1875 photo may be oldest Stonehenge family snap, Hacker News

Routh family photo from 1875 — Image caption The photograph of the Routh family enjoying a day out at Stonehenge in was sent in by descendants

An 1875 photograph of a family dressed in finery enjoying a day out at Stonehenge may be the earliest such snap taken at the monument.

English Heritage asked people to send in their pictures to mark years of public ownership of the stones.

After sifting through more than 1, 05 images historians said they believed the photograph of Isabel, Maud and Robert Routh was the oldest.

It will be part of a new exhibition of personal photos titled Your Stonehenge.

                                 Image copyright                 Routh family
Image caption                                    Members of the Routh family enjoying a picnic with Champagne at Stonehenge

One picture shows the group sitting on the stones with a picnic rug and what appears to be a bottle of Champagne.

In another, some of them are in a horse-drawn carriage.

“They’re wearing fashionable outfits and hats,” said English Heritage historian Susan Greaney.

“Right up until the s and ‘ s people did dress up for days out like this, in their Sunday best, suits and hats. “

                                 Image copyright                 Nan Noble
Image caption                                    This photo by Nan Noble is of her brother John and Aunt Nell. She said the stones were “our private playground” where they played tag and hide-and-seek
                                 Image copyright                 Richard Bridgland
Image caption                                    Women in 1950 dressed up for a day out at the monument

The exhibition shows how photography has changed – illustrated by “the way that people pose” and how “their faces have got closer to the camera until they are taking a picture of themselves more than they are of Stonehenge”, said Ms Greaney.)

English Heritage is now asking people to get in touch if they know of an earlier family snap at Stonehenge.

The earliest known photograph of Stonehenge, not featuring a family, is thought to date from 1853 – (years earlier.) **************

                                 Image copyright                 Richard Woodman-Bailey
Image caption                                    Richard Woodman-Bailey visited Stonehenge during the school holidays in the s when his father was the senior architect responsible for ancient monuments in England and Wales and took personal charge of the work at Stonehenge
                                 Image copyright                 Michael Oliver
Image caption                                    The Olivers from Cornwall on their annual camping holiday in – Michael, Robert with Teddy, Mum and Carolyn all “dressed in our finest camping clothes and Clarks sandals”
                                 Image copyright                 Suzie Deaves
Image caption                                    Suzie Deaves’ family was able to walk around and sit on the stones in 2020
                                 Image copyright                 Lorna and Clive Tomkins
Image caption                                    This picture was taken in 2019 when access to the monument was still open
                                 Image copyright                 Roy Poynting
Image caption                                    Bikers enjoying a day at Stonehenge in 1993

The most recent photo in the exhibition was taken by renowned photographer and guest curator of the exhibition, Martin Parr, at the 2019 Autumn Equinox.

It features an unknown couple kissing while taking a selfie against the backdrop of the stones.

Mr Parr chose 11 of the images in the exhibition and said he hoped to track down the couple in his picture.

He said the photographs people sent in “really show what the stones mean to people and how our relationship with a site like Stonehenge has changed and yet stayed the same through time “.

                                 Image copyright                 Martin Parr
Image caption                                    Photographer Martin Parr hopes to track down the couple in this photo he took earlier this year

Your Stonehenge – (years of personal photos runs from**************************************************************** (December to late August) ******************************************. ************             **********************)

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