Larsen, Emil, Natal photographer, Knowles family

Taken by Emil Larsen at his Durban studio, 410 West Street. Mrs Knowles

and children. Cabinet print ca 1880s

Acknowledgement to Rory John for the photograph and restoration

Souvenir Saturday: Norwegians in Natal

This attractive family portrait was taken by Emil Larsen, the Natal photographer. 

(See more about him elsewhere on this blog.) 

The dates given for his premises, 410 West St., indicate that the photo was

taken between 1900 and 1904. It is likely that the family is Norwegian but

the owner would be grateful if anyone could put names to the people in the  picture.

The owner states: this photo belonged  to my grand-aunt Adolfa Marie Nilsen Øvald (Oevald) from Porsgrunn in Norway, born 1890 and died in 1975. Her father was Halvor Martin Nilsen Øvald, died in 1901 on board his ship Coimbatore.

Comments would be welcomed.

Souvenir Saturday: Hojem, Oftebro, Larsen in Natal

The twins are Johan Christian and Thora Katrine Hojem, b 28 July 1894, children of Gustav and Berte Marie (nee Oftebro) Hojem. Berte Marie and Gustav were married at Eshowe Mission Church, 9 April 1891, by Ommund C Oftebro, Berte Marie’s now-famous missionary uncle. Witnesses were O S Norgaard and Olaus H Skerve, the latter one of the original Marburg settlers (he married Gustav Hojem’s sister, Ragna).

The photographer was Emil Larsen, whose studio was then at 410 West Street, Durban. Judging by the age of the twins the picture was probably taken early in 1895.

Photo and information courtesy of Warwick Hojem.

For further details on LARSEN and descendants see
http://salbu.co.za/debora/LarList.html