Photograph of brighton races 1872 by t & j holroyd of harrogate. The photographers were brothers thomas holroyd (1821–1904) and james holroyd (c. 1825–1874). Thomas was a portrait and landscape painter, and james was a photographer, both from harrogate, north yorkshire, england. Although they were both credited, it was james who took most of the photographs. Points of interest:
three of the four people are sitting in an open carriage, probably a landau. The man and woman on the left are holding champagne coupe glasses. The man on the right has a plate, knife, and fork, and he is holding the knife in his left hand, and the fork in his right (unless the original image was reversed). According to his dress and features, the man in the centre is possibly romany. The two elderly men were possibly born at the end of the 18th century. The woman is under 50 years old; she does not yet have grey hair. The hats are identifiers of class, and possibly of nationality. The top hat indicates aristocracy (or the imitation of it). The bowler was worn by (for example:) white collar office workers, blue collar overseers, carriage drivers and fairground workers. The hat on the right could be american. There are three indicators that the man on the right could be american: the style of the hat, the cut of the beard, and holding the fork in the right hand (having cut the food previously with the knife). That cutlery usage was uncommon in the middle and upper classes in the uk. Date: between 1863 and 1872.
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