Photographer in Limerick 1840s?

montgo

I have a copy of a photo that appears to have been taken by "D. Crimin, Limerick". I can't find any google reference to this D. Crimin. Were there photographers in Limerick in the 1840s? Thanks

shanew

very few photographers around in the 1840s ..as far as I remember I found just one in Dublin at that time.

There is a David Crimins, photographer listed at 11 Upper William street, Limerick in later years. I found him listed from the 1880s - see : Photographers of Ireland 1848-1958

montgo

Thanks for that, Shane. I thought that it was too early to have photographers in Limerick. In any case, the people in the pic look way older than they would have been in the 1840s.

pinkypinky

I'm sure you're right, but it is worth remembering that people did look much older earlier in the past.

I have some photos of my gg-grandparents. They were in their 60s when taken and they look easily 15-20 years older. No make-up, no hair dye, much harder lives, etc.

montgo

Hi Pinky,
Agree that they often looked much older than they were back then. The couple were born 1806!

Considering that there were probably no photographers in Limerick back then, it is unlikely that the photo dates from then. However, since the family immigrated in 1851, it begs the question why it was in a paper photo frame of D. Crimin. I love a mystery.... so have emailed back to the owner of the pics.

shanew

maybe it's a family photo of some of the family that remained in Limerick that they sent to relatives later ?

shanew

the Limerick City website has a good directory search - see here One of the Photographer entries they show (James Belcher) goes back to 1867. Their first listing for D. Crimin/Cremin is 1886.

I think this is him in 1901

CeannRua

montgo wrote: »

Hi Pinky,
Agree that they often looked much older than they were back then. The couple were born 1806!

Considering that there were probably no photographers in Limerick back then, it is unlikely that the photo dates from then. However, since the family immigrated in 1851, it begs the question why it was in a paper photo frame of D. Crimin. I love a mystery.... so have emailed back to the owner of the pics.

The photo might just have been copied by Crimin whenever he set up business and pasted onto his backing paper?

phog

montgo wrote: »

I have a copy of a photo that appears to have been taken by "D. Crimin, Limerick". I can't find any google reference to this D. Crimin. Were there photographers in Limerick in the 1840s? Thanks

Are you on Twitter, tweet your query to @Limerickslife, she is generally very good with local history @GeorgianPopUp might be able to help you out too.

pedroeibar1

For photo dating comparison purposes here is my great great grandfather 1825 - 1885; no markings but I'd guess it dates to 1860's/70's?

Peregrinus

montgo wrote: »

Hi Pinky,
Agree that they often looked much older than they were back then. The couple were born 1806!

Considering that there were probably no photographers in Limerick back then, it is unlikely that the photo dates from then. However, since the family immigrated in 1851, it begs the question why it was in a paper photo frame of D. Crimin. I love a mystery.... so have emailed back to the owner of the pics.

There were few, if any, commercial photographers anywhere in the 1840s, never mind in Limerick.

The likely explanation is that this photograph was taken much later, in wherever the people concerned emigrated to, and possibly they had a number of prints made and sent them to other family members, one of whom was in Limerick and had the photgraph framed locally.

montgo

Hi,

Many thanks for all replies. Pedro, good pic of yr gggrandfather. Shane, tks for the Census link. At least it could not have been this David who took any photos in 1840s.

I'm pretty sure that the photos were taken much later in the US. I have heard back that one of the sons went back to Ireland in 1880 to join the Fenian movement so he might have returned home with some D. Crimin photos or as suggested they were posted by relatives from Ireland. It appears now that the photos were pasted onto the Crimin backing paper.
Thanks for your help.

CeannRua

If there's a woman in the photo her hairstyle and clothes might help date the photo. Women's styles changed more frequently than those of men.