2ndbatallion

Here is Robert French the photographer in the 1911 census, in Ashfield Avenue, Ranelagh, with daughters Mary and Annie, and grandson Griffith.

Wow, Ticking the "Show all information" box, I see Children Born: 11, Children Living 8

Niall McAuley Somehow "Landscape Photographer" doesn't do what he did justice! Do you think Mrs French was dead or away from home on census night?

A little about him here - z9.invisionfree.com/royaldublinfusiliers/index.php?showto... - Signed on with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers in 1883; and subsequently for the 11th Reserve of the RDF in 1915; Regimental No. 1331

In 1911, French is 69 and a widower. I can't immediately find him, Annie or Mary in the 1901 census.

This photo is depicted in The sun., July 02, 1916, Page 7 with the caprtion: "Mrs. Vincent Astor christening the high power hydroaeroplane presented by a group of citizens of New York to the Second Battalion, New York Naval Militia. The ceremony took place at the headquarters, Fifty-second street and the bay, Brooklyn. Vincent Astor is standing to the left." (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1916-07-02/ed-...)

Another article about the event is in the NYT, July 2, 1916 (query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F4091FF73A5B17...)

An additional article about the event in Aerial Age Weekly, Volume 3, July 10, 1916, page 503, Second Battalion N.M.N.Y. Seaplane Christened : books.google.com/books?id=FNRLAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA503&l... Note, that the Aerial Age story states that Charles L. Lawrance of the "citizens' committee which bought the seaplane," was also present. Lawrance is the very same person who would design the Lawrance J-1 radial engine, the direct predecessor to the Wright Whirlwind engine which would power countless historically significant flights, including that of Charles Lindbergh and the Spirit of St. Louis from New York to Paris. See photo of Lawrance below standing to the right side of the frame, next to Lindbergh at Curtiss Field prior to Lindbergh's solo transatlantic flight:

The photo in The Sun is of the same moment, but taken by a different photographer who stood to the right of Bain's photographer. More from The Sun article cited above: "Then they swung a big derrick over and just as it had made fast Mrs. Astor stepped forward and cracked a bottle of champagne over the hull with the words: "I christen thee No. 1." As It was swung over into the water everybody cheered, and then Ensign Astor, commanding a fleet of motor boats, towed it out to clear water, where Ensign Samuel Pierce climbed in. started the engines to roaring and after gliding over the water shot the plane up into the air for a twelve minute trip around Fort Hamilton and back. Ensign Pierce brought the flying boat back without trouble and the crowd cheered again, aided in the noise making by all the whistles of craft that knew anything about it at all."

52d street pier in Brookyn, recent street view: maps.google.com/maps?q=52d+street,+brooklyn&ll=40.650...