Who is this man in the photo

[ThePandoricaOpens]

I found out a few years ago after my dad died (from my mum) that he never knew his bilogical father. I wasn't aware that my grandad was his stepdad. Apparently he found out when he was 18 and was very upset about it. My mum said he carried his photo in his wallet, but she thought she'd thrown it away after he died! She passed away last October and when I was going through her things I found some really old photos. I know some were my dad's as he'd shown me when I was younger. One postcard photo stood out (attached) and he looks spookily like my dad and I'm wondering if he's his father - I have no way of knowing! I've done a DNA test and found some relatives on my mums side, but having no luck with my dad's other than a couple that I can't see a link to. I put the photo into Chat GPT - front and back and what it came back with sounds pretty logical - date/place. It deciphered the scribbled out writing on the back as 'Ernest (Howe/House) Returned with bag, which makes me think he died in the war? Does anyone have any tips on how to find out anymore info? Sorry for the ramble!

@ThePandoricaOpens you may have already done this, but just in case you haven’t, here is a colourised photo. Sometimes easier to see features in colour.
Any resemblance to your Dad?
Have you looked via Facebook to see if there are any people with th Howe surname in Birkenhead/Merseryside area?

I don’t know anything about genealogy but he’s very hot.

OP, did you show that same photo of the back of the postcard that you've shared with us to ChatGPT? If so, I'm not sure that it could have deciphered anything from it, to be honest!

Something I've learned the hard way is that if ChatGPT doesn't know the answer to something, it will very rarely say 'I don't know' - it'll instead just make something up. Basically it will flat-out lie to you, and can sound very convincing! Its main programming is social, so it wants to give an answer that will please you, rather than being 100% accurate. Personally I find it a lot better for creative projects than ones where accuracy matters.

You might be better off taking the postcard to a museum and seeing if they have an expert who restores these types of ephemera, who might have some ideas about how to 'lift' the lettering on the back so it's readable.

Intriguing mystery, hope you solve it!

@ThePandoricaOpens If you change the settings on the back of the photo, it looks to be like is says
Edwin or Edward House
Birkenhead Road
Liverpool

which may well be a building and not the name of the person.

I also think it's just an address, not a name, sadly.

Something "House" - I'm not even confident that it begins with an E, but that does seem to be the majority consensus. Then a "Rd" beginning with B or R, and then I definitely agree with the PP who said it looks very much like it's "Heswall" for the village name.

Try posting in Crimewatch Wirral on FB It's got a huge following and often posts start 'not a crime, but'
Someone might be able to help on there.

I know this is an older thread but my dad didn't know who his father was either and that man looks so much like my dad!

My dad was born in Macclesfield 1944 🤔

Is it Brooklet Road? Or Briarfield Road?

How did you do that? I would love to do it with some old photos

@lemoncurd2025 There are lots of different ways. I used an app. Ancestry will do it for you if you have the photos in your tree.
Otherwise try AI - make sure you use the prompt in the article.
www.techradar.com/computing/artificial-intelligence/i-tried-using-chatgpt-to-restore-old-photos-heres-how-to-really-do-it

Op I know a lovely gentleman who 'reunites' fallen soldiers with their families.. Let me know if you want his details

He was a very good looking man! I hope you get some answers op (and do let us know)