This striking photograph, taken in 1910 by Blantyre photographer David Ritchie, beautifully captures a group of Edwardian ladies and a young girl posing gracefully on a garden stairway.
I recognise the location, despite it not being there for more than 80 years. It’s the quoiting green at Auchentibber at High Blantyre, the former rustic arch the giveaway. This location worthy of photographs for it had not long been created just a couple of years earlier. There’s no sign of the black fashions of the Victorian era. Instead, the ladies wide brimmed, feathered hats and flowing high-waisted skirts reflect the height of Edwardian fashion, a time when style was both elegant and elaborate!
It’s a great photo. Radiating s a sense of calm summer leisure, with leaves on the trees and most certainly represents a day out. Crisp white blouses, parasols, and carefully styled hair framing an era just before the First World War which would transform society forever. Notice the garden arch, designed to look rustic and natural, a fashionable feature of in this period. A simple technique of nailing on pieces of bark to a trellis underneath.
David’s photo is a fascinating glimpse into the genteel life of over a century ago, reminding us how quickly everyday moments become cherished history. I’ve managed to zoom in with good clarity for a closer look and in excellent resolution, that each could be a new photo in itself!
#EdwardianEra #1910sFashion #SocialHistory #VintagePhotography #EdwardianStyle #HistoricalScotland
