My name is Orla Fitzpatrick and I am a photo-historian and librarian from Dublin, Ireland. This blog will feature ‘found’ photos from my own personal collection. They are mainly Irish and mostly amateur images – the type of vernacular photographs which seldom find their way into museum collections even though they are a rich visual resource. Most of these photographs were found in charity shops, skips or bought from online auctions and I am interested in the process whereby they have become separated from the families who once valued them. Where possible, I have linked to publications, blogs or collections which illustrate similar material.
Contact: orlafranfitz@gmail.com
twitter: @orlaffitz
This page has the following sub pages.
Dear Orla,
Dave just passed on this link and it is really fabulous to see the pictures.
I was wondering whether or not you were going to the Susie Clark id & storage training at Trinity in November… would love to see you there. I am going to the archivists’ day, as an act of wilful resistance to conservation!
Would love to keep in touch as I really enjoyed meeting you at the Joinery. Please let me know if you are about for a coffee one evening
Thoughts,
Louise.
Hi,
This is brilliant.. I can relate to these old photographs, they remind me of searching through old photos in the attic of my grandmothers house back in Clare years ago, or places I remember from late 60’s Co.Clare that had not yet been completely modernised in that early 70’s way. I still see these places in my head in B/W. Empty town streets with a parked Morris Minor or ass ‘n’ cart bringing churns to the creamery.
thanks for this,
James
Absolutely brilliant site. Especially interested in the dublin pictures. Keep up the great work.
Hi, Great to see these photos. Like looking through an old stained window into the past. Loved the shot of Collins Barracks, where my old man served for a while. Its always a little surprising to see pictures of people having fun in the past, like the guy jumping over the the deckchair.
Thanks,
John
Great idea, and long may your good work continue.
Ok so now i’m totally addicted to looking at your photos. I have many old photos taken in Ireland during the 40s and 50s. I was born in Dublin and we emigrated to Canada in 1957. I have taken many,many trips back to visit as all my Dad’s family remained in Dublin. All my mother’s family emigrated after us and remain in Montreal. Only my sister and 1 cousin moved to Toronto where I reside.
Hi,
This blog is absolutely fantastic!
I have been tracing my husband family line. He was adopted as a baby, but his birth mother was Josephine Wilfreda Jacklett and through family name changes Jackletts and Jacolette are part of the same family.
The other fascinating part about this is that Peter is a photographer – so how many photographers or photographic researchers are in this family.
Peter took some great photographs in London in the fiftys and sixtys – I’ll get him to send them to you, if you like.
The world really is a small place!
I love looking at the time of photos that you have on this site – the ordinary lives or ordinary people.
Best wishes with your research/history.
Cheers
Annie Bryan
Hello,
Thanks very much for looking at the blog. I am glad you enjoy it. I am afraid my surname isn’t actually Jacolette – it is something altogether more Irish – Fitzpatrick. The reason I chose Jacolette was because of my interest in the history of Dublin photo studios – Jacolette was the name of a studio in Dublin active from 1850. They also sold pendants and brooches which incorporated photographic images. They were based at 40 Westmoreland Street. Edie Chandler’s book ‘Photography in Ireland: The Nineteenth Century’ contains a contemporary cartoon depicting some of the photographers who were working in Dublin in the 1860s and it includes Mr. Jacolette. He was probably part of the family who had photographic studios in England – Martin Jacolette who was based in London.
Hope this is of some help,
Regards,
Orla.
Ah! It’s you Orla ….. great blog – even though we seem to both have picked the same WordPress theme 🙂
Thanks a million! Great minds think alike and all that … I think its the most tasteful theme of the lot. See you soon, Orla.
Hi, this is a brilliant website, thanks for putting the time and effort into sharing the photos.
I’m just begining my family tree, it’s all theory at the moment but I’d love to find some photos eventually of where my great grandparents lived!
Thanks very much. Glad you got something out of it. Where are your family from?
Great blog.
Thanks Kate, Glad you enjoy it, Orla.
Hi
I am researching a series about Dublin the in the last 100 years and I was wondering if it would be possible to chat to you about your collection.
Many Thanks
Michelle
Orla,
The Nolan/Byrne photos you rescued are beautiful. I think I could ID those families if you were to give me some names and timeframes. I work on several Nolan family histories and subscribe to so many databases 🙂
Kate in Chicago
wonderful and interesting work. Adelle
Hi Orla,
Congrats on the blog/site. I am the Archivist for Fingal Co Co and have recently acquired a collection of family papers which includes 100s of photos from a daguerrotype to carte de visites (mostly Dublin), glass slides to modern colour prints. Unfortunately, I don’t know which of the family took the non studio shots, mostly of their big houses and friends and family, but also many of Malahide, Skerries and howth harbour. Have been trying to find early lists of members of irish Photographic Society…any ideas? regards, Colm McQuinn
This is a wonderful resource. I’d love to exchange links with you, I looked for a contact form but didn’t find it.
Hello Jesse, Thanks very much for looking and congratulations on the success of your own. I’ll definitely refer to it for work. There is a contact e-mail on the info part of the blog if you want to send the links. Bye for rainy, Orla.
