Natal Photographers: Coney; subject Swires, Maud

Maud Alice Swires (1890 - 1969), my paternal grandmother, 

 as a child (aged about 4) taken by 

John W Coney in his Pietermaritzburg studio. Cabinet print.

Costume in Natal: Sydney Bartle Gadsden

Sydney Bartle Gadsden (1880-1953), my grandfather, was the son of Thomas Alfred
Gadsden and Eliza Ann Bell (daughter of Capt William Bell, Port Captain of
Natal). Born in Durban, Sydney Bartle married Maud Alice Swires and they had one son,  my father William Bell Gadsden. Sydney Bartle was a marine engineer and Works Manager of the company James Brown (later James Brown and Hamer).

Natal Photographer: Coney and portrait of Maud Swires

The subject of this cabinet photo is my grandmother as a child ca 1896. She was Maud Alice Swires, who later married Sydney Bartle Gadsden, son of Bluff lighthousekeeper, Thomas Alfred Gadsden. 

John W Coney, like other Natal photographers, diversified - he was an 'undertaker and cab proprietor' at 162 Chapel Street, Maritzburg in 1897 which is probably where the above studio portrait was taken. 

Coney's advertisement in the Natal Almanac 1897

Natal Photographers: T. Crawford Erwin

Maud Alice Gadsden nee Swires ca 1917-18

There are instances where knowing the name of the photographic studio isn't particularly helpful for dating purposes. This photograph was taken by T. Crawford Erwin, who had a studio in Durban for almost 50 years. He first puts in an appearance in local directories in 1906 as 'Erwin and Graham' at Cuthbert's Buildings, West Street, Durban.  By 1908 the erstwhile Mr Graham is no longer in the picture and Erwin appears alone. The following year, 1909, Erwin apparently decided to give his studio a name, the 'Kan Studio' and it is this title which is shown on the above vignette - a style of photo which remained popular from the 1890s and throughout the first two decades of the 20th c.

The cool, simple, white cotton shirt worn with a dark soft bow at the neck was a favourite for ladies' day- wear in Natal. By this date - ca 1917 - the frivolous riot of tucks and lace and broderie anglaise trimming which had been prevalent in the 1890s had quietened down. Women were now to be taken more seriously. Her hat is broad-brimmed and practical for the summer heat, but is rescued from being too severe by the scalloped net frill and flowers around the edge of the brim. Its general shape is reminiscent of the 'Boss of the Plains' hat from which Baden-Powell developed the well-known scouting headgear.

Natal Photographers: T Dickinson

Maud Alice Swires, Pietermaritzburg, 1909

In her crisp white day dress, with fashionable tucked detail on her high-necked tunic-style bodice, this colonial lady epitomizes the end of the first decade of the 20^th c. Her hair has been encouraged into a loose, curly style, the bouffant shape probably owing something to coir pads worn under her own hair. The waist of the dress is placed slightly above the normal waistline, and accentuated by a fabric belt. Her sleeves end in a point over her wrist with a hint of feminine frill. All signs of the bustle have disappeared and her skirt is long and tubular, widening at the hem.  

The brooch at her throat spells out her name, Maud. This photograph was probably taken shortly before her marriage in 1909. The photographer’s name is stamped on the reverse of the enlarged print: T. Dickinson (sometimes spelled Dickenson), who owned the Imperial Studio in Pietermaritzburg ca 1900-1910. By the date this photo was taken he was located at 128 Chapel Street, Pietermaritzburg.