The guy on the extreme left of the second row is my grandfather, Arthur Joseph Quinlan. He was a bricklayer, and this was the work crew on the Sunlife building in Montreal, probably in the late 1910s.
Anyway, somebody in the ABBTF (Australian Brick & Block Laying Foundation) saw it on Flickr and asked for permission to print it and hang it. Of course, I granted them permission, if they would but share a photo of it when it was hanging.
Not long ago, they sent an email with these attachments.
I think it's a pretty cool thing.
In case they wanted it, I offered to remove the Montreal writing that my mother added. I did it, but they didn't get back to me. Here it is anyway.
And since we're here, looking at an old photo, this is his mother, Mary Ann Quinlan (nee Baker), in front of her house in England. That would be one of my grandfather's brothers, I presume.
This is his wife, my grandmother, Charlotte Ann Quinlan (nee Robinson). She is my only grandparent to be born in Canada and not England. She has Irish ancestry and probably English too, but I can't put my finger on the family records right now. She is also the only grandparent I can't remember because she died when I was very young.
Finally, a picture of me with my grandfather Quinlan. I look to be about 4 years old, so it would be about 1951, I think.
neat look back! i loved the photo of you on the steps with your granddad and pup!
ReplyDeleteI love all photography but the old images are very appealing. It is partly the look of terror on the posers faces but also the effort they made to look their best.
ReplyDeleteThe old images are wonderful, but I particularly like the one with you and your grandfather (and the dog). Wonder what you were looking at out of the corner of your eye, John?
ReplyDeleteThat's one of the perks of all this new technology AC ... you get your pictures out where others can relate and enjoy them. How nice is that ?
ReplyDeleteJohn, you are so YOU in that photo with your grandfather.
ReplyDeleteDid you notice that in the photo of the workers, they all had their hats on backwards?
Looking back at one's historical roots is always so interesting to me. As I look at the first photo, I am reminded of how hard-working men (and women) were "back in the day." My hat is off to each and every one of them.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the last photo, I can certainly tell that is you on the steps with your Grandfather. You look just the same (only a bit older now)....
Yes, that sure is nice. So is grampa and his grandson. :)
ReplyDeleteI am always so curious about old photos. I have lots of them and nobody can tell me who is in them which is a shame. Mind you, if nobody in my family knows, I can just use them unashamedly for my own purposes!
ReplyDeleteDid your grandmother have glasses? The kind with no frame? I have one of my great grandmother with such glasses, and she has that same strained look.
ReplyDeleteYou looked a little worried, AC...were you keeping an eye on the little dog? Reminds me a little of your grandson. My Step Dad was a brick layer. He was one of the masons who did the arches of the Portland (Maine) Museum of Art. Funny how you can take that kind of detail for granted until you stop to really think about it.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great look back, John. Having recently spent time going through old photos found at my late mother's home, I can appreciate the significance.
ReplyDeleteIt IS cool to have the picture hanging in that building!
ReplyDeleteOH! VERY cool! I'm glad you were willing to share it!
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