Harry Aird in School Photo from Over 125 Years Ago: 52 Ancestors 2026 Prompt “Favorite Photo”

 

Rare Childhood Photo of Harry

Henry “Harry” Aird: 1886-1966 (Paternal Grandfather)

 

Following my mother-in-law’s death, family members divided up the family photos and correspondence she had been saving. Our niece scanned hundreds of photos and gave us all USB drives of the scans. Among the photos was a class photo of Harry Aird and his classmates and teachers at a Dundee school. I was so excited to receive this photo—childhood photos from the 19^th century are quite rare, especially when the families were poor as the Airds were. This may be the only childhood photo we will ever see of Harry.

Henry “Harry” Aird was born September 16, 1886 in Scotland to parents James and Jane Robertson Aird. He was the fourth of their eventual seven surviving children. The family lived in the parish of Liff and Benvie just outside of Dundee, Scotland. Harry’s father was a cabinetmaker who died when Harry was only twenty-one.

There is no information on the photo to help identify the school, grade level or year the photograph was taken. Harry appears to be between the ages of seven and nine, making the possible years 1893-1895.

The photo bears a label that was probably typed by my mother-in-law, Laurel Jandy Aird. It reads,”Harry Aird, schoolboy Dundee, Scotland. 2d row from top, extreme right.”

The photography studio name is visible on the photo: D & W Prophet, with an address of 59 Wellgate in Dundee. I researched the studio, and discovered that it operated under that name from 1886 until 1914, and that the owners, David and William Prophet, specialized in school photography.

The students seem to be wearing a sort of uniform—most are in wool jackets, some with vests, with white, collared shirts beneath. They wear ties. They wear short pants and dark, knee-length stockings, and shoes that lace above the ankle. Harry is the only boy wearing a sweater over his white shirt instead of a jacket. Several of the boys’ jackets feature tears on the elbows and sleeves, and frayed cuffs. These children did not come from wealthy families.

Torn sleeve on left, and ragged cuff on right. 

There are forty boys in the photo. They appear to be around the same age, so I believe this is a single class. There are two adults in the photo—the older, bearded gentleman at the far right, top row, and the young woman in the middle of the top row. Were both the adults teachers, or did the young woman have another function at the school?

Woman with mutton-chop sleeves on her dress and a brooch on her collar. Teacher?

Harry looks worried or angry in the photo—his eyebrows are drawn into a near frown. All the boys are serious, but Harry is more than serious.

I checked Harry’s responses to the U. S. Census questions regarding schooling. He reported on the 1940 census that he had completed 2 years of high school, which indicates he left school around age sixteen. That was quite common for students in Great Britain who did not intend to attend a university. Harry was perhaps his second or third year of schooling when the photo was taken.

Following his father’s death in 1908, Harry emigrated to the United States, arriving November 13, 1910. He settled in Detroit and worked as a hardware supplies salesman. He married May Shields in 1917, and was the father of John Aird.

Harry on vacation in Canada in his forties, circa 1930

I am so grateful to have this photo of young Harry. Since I found no other information about Harry’s education, the school he attended, or details from his youth, this photo is our only window into his childhood in Scotland. He was a handsome little boy, and I hope that, despite his wrinkled brow in the photo, he enjoyed his school years.

Sources:

Aird Family Photos.

https://www.edinphoto.org.uk/PP_N/pp_prophet_family_and_business.htm

https://atom.lib.strath.ac.uk/d-w-prophet

 

 

Poverty and Pride: 52 Ancestors 2026 Prompt “What This Story Means to Me”

 

Privations of Missionary Life Helped by Charitable Gift from the East

Lorene Edith Smith:1903-1994 (Maternal Grandmother)
Cora Leachman: 1864-1943 (Maternal Great-Grandmother)
Rev. Willis Smith: 1853-1928 (Maternal Great-Grandfather)

 

As I was reading Lorene Smith’s memoirs, I ran across a story from her childhood that resonated with me. The story dealt with the Christmas season, and since we had just celebrated the Christmas holiday two weeks ago, it held extra meaning.

Lorene had been describing her parents’ difficult years homesteading and serving as missionaries in the U.S. Territory of New Mexico in the mid-1910s. They were living five miles outside the town of Melrose, and were desperately poor, trying to support themselves by raising chickens and cattle and growing vegetables and fruit trees. 

Main Street in Melrose, NM around 1908

Despite their efforts, they were barely getting by.  Lorene recalled:

“We got poorer and more destitute, and for several years before Christmas Mother would receive forms which she could have filled out to get a mission box from the Tulpahocken Missionary Society in a Presbyterian church in Philadelphia. My father was considered a home missionary so we qualified for home mission donations from the East. Each year Mother would toss these forms away saying, "We're not that bad yet," expecting the gifts to be others' castoffs. But finally in the fourth year she broke down and sent in the forms, giving the names and ages of all the family.

When we got word that the box had come by freight to the railroad station, Mother said, "We'll go for it after dark because I don't want anybody to see it and ask questions." We brought the box back in a wagon. It was a heavy wooden box, which must have been four feet high and two and a half or three feet square. It was filled with everything anyone could desire--nice bedding, blankets, towels, a silk comforter, dolls, games, books, and toys--all of fine quality. Those things lasted for many, many years. Mother and Dad and all of the children were very grateful for these gifts. I saved many of the books and games to adulthood. They built a platform for the box so that it could be used as a food cooler in a window where Mother kept her milk and cream. Later When we moved to Kentucky the box was used again for shipping.”

 

Melrose NM Train Depot where the Smiths picked up their Christmas box

I can relate to her mother’s reluctance to ask for help. I too always try to get by on my own, although I never faced such serious circumstances as the Smiths did while homesteading. I was a bit surprised, however, by the line, “’We’re not that bad yet’, expecting the gifts to be others’ castoffs.’” That goes beyond pride to a bit of disdain for poor people—Cora seemed to be trying to separate her family from other poor people. She felt she was better than charity cases, and so was too proud to accept used items. While I can be too proud to admit I need help from someone, at least I was never too proud to shop at garage sales or accept hand-me-downs from friends or family. I didn’t see myself as being too good for used things.

I laughed at the family sneaking off to the train station at night so no one would see them accepting charity. They were concerned about their position in the community, but ministers’ families can be trapped in a delicate situation. The community expects a minister’s family to set a better example, and perhaps Cora and Willis felt accepting charity may not have been the sort of example their neighbors would understand.

While the Smiths were reluctant to reach a point where they would accept charity, I loved that the family felt gratitude for the gifts, and appreciated their fine quality. Their pride did not interfere with their ability to make good use of everything they received. I loved how Lorene kept some of the items she received that Christmas well into her own adulthood. Even the container holding the gifts became a deeply appreciated and useful item for the family. Those details really touched me.

The Smiths in front of their Melrose, NM home

This story was a reminder that giving to those in need can bring great joy to both the giver and the recipient, especially during the Christmas season. Our retirement community collected gifts for local foster children this past Christmas. I hope the children enjoyed their gifts as much as the Smiths did over a century ago, and that the foster children didn’t let their pride spoil the pleasure of receiving the gifts from loving strangers.  

Sources:

Lorene Smith Jandy Memoir

Vintage postcard of Melrose Train Depot.