Ask the photo expert – traditional Welsh costumes

Our photo dating expert, Jayne Shrimpton, analyses your family photos.

Sarah Bassett sent us her photo and asked:

‘This is a photo of my great-grandmother (standing), born in 1876. We think that the lady seated is her mother, who died in 1891. We believe the photo dates from around 1889/90, but any extra opinions and views would be lovely. We assume the clothing and hats were props used in the studio by the photographer.’

Jayne says:

‘This is a formal studio portrait and, judging from its appearance, probably a cabinet card measuring 16.5 x 11cms – the most popular photographic format of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We see from the details at the bottom of the mount that the photographer had branches in both Llanelly and Birmingham. An online database that covers Welsh studios is Victorian Professional Photographers in Wales, 1850-1925. This provides photographer data organised by region and under Carmarthenshire it states that McLucas & Co. operated for almost 40 years, between 1884 and 1923. The style of the mount, however, is much more closely dateable: this type of design, pressed into the card, can be dated to just a few years – 1899-1906.

The image itself is hard to date precisely because, as we see, the ladies aren’t dressed in ordinary fashionable clothes but wear traditional Welsh costume comprising short-sleeved dresses, checked and striped aprons, white caps and the iconic Welsh hat. Welsh women had worn men’s felt hats since the at least the 1700s, but this distinctive tall style with a stiff brim, made of linen buckram covered with silk plush (like men’s top hats), was first introduced in the 1830s.

It is believed to have been worn mainly by women of middling status, such as successful farmer’s wives, for example, to market, at chapel and church and for special occasions.

In the late 19th century these hats were discontinued as part of regular dress but afterwards they were donned, along with these other elements of historic costume, chiefly for celebratory or staged events, and by Welsh choirs. As you say, Welsh photographers might also provide picturesque clothing so that visitors to the studio could dress up if they wished.

The c.1899-1906 date of this photograph means that, unfortunately the seated lady cannot possibly be your 2 x great-grandmother, who died in 1891, although I see no reason to doubt that the standing lady is your great-grandmother, who would have been aged in her 20s when this was taken. Her companion is likely to be older than her as, according to photographic convention, senior members of a pair or group were usually positioned sitting down. In my opinion, however, the seated lady may not be very much older, so I wonder whether she could be a sister, cousin or even a friend.’

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