Calling the MN History buffs! I have a small mystery - photos included

[FoxyLoxyy]

I know you’re out there - just wish I could remember some of your names from our previous chats! Tressialian … may be one?

Anyway, I’d love your help in finding out more about this young lady. She’s called Henrietta Stone and she posed for this photo when she was 20. Due to the style of her skirt, I’d hazard a guess that this photo was taken in 1860 ish - as the skirt is a full crinoline with a tighter bodice which was fashionable then

The photo was taken at The West Of London Photographic Company who were based at 194 Oxford Street, London.

I believe the name at the top of the photo (2nd pic) says Charlotte - so maybe she was the owner of the photo?

Any info anyone could locate would be really appreciated - I’m currently locked out of my ancestry account for some reason which is annoying

Hopefully photos will show up soon! Doesn’t she look incredible?

However a google shows that 194 Oxford street appears to have been built in 1887 but the style of dress is definitely earlier I believe

Henrietta Goodwin on back of photo (?) Maiden name?

However a google shows that 194 Oxford street appears to have been built in 1887

Prob. replacing an earlier building. The dress as you say is def. 1860ish

Give me a minute and I'll get on FMP.

Yes - back reads ‘Henrietta Goodwin 20 years of age’ so I’d assume she’s not married - although I know common to be married back then by 20.

and then there’s the addition of the name Charlotte at the top.

What makes you think she’s called Henrietta Stone?

It may be that the present building dates from 1887 but replaced an older building.

There is a photograph on Flickr which looks like the same period.

Engish Albumen Carte de Visite of Woman in Mourning, Circa 1863
"The West of London Photographic Company, 194 Oxford Street, London."

https://www.flickr.com/photos/60861613@N00/5459283005

On Ancestry I've found one, and only one, Henrietta Goodwin born in London in the 1840s, in April 1843 in Greenwich, so she would be 20 in 1863.

@User14Marchbecause her name is written on the back of the photo stating she’s 20 years of age in the pic

so I’d say it’s an almost definite that the name and age written on the back are who she is - as no point in the photographer (or whoever wrote it) making a name and age up

plus she is clearly a lady aged around 20 and err looks like a Henrietta 🤣

@HonoriaBulstrodeAh of course … a building will have existed before then as I didn’t think her dress fits any later than the 1860s

@Chersfrozenfaceoh thank you and well done. That surely fits if there’s just the one

@FoxyLoxyy Yes, it says "Henrietta Goodwin" on the back of the photo but in your OP you say "she's called Henrietta Stone".

Oh! @User14March@Chersfrozenfacein clearly an idiot! I KNOW it is Goodwin so where on earth did I conjure up Stone from? Clearly I’m making some weird association in my mind. Apologies

So far not finding her in 1851 or 1861.

@HonoriaBulstrode she could possibly be as far back as 1843

Unless of course Henrietta Goodwin is her married name and she's under her maiden name in the 1851 and 1861 Censuses.

If so, Henrietta Goodwin of Greenwich probably isn't her. Someone cleverer than me would need to find a Henrietta who married a Mr Goodwin after the 1861 Census date.

Ah, maybe being really dense :) But photo says ‘Goodwin’ not ‘Stone’ - unless elsewhere? If both names then one a maiden name & one married? Obvs missing something.

Henrietta G Goodwin died in quarter Mar 1923 aged 77 in Edmonton so born circa 1846.

I found a Henrietta E Goodwin of the right age in 1871. She was a housemaid in a household in Borden, down in Kent. Her birthplace is given as Woolwich, which is near enough to Greenwich.

She seems more well off than a housemaid would be, unless she experienced impoverished circumstances after this photo was taken or something.

Freebmd has Henrietta Grace Leslie born Q3 1845 Islington. She married in Q3 1866 Islington either Henry Riddle or Nathaniel Goodwin. I can't check any further as I don't have Ancestry or FMP at present.

I'm definitely up for some investigation tomorrow. A quick Google confirms that the company existed at a different address in the 1860s, as this picture shows. Note that it says 'copies of this photograph may always be obtained' which could explain why the dress style doeant match the date on the photo (I'm no fashion expert, so I'm just going off comments here, but I have a book on photo dating so will consult!)

@newrubylaneooh thanks. I’m only guessing at the age of the photo and basing it on the skirt which was fashionable in the 1860s and less so from then on. It could be 1870 but not much more than that.

And thanks all!

im thinking the photo is a mourning photo perhaps - skirt and head piece being black and we know that the Victorians were very fond of mourning photos / jewellery

It could be 1870 but not much more than that.

I think the full sleeves and crinoline would be well out of fashion by 1870. People might wear out of fashion clothes, of course, but the way she's posed, with the skirt carefully spread out, looks as if she's wearing her best and wants to show it off.

(The skirt might not have been black, it could have been any dark colour.)

Freebmd has Henrietta Grace Leslie born Q3 1845 Islington. She married in Q3 1866 Islington either Henry Riddle or Nathaniel Goodwin.

I think she's the HG Goodwin who died in 1923 in Edmonton. In 1921 she seems to have been on holiday in Southend. Her birthpace then is given as Islington.

Agree.