William Barclay by David Scott [Carte de visite]

Photo details:

Title William Barclay by David Scott Date 20 January 1876 Collection Georgina Auld nee Muir photo album Digital ID apc-000114 Photo Type Carte de visite Mount Size 68 x 107 mm Mount Thickness 0.600 mm Mount Colour Natural Mount Edges Straight Mount Corners Square Mount Border Single red line Image Size 60 x 87 mm Technology Albumen Features Oval picture mask Front Imprint Small lettering and crest Back Imprint Medium sized, text and artwork

Front face Rear face

Front face:

William Barclay by David Scott (front face) [Auld Photograph Collection apc-000114-s1]

Larger version on Flickