  I'm not sure which person is Jack Casey - the person on the left or the person on the right.  Most frustrating.  A search of Trove suggests that Jack Casey in the 1920s was a bit of a sculler and participated in the World Championships.  I'm not really a sporting person, so there may be others who can fill in the blanks here.  Check out this article here on Trove for a fairly detailed description of Jack's age and physique.  So, there you are.  Not three men in suits and hats...just two.

Two men and a boat

Once again, another photo from my grandfather's collection.  No idea who it is or where but it's all good fun isn't it.....particularly the legs and feet on the left there that seem to be leaning......

Last one from the family collection shows only one three piece suit really....but I like it because that is my mother, peeking over her mother's shoulder.  A family outing...somewhere...sometime....I'm guessing around 1945.  My mother looks about 10 years old don't you think.  Not too young but not too old.  I'm not sure who all the other people are...particularly the couple on the left.  The two ladies in the middle are the twins, my maternal grandmother Kit and her sister Belle.  Then on the right Bell's daughter Joy and I'm assuming her father, Bill Wingfield.



Barbara McLoughlin and the Wingfields on an excursion c. 1945

But let's have a look at what I found on Picture Queensland...that's always a lot of fun.

Railway workers strike near Central Railway Station, Brisbane, St. Patrick's Day, 1948
Yes, I know not all of them are wearing three-piece suits but I thought there were enough hats and I liked the movement and sense of expectation in the photo....

Max Porter, Wondai
This chap just looks nice, doesn't he?  He used to own a Berkshire Stud piggery apparently at Wondai.

Radke family portrait, ca.1920-1930 
 I am intrigued by this photo.  Who was this family?  Nobody's suits seem to fit properly really.  The SLQ photo description says....A group portrait of six male members of the Radke family posing behind a chair with a model bi-plane which sits in front of the group. A central man in the portait, possibly a South Sea Islander, is in a white suit, whereas the rest of the men are wearing dark suits. 

There's a story here to be sure....

Gibson Brothers c. 1940 
There's a story here too I'm sure...what a great photo!  SLQ photo description says: Gibson brothers (4 sisters absent from photo). L-R kneeling is Thomas, standing behind unknown, Russell (Maleny butcher), Edward (Ted) with pipe, behind unknown, James in light suit with cigarette and Alexander (Alex). (Description supplied with photograph.) 

Still hungry for more?

Fredrick Roy Noon


So am I, but it is dinner time and Caspar is dishing up, so you'll have to come back next week....or mosey on over to Sepia Saturday and see what else is on the menu.


Comments

Anonymous said…



















An interesting collection.
21 Wits said…
You always offer such an interesting, and beautiful presentation, story line as well as photos, thanks, I enjoyed this.
Kristin said…
Three more men in hats on a mountain for next week. Hope you didn't use all your hat photos in this selection. I think I like the one with the young man holding his hat in the last photograph best.
La Nightingail said…
Nice pix. That's quite the dapper fellow in the last photo, and I hope Casper made an enjoyable meal. :))
Unknown said…
That last suit is pretty amazing! Looks like a spotted number...
Mike Brubaker said…
Another haberdasher's post, well done! The first young man on the left has the look of an athlete or sculler, but we would have to check his height, weight, and chest size (normal) against what was listed in the newspaper.
diane b said…
A great collection of men in suits
Alex Daw said…
Thanks. It was fun to put together.
Alex Daw said…
Thank YOU Karen. It was my absolute pleasure and I'm glad you found enjoyment in it too.
Alex Daw said…
I know. I know. I suspect I did use all my hat photos. I like the last photo very much too. It's very dapper isn't it?
Alex Daw said…
My sentiments exactly and yes Caspar mastered the art of sushi quite well for a first attempt.
Alex Daw said…
It does look spotty doesn't it Deb but I think it is just a heavy tweed.
Alex Daw said…
Yes Mike. I think the man on the left looks more like 31 years of age rather than the man on the right.
Alex Daw said…
Thanks Diane. I do like a collection I must confess.
Bob Scotney said…
Perhaps the men in the ill-fitting suits are wearing hand-me-downs; one chap on the left of the white suit looks drowned by his. Posh chap at the end.
Jofeath said…
Excellent suit and/or hat collection. The woman who is leaning over might be being seasick, but if so the men don't look particularly perturbed, so probably n.ot
If you look up "dapper" in the dictionary you'll find a photo of Mr. Fredrick Roy Noon.
Alan Burnett said…
I don't think you have anything like drained your resources if you can come up with such a collection as this (I was almost tempted to put "such a suitable collection")
Little Nell said…
Like you Alex, I find myself searching further afield than my own albums, but isn't it fun when we do? You came up with a great collection.
Wendy said…
A well-fitted suit demands respect. The men in your photos are distinguished.
Alex, keep an eye out for my post on Sepia Saturday in a couple of weeks -it will be relevant to this post.
Alex Daw said…
Oh well now you have me completely intrigued Pauleen!!

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