To display old circus photo?

[Sprogonthetyne]

One of the only photos I have with my grandfather was taken when I was 4 and he took my sister & I to the circus. I'm sat on top of an elephant, with him and my sister stood next to it. I'd like to see if I can get the photo digitally restored and add it to my family photos wall (it's a very old Polaroid), but I'm not sure if I'm OK with the idea of remembering/ celebrating the use of circus animals.

YANBU = it was a nice family outing in the context of the time, don't let changes in public understanding/ values detract from memory of time spent with a grandparent

YABU = that elephant definitely did not want to be dressed up in a tent with random kids sat on it. Displaying the photo would be condoning animal cruelty

Get it restored, I wouldn't ask on here as people telling you not to might taint how you feel about it. Keep it as a memory of an exciting trip with your family. Put it on display at home, look at it and remember him fondly.

Dh has a picture of him and his brother at the seaside holding monkeys. Would he do it now? No. Do we display the photo? Yes.

Your poll might not reflect the votes accurately as you have put the options in your post the other way around to the voting.plus some twats just vote to upset the OP,

but YANBU. It's a photo from a different time & one of your Grandfather (&you & your sister!). Enjoy the lively memory.

we do better, when we know better, that's what counts 🤗

I wouldn’t want to display it, but why not just have it restored, display it for a while and see how you feel about it then. If you feel ok about it then leave it on display, if you don’t, then take it down. No hand wringing required.

I have a photo in early 80s of me and my brother riding camels at London zoo. I had no idea it was no longer done. So I guess I wouldn’t do it now.

I wouldn't think twice about doing this. Old family photos are such lovely things to have on display.

In the 80s in SE London a local family close to us had a monkey in a cage, in their front garden, it was open to passers by, I saw it once. My mum remembers in 1940s a family local to her had a monkey as a pet in a house/hut in the garden.

Same. I have a lovely picture on display of my dad holding me, and I was holding a monkey.

It was not unusual back in the 60s.

We can remember the past with fondness, but at the same time recognise that some things are best left there. Twas always the way and will always be so.

I wonder what we consider to be OK now will be looked on with horror in 60 years time.

Yanbu display the photo.

We've all got dated photos. I wouldn't hesitate to display a photo of me/my family doing something we wouldn't want to recreate 50 years later - times change.

I very much believe that things should be judged in the context of time and understood in that way (does that make sense??). These days we don't ride elephants but it was acceptable until relatively recently. Henry Vlll cut off heads but our king doesn't do that now. People seeing the photo should put it in historical context.

Although taken over 80 years ago now we've family photos of my Ddad as a baby in a pram dressed in a white dress.

Hand me down item of clothing from his sisters I dare say, but not something you'd necessarily do today.

My grandad was dressed up as a little girl until he was 4 or so. We have pictures of him with blond long curls, ribbons in hair, white lace dress. Quite common especially in upper class families. Apparently though it was common to do this as it was practical, economical and socially acceptable and done in Victorian times up to 4-7 years for boys.

I think worse of people I know who rode elephants in Thailand not that long ago. We definitely knew better when they went.
It’s not something we’d do now but you’re not displaying it on a public wall for anyone else to see and judge, it’s a family memory of someone you love and I think it’s fine to put it up in your own house.

Yeah i just voted wrong

I loved my grandfather to bits and it wouldn't matter what we were doing if it was a lovely memory of a time with my grandfather. Definitely get ir restored and display it proudly as a little girl who loved her Grandad.

It's a photo of your dearly loved grandad, that's what counts. Re the elephant and circus, you didn't know any different then and you had no control over the situation either, so what difference does it make? You wouldn't do it now you have agency.

Consider this: if you hadn't been taken to the circus, you probably wouldn't have a photo of grandad at all.

Oh lord....

My DD's family were certainly not middle class...more a thing of large family, baby number 15 of 17, so clothes had to be threadbare, then some before being binned.

Unless you plan to invite an elephant into your family home who might be traumatised by this image, don't think twice about showing it.

Apparently other classes did it too. It was to save money on clothes and potty training apparently.

🤣🤣🤣

Display in your home yes, but I wouldn’t share in any public media as it’ll attract criticism

Unfortunately it is still legal in the UK to keep certain primates as pets. Doctor Alison Cronin of Monkey world has campaigned for the practise to be banned

Your poll might not reflect the votes accurately as you have put the options in your post the other way around to the voting.

I've noticed OPs do this so often and always wonder why 🤔

Oh no that’s sad.