Family archives - up to the Second World War

My grandfather Howard Sadler, on the left, presumably in France or Belgium, in 1917, with a friend called Wilkie. He was a Sapper in the Royal Engineers, that was his rank. He was a signaller, as shown by the blue and white armband. He communicated between units and their commanders using Morse code. This has been added to the Vintage Photos Theme Park for the 'pals, buddies etc.' theme.

One had to be properly dressed even when paddling.

Elsie was my grandmother.

I have worked out that this is Hereford from the bridge and the fact that they lived there! From another album there is another date - Feb 1917 - written on the album page. You can see that here - www.ipernity.com/doc/philsutters/49993096

My mother aged about three and a half, her mother and grandmother.

This photo taken by my grandfather, H.T.Sutters, while working as an electrical engineer, installing electrical systems in Abbassia Barracks, near Cairo, Egypt, has been uploaded for the Vintage Theme Park's animal theme. The reason I put 1912 or 1913 was that there were two of these tiny prints - less than a quarter of the size on this page - on my screen at least. One had 1912 written in pencil on the back and the other 1913. As they were definitely identical, it goes to show that dates on old photos can't always be relied on.

Uploaded for the Vintage Photo Theme Park - a bit late for the 'on the roof' theme. I didn't think of this being a roof and came upon it while looking for something else - as usual. I appear to have uploaded this for a second time, but as it has comments attached, I will leave this second copy here.

This advertising card from the inter-war years, has been uploaded to the Vintage Photos Theme Park group. The current week's theme is room interiors with an emphasis on style. Only a few of the many photos I have in the family albums are interior shots with any sense of the rooms they were taken in. This is the best I can offer. This was the family business of my grandmother's family, the Pritchards. It is still in existence in Hereford, although I have never been in there and have had very little contact with that side of the family. So I am not advertising for them. On an advert from a paper or magazine, next to this card in the album they claimed to have suits by top manufacturers, which I won't name, 'Top coats and rainwear from Sweden', 'Knitwear from Italy, Austria, Switzerland', 'Ties from France and Switzerland' , shirts again by top manufacturers, 'Jewellery from America, Germany', 'Underwear from Norway'. All for the local gentry and country house set in the Hereford area no doubt.

Uploaded for the Vintage Photos Theme Park 'telephones' week. Howard was my grandfather. He is the one lounging back in his shirt-sleeves. I guess that this was taken while training in England. These troops would eventually be formed into the Royal Corps of Signals. They laid thousands of miles of telephone cables along and between the trenches in France and Belgium. I know that he was at the battle of Ypres, but little else about his war.

Scanned and uploaded for the Vintage Photos Theme Park weekly theme of Ship out - going for a trip - extra marks for boats or ships. These photos in an old album of Dad's show fun and games during an educational trip to Greece. Dad studied Latin and Classical Greek at university. The photos are small and not too sharp in places, so I thought I would upload the whole album page rather than enlarge the prints and see their weaknesses in more detail. They are very atmospheric. They are creditted to C.J.H.Lewis. If the inheritors of his copyright have any objections to their display, I shall of course remove them. Dad sent a postcard of the Letitia to his parents. www.ipernity.com/doc/philsutters/50114584

Howard's comrades, who appear to have signed the back of this card-mounted photo, are: Bert Honnor , J.M.Corrie*, N.O.Grant, F.M.Pepper*, O.Evans, W.F.Jenkins, R.J.Bridgeland and H.Macmillan. *These names are a little indistinct and may not be correctly spelt here. The blue and white armbands indicated that they were signallers. While that made them easily identifiable by officers needing to transmit messages and orders, it could also put them at risk from snipers who aimed to disrupt their enemies' communications.

Uploaded to add the the Vintage Photos Theme Park - Milkmen or milk women or.......... food deliveries theme - slightly off theme but it seems to be the best I can offer. Although it doesn't seem to be at a station (and it certainly isn't a home delivery) there is a second photo on the platform, with the younger vendor serving an older lady, beside the train.

Probably painted by the same artist as the communication station, this also is likely to date to the early 20th century.

Among the many photos that have come into my possession from my late Mother, are a couple of small watercolours. The other one is a very simple seascape of the Entrance to the Pireaus. This one fascinates me. It is very precise. I would guess that it is from the beginning of the 20th century. The tall mast still has the rigging for flag signals. The structures on the cabin could be radio masts, although the taller part of the right-hand structure appears to have a cowl at the top. There is no indication of the subject or its location. Given the Greek location of the other painting, it could be that this was painted abroad. It seems unlikely that this building still stands, so I am not expecting anyone to identify it, but if anyone can that would be great. That it was among photos from the Pritchard family is not surprising. As can be seen from a newspaper article, they were always interested in new technology, which in the late 19th & early 20th centuries included wireless and flying. I have uploaded the article and an accompanying photo of members of the family with a balloon. The article is at www.ipernity.com/doc/philsutters/39796278 and the photo next to that.