Daguerreotype and ambrotype

[Selford]

I've been given what I think are a daguerreotype and an ambrotype of two different ancestors. I've used the National Archives to identify that's what they are, which suggests they date from the 1850s or maybe 1860s.
My query is that the branch of the family where they presumably come from were poor at that point - I was told by an archivist that they were living in one of the worst slums in Europe (Nottingham) and I'm really surprised that they could afford such a luxury. Everything I've read suggests that it was middle and upper class people who had 'photos' made - so either this is wasn't always true and working class people sometimes did so, or they're not of family members (which is possible but I think unlikely).

Does anyone have any thoughts/know anything about these type of images?

I have similar photos and my family were not well off either. The woman I have a photo of was the daughter of a sailor who died when she was a child (probably syphilis) and was raised by her washerwoman mother. They were not middle class by ANY stretch of the imagination.

My take on it was that photography was the most incredible new technology that everyone wanted in on. People were prepared to save up and get their photographs done - it was a huge treat. Sort of like someone saving up now a few pounds a week and buying a designer handbag or for a concert ticket. Every town and city had photographers, they would not have to travel to find someone.

Thanks, that's really interesting to know. I had wondered if your idea of an affordable luxury was the explanation and it's good to know that other working class families have these artefacts.

I just wish I knew for sure which ancestor they are of!

Well, that's the other thing. How sure are you they are your ancestors?

@Ellmau I'm fairly sure as

• the images were with other photos which are all definitely family
• they are from studios in Nottingham and the family left there in 1880 and moved quite far away

- assuming a date of late 1850s for the daguerrotype it could be my 2x great grandmother who was the only surviving girl in a family of boys - the ambrotype (assuming it's later) could be her husband, possibly prior to their marriage

I do appreciate your point, though, that all of this is conjecture