Hi
I´m from Canary Islands, and I just love your blog, really like what you are doing… I follow the blog with RSS… and I see that you buy photos in internet… I have a blog about the history of my city… I`m sharing old photos of my city in my blog http://www.conocelaisleta.wordpress.com and I would love to check if i can buy photos of Canary Islands in internet, old ones, because a lot of people have been coming here on holidys since 1887…
Sorry about my english and perhaps you can tell me where you buy old photos, maybe we can get something from Canary Islands…
Thank you Jonatan Ortega
Hi I’ve just found your blog via Twitter and I’m thrilled! I’ve a bit of an obsession with cabinet cards myself and I’m lucky to have a few from the Cork and Wicklow sides of the family, plus the Dublin in-laws! I particularly love ones with pets in them, some of them are so poignant and obviously much loved by the sitter. I’ll be visiting here often!
I found your blog when searching for Kilpatrick Photography, Donegall Place, Belfast. I have just scanned a large batch of photos that belonged to my Grandmother. One of the photos is a cabinet card photo with this photographer’s information on the card. It does not identify the street number, only Donegall Place. Could I send this to you to look at? Perhaps you could tell me more about the studio?
Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Megan Davenport
Maumelle, Arkansas
Hello Megan, I’d be delighted to look at it. I’ve e-mailed you directly, Orla.
An equally compelling and informative site about your 19th century photographs from Ireland… with many wonderfully clear images (both front and back). Nicely done!
I really think the photograph is so special . What I see in a photo may be completely different from what somebody else sees . I may be interested in the fashion , you may be interested in the cars . Very good .
Hi,
as others I stumbled on your pictures. I am nephew of H.J.Malcomson and Grandson of H.T.Malcomson. H.J. or Herdy as he was known was a great photographer as was my father Ian, Herdy’s younger brother. I have many old family photos in my possession (some in colour from the 1930’s) and also artefacts from H.T who as you say was a great naturalist. I would be interested in comparing notes
Fascinating blog with loads of information. Great just to scroll and look at old photos – even if we have no idea who the people are, hours of interest in imagining lives and worlds of long ago.
Hi I have a photograph taken at F H Mares of a woman who is from my family but I am having dating her. If I sent you a copy of the photograph would you be able to help? I think it was taken probably in the 1860s.
I just noticed you have a photo of a dog sitting on a chair and it’s the same chair!
Dear Orla,
My mother just passed away a month ago. She always told us about his ancestor, a Mr. Charles H. Williams, who came from Dublin to Peru, as British Consul or some other appointment by the end of the XIX century. Now I have found a card with a picture, which I wonder is him, On the back of the picture, it reads:
“Patronized by THE Prince and Princess of Wales HRN Prince Arthur HRM The Duke of Cambridge HSM Prince Teck Chancellor The Governor of India Lord Lieut of Ireland & His Grace the Duke of Leicester”
In the middle, Chancellor is written.
Would you kindly confirm whether Chancellor was a picture make in Dublin?
I can send you the picture if you want to see it.
Best regards,
Juan Ignacio Lagos C.
Hi Orla, I really enjoyed your presentation at the NLI today.I’m a genealogist and find it frustrating when there are no dates or names on photos! I’ve got one of my late father-in-law’s shop in Dun Laoghaire with a family group outside but we don’t know the date other than his father who died in 1938 was in it. There’s a poster for a dance on the window but we can’t read details. It might have a date for the event. Do you think a photographer could ‘zoom’ in to clarify the detail? Love your blog and will follow you on facebook now too! Noreen
Hi Noreen, So glad you liked the talk today. I’ve given talks on photos before but never on dating so I hope to refine and have more examples etc. If you scanned the photo hi-res and send it to me, I’ll see if it can be clarified.
That would be great Orla, thanks. I’ve posted a link to your blog on my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Hiberniaroots and twitter @hiberniaroots
Hi – I am trying to date 3 studio portraits taken in Cork , I think 1880-1920. One Stritch studios, Fermoy and another Artisto studio, 123 Patrick St, Cork City..Prehaps all 3 of the same lady… Any chance you might be able to help?
Thanks,
Judy
Hi Orla,
Just checking to see if you got my e mail regarding your images of Irish wedding parties. Kind regards – Peter
Hi Orla,
I was googling to find info on Irish fashion, and stumbled on your blog! great images, well done, loving it!!
I write a blog too,it’s called workinglivingtravelinginireland.blogspot.com it has practical tips about finding a job in Ireland and general other bits!
I’ll keep reading, have only looked at a few posts!
thanks!
Katleen
Your blog is just wonderful, and beautifully executed. I’m wanting to date a photo taken at Photographic Studio of John J Thompson High Street Omagh, Nth Ireland. Where can I discover the range of years this Studio operated?
Hello, I will e-mail you a list of his locations. All the best, Orla.
Hi Orla just came across your wonderful site, I’m 71 and grew up in Dublin in the 50’s. I have a few old Family photos dating back to 1910 on my Facebook site. My Facebook site is Gerry Goggins and my email is gmgoggins@hotmail.co.uk, if you contact me I would be happy to post you some of my collection of Dublin photos. Kind regards.
Thanks very much. I’ll e-mail you directly.
Hi Orla, Just wondering if we could promote your blog on dlr Libraries facebook page tomorrow. We loved it and think our following would equally so..thanks,. Maeve
Hello Maeve, Thanks for your interest in the blog. That sounds like a great idea just as long as the photos are credited. I e-mailed you directly but it bounced back. I’ll try through facebook. All the best, Orla.