Vintage tag ~ a tribute to my Dad

Vintage

I didn't quite make the Vintage theme on 'Tag Tuesday' but as this one was more challenging for me so good to do it.

Thinking perhaps something incorporating vintage buttons, as I love them and have a few in my collection, I had a rake in my Mothers old button box which she gave to me a while back.

When I opened it I found these, and knew I had found my vintage subject.

These lovely Cream Bakelite numerals from the front door of our family home.
My parents moved into their new home in December 1957, I wasn't born until 1965 but

I remember them being on the painted red door vaguely when I was a child,
 As trends changed the door was replaced with a varnished wood one and the numerals with shiny new brass ones.

So the cream ones found their way into the button box and they became a part of it, so fitting that they should still be in the box when she gave it to me, and now I can give them pride of place on my vintage tag.

On a red luggage tag with one of my Fathers vintage business cards.

My father was a photographer since before I was born, given a camera at the age of 5 by his brother James who was moving to USA to live. He was artistic at heart and photography was his passion. He built his own darkroom in the attic at No 10 and we spent many a winters evening and weekends playing in one end of the attic space which he had made our playroom, while he developed, printed and mounted his photographs into albums at the other end.

My Father worked full time in various jobs first in the bolt work (he always used to tell us how he helped make the bolts for the Queen Mary or the 534 as it was known) then as a machine operator in Ranco which I believe made thermostats. Then when I was nine he and my mum decided to go self employed and run their own grocer/newsagent shop.
His photography was a second income for him to meet the demands of a large family. Most Saturdays he would have a wedding booked.
He provided affordable wedding, and passport photographs to family, friends & work colleagues.
His work was well know in the area.
There was occasions where I would meet someone who would tell me that my father had took 3 generations of wedding photographs in their family :)
I am so proud of this.
It is also to his credit that we have a large collection of family photographs, and I reciently found a box of developed rolls of film carefully wrapped in foils yet to be printed, some of which are pictures taken of me as a baby just a day or two old in the hospital.
Im looking forward to having these printed.

I thought it only fitting to turn this little tag into an album.

with copies images of photographs he developed and printed himself.

This is my Dad holding my eldest sister Theresa his first child

I love this picture he looks so happy and carefree in it, captured by my Mother on a day at the beach.

The next two are of my Mother and Father, both taken not long after their engagement.

I love the style ..... especially my Mums suit which had a velvet collar.

I also love that Shadow of his friend taking the picture :)

I also included this wedding shot, not one of my dads but its a great picture.

All photographs are copies of the originals printed on photographic printed paper.

Vintage Tag created as a tribute In memory of my Father

Henry Brady 26th May 1917 ~ 8th October 2004

Thanks for stopping by :)

Yvonne x