Many of the nineteenth century photographs found in library collections are of families – groups of children, couples alone, or the entire family together. Some show the resignation, and on occasions, the outright boredom felt by the younger sitters. Interesting too are the family resemblances, some children favouring one parent, others an amalgam of the two, all showing that families often do look like peas in a pod – not identical but all alike in some way.

Photographer: David Elder Wood
South Melbourne c1901-c1910
Courtesy State Library of Victoria

This photograph is a clear case of peas in a pod, or perhaps chips off the old block. The toddler in the middle is most certainly her mother’s daughter.

Photographer: Walter Hodgkinson c1880-c1900
Courtesy State Library of Victoria

The photographer, Walter Hodgkison, took photographs throughout country Victoria and New South Wales—scenes of the countryside as well as portraits in less formal settings. The boy on the front left appears to be unbreeched. It was quite common to dress little boys in skirts up until the 1920s, possibly to assist with the mechanics of toileting small children. However, many mothers did put their boys in trousers (breeches) much earlier. In view of the pretty bonnet, I would assume the child in the pram is a girl.

Both of these are studio portraits, complete with props. Both groups of siblings are clearly from reasonably well-off families. The eldest of the young women is wearing sizeable earrings, a ring or rings, and a brooch and necklace. The clothing of the younger children is of a finer quality than those worn in the photograph below. This particularly noticeable in the boys suits, possibly tailor-made, not run up at home.

A family group from the Western District, Victoria c1870-c1879
Photographer: Melbourne Photographic Company
Courtesy State Library of Victoria

Stoicism rather than absolute boredom seems to be the attitude here in everyone except the younger children. The piping and braid on the clothing, particularly of the youngest children, indicates that these are probably their best clothes worn mainly for going to church, or for having their photograph taken. The little girls’ dresses are not quite identical but seem to be made from the same cloth and decorated in a similar way.

Margaret and her grandmother c1920
Photographer: Carl Reinhold Hartmann
Photograph is in Copyright
Courtesy State Library of Victoria

And this one is here not only for the resemblances but because it is such a beautiful picture of a grandmother and granddaughter.

Photographer: Andrew Rider
Williamstown, c1870-c1890
Courtesy State Library of Victoria

The baby appears to be the only member of this family actually interested in the activity of the photographer. And the poor little girl on the right appears about to burst into tears.

Courtesy State Library of Victoria

Taken between 1880 and 1900, the names of the members of this family and the photographer are unknown. There is something more than just the tedium of sitting for a photograph in the faces here. Not only the children but even the old man, most probably the grandfather, seem to have sadness in their eyes. The grandfather is also wearing a black armband which would indicate mourning.
(Note that the little boy at the front is unbreeched.)

And finally, one from the family vaults.

Taken about 1905 (photographer unknown), these are six of the eight children of Sarah Ann Watson (1861-1939) and William O’Connor (1847-1922) of Valencia Creek, Victoria. The young woman on the left is my grandmother, Catherine O’Connor (1889-1973), aged about sixteen.