4000

Happy 4000th!

In megazoom, I can read that the huge carts opposite belong to Thomas White & Co.

Since absorbed by the House of Fraser department stores.

The trees are marked on the 25", weak evidence we are before 1900.

The barracks dates from 1891. I see scaffolding and an unfinished roof.

Niall McAuley Yes, when I saw Aldershot on the carts, I thought for a moment that Robert French had gone "out foreign" for once!

Thomas White & Co had their fingers in several pies. As well as department stores, they wer estate agents "Have all the best houses available on their Register, furnished and unfurnished, in immediate vicinity of the Aldershot Comamand Barracks" (Aldershot News - Friday 12 January 1917). As well as Aldershot they had a branch in Farnborough (or more accurately North Camp, between Aldershot and Farnborough). Their premises there were on Lynchford Road, which coincidentally was my great-grandfather's address in 1886-1889.

The Wikipedia page about the Congress has a photo we've seen here before.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1932_Eucharistic_Congress

Mike Grimes Indeed, that is our photo from here.

Eight (!) years ago I thought ...

Wednesday 22 June 1932 according to - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16911642 - "... The
church was tastefully decorated with festoons of foliage, and hanging baskets of hydrangeas between the pillars. ... "

From that Trove link above ...

"In the dim light of the Dublin Pro-Cathedral the Cardinal Legate (Cardinal Lauri), in the name of the Pope, this afternoon declared open the 31st Eucharistic Congress, which is regarded as one of the greatest events in Ireland's history.
At a given signal all the visiting Cardinals took their places at the altar behind the Legate and his mission in procession to the High Altar. They were followed first by the visiting archbishops and bishops, then by members of the Dublin Metropolitan Chapter. There followed an ornate ritual, and the opening prayers and addresses were delivered by the Archbishop of Dublin and the Bishop of Namur, and finally by Cardinal Lauri, after which there was a declaration of homage and loyalty to the Pope.
THE CONGREGATION.
The opening was splendidly impressive. The church was tastefully decorated with festoons of foliage, and hanging baskets of hydrangeas between the pillars. The dignitaries and visiting clergy comprised nine-tenths of the congregation, and were so numerous that few tickets were left for laymen, and fewer still were available for women.
The scene, looking towards the High Altar, when the Legate, cardinals, and prelates had taken their places, with an orange light focussed on them like the limelight in a theatre, will long be remembered. Immediately in front of the prelates were Mr. de Valera and members of the Ministry on one side and on the other side the Governor-General (Mr. James McNeill), Mr. Cosgrave, and cx-Ministers. Behind them were the Knights of Malta, the Knights of St. Gregory, and foreign Ministers, all in full regalia.
Among the gathering were several marquises, counts, and papal officials, John MacCormaok the famous tenor, in the scarlet and gold uniform of a papal count, Lord Mayors in their robes, and then a solid phalanx of surpliced priests and members of all religious orders.
Following the singing of "Ecce Sacerdos Magnus" the Papal letter appointing the Legate was read in Latin and English. Finally the Legate, in English, delivered an oration formally opening the congress and concluding with the hope that not only Ireland, but also all countries, would find In the Eucharist celebrations the greatest assistance and consolation of which the whole world was at present In great need. Then followed the benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, the service closing with the hymn, "Faith of Our Fathers". To-night the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, and midnight Mass was celebrated In every church in Dublin ... ..."

I am not sure that this picture is of the opening of the Congress.

The ceremony described above happened on Monday 20th of June and the pictures in the Independent on the 21st show more candles lit.

Plus, our picture has a bishop vested for Mass in the sanctuary (front right of the santuary.) There was no Mass at the Legate's arrival & opening of the Congress.

I do think the legate is in the picture - under the lower canopy on the left. The blurred figure under the higher canopy is almost certainly Archbishop Byrne of Dublin. That was his cathedra/throne as bishop of Dublin and I don't think anyone else was allowed sit there during ceremonies.

So I think this was one of the pro-Cathedral Masses celebrated by some other bishop - in the presence of the Legate and the Archbishop of Dublin - later in the week of the Congress.

When was Photographer: Robert French born? When did he pass? That should narrow it down.

CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY The Lawrence Collection (mostly taken by Robert French) dates between 1865 and 1914 - see above. We were hoping it might be possible, as usual with these photographs, to narrow the date down further. We have succeeded many times before.

From the linked pic, the Hotel dates from 1894. This one is well earlier, no extension to our left, but we never found a date for that work.

Often clothing will give a clue.