western australia

An old photo of my parents and grandparents

@JudyEv (349411)

Rockingham, Australia

January 12, 2024 7:30am CST

I might have put this photo up before but it would have been some time ago. It shows my grandparents seated in front, my parents on the left and my uncle and his wife on the right. My grandparents had two sons, just as we do. My father was the younger. It’s pretty obvious that the photo was taken in the days when you weren’t expected to smile for the camera.

22 people like this

22 responses

@Tampa_girl7 (52185)

• United States

12 Jan 24

Really nice photo. I wonder why smiling wasn’t required ? I’ve noticed this in many of our really old photos.

4 people like this

@BarBaraPrz (49091)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

12 Jan 24

Long exposure times...

3 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

@Tampa_girl7 @BarBaraPrz I don't if that was the case here. I guess it could have been. It would have been taken some time after 1937.

3 people like this

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (318822)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

12 Jan 24

Your father has a hint of a smile on his face. Nice picture.

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Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (318822)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

16 Jan 24

@JudyEv Pictures without smiles look so sad. The men in your picture look happier than the women.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Jan 24

@just4him They do for sure. The women are the in-laws. Maybe that made the difference.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

It seemed to be the fashion not to smile but maybe it was because they had to hold the pose for a certain period.

2 people like this

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@xFiacre (13373)

• Ireland

12 Jan 24

@judyev We’ve come across a lot of old photos while preparing to move. They really are quite special but none of our kids will want them when the time comes.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

That's how it is with a lot of our stuff. We're trying to go through it and sort it out a bit. We've scanned a lot of photos so, if we do throw some out will have a copy of them at least.

2 people like this

@Shiva49 (27029)

• Singapore

12 Jan 24

The cliche - those were the days - comes to mind. Times have changed from the days when photos were rare - now at the drop of a hat!

3 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

Now everyone is inundated with photos but many rarely look at them.

2 people like this

@porwest (98526)

• United States

12 Jan 24

Even if they weren't smiling, it sure is fun to see pictures from so long ago. Definitely a different time.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

It's interesting to see the fashion in clothes and shoes. You don't see too many waistcoats nowadays.

2 people like this

@porwest (98526)

• United States

16 Jan 24

@JudyEv No. You certainly don't.

2 people like this

@Beestring (15104)

• Hong Kong

12 Jan 24

What a nice and precious photo.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

It's nice to have these mementos of years gone by.

2 people like this

@RebeccasFarm (93151)

• United States

12 Jan 24

Oh Judy, I so love your family photos..this one is no exception..look at them all the Angels bless RIP

3 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

Such a long time ago and yet sometimes it doesn't seem that long.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (472480)

• Switzerland

12 Jan 24

This is a wonderful old photo. I noticed that in the photos of the past people never smiled.

2 people like this

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@LadyDuck (472480)

• Switzerland

16 Jan 24

@JudyEv This is true, they had to keep still for a while. I think they god tired of smiling, it was easier not to smile.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

It might have been, as @BarBaraPrz suggested, that they had to hold a pose for a certain amount of time.

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@Marilynda1225 (84111)

• United States

12 Jan 24

Back in those days pictures were so formal. I think my grandmother had an outfit very similar to your grandmothers.

2 people like this

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@Marilynda1225 (84111)

• United States

16 Jan 24

@JudyEv I bet our grandparents would be shocked to see how far picture taking has come especially the whole selfish thing

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

My grandfather has a waistcoat. They were obligatory at the time for such photographs although neither of the sons have them.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Jan 24

@Marilynda1225 My Dad eventualy bought a camera that could take photos of horses jumping. Before that, such a photo would have been just a blur. But then you only took a few photos as film and developing was so expensive.

2 people like this

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@JESSY3236 (20319)

• United States

16 Jan 24

nice photo.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Jan 24

Thanks. I'm lucky to have quite a few old photos.

1 person likes this

@Deepizzaguy (108044)

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

13 Jan 24

Nice picture of your relatives.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

Thanks. It's nice to have these records.

2 people like this

@Deepizzaguy (108044)

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

16 Jan 24

@JudyEv You are welcome.

2 people like this

@Ronrybs (20209)

• London, England

13 Jan 24

Just so long as you couldn't move for ten minutes! It is an interesting link in family history

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

I suppose that might have been the case here. I don't remember ever being told if they had to hold their pose for ages.

2 people like this

@LindaOHio (185340)

• United States

13 Jan 24

That's a great picture. Have a good weekend.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

Thanks. I hope your weekend went well too.

2 people like this

@LindaOHio (185340)

• United States

16 Jan 24

@JudyEv You're welcome. It was very quiet.

2 people like this

Mildred Tabitha

@mildredtabitha (16422)

• Nairobi, Kenya

12 Jan 24

Even without a smile, it is such a beautiful photo.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

It has recorded a moment in history, hasn't it?

2 people like this

Mildred Tabitha

@mildredtabitha (16422)

• Nairobi, Kenya

16 Jan 24

@JudyEv Yes it has.

2 people like this

@GardenGerty (162848)

• United States

13 Jan 24

Such a great memory to have. I wish people had smiled in their pictures!!!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

They do look very serious, that's for sure.

1 person likes this

@BarBaraPrz (49091)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

12 Jan 24

Funny how the aunts look more alike than the uncles...

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

I hadn't noticed before but you're quite right.

2 people like this

@snowy22315 (186879)

• United States

12 Jan 24

However, dressing nicely for your pics was obviously requested though.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

Yes, these would have been their best outfits.

2 people like this

Anne Marie Guyer

@LeaPea2417 (37687)

• Toccoa, Georgia

12 Jan 24

I love to look at old photos like that. Very nice.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

We're lucky to have so many of these old photos.

2 people like this

@Juliaacv (52718)

• Canada

12 Jan 24

Although it was not the norm to smile for the camera, obviously the men were in good humour as they all seem to be almost smiling. Either the women had difficult lives or their shoes were tight, they do not look as easy going and happy.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

My Nanna was a bit of a tartar and the two daughters-in-law were possibly on tenterhooks.

2 people like this

@dya80dya (36960)

•

12 Jan 24

This picture is nice. We all will become pictures.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (349411)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan 24

Yes, that's true - and sometime after that, no-one will remember us at all.

1 person likes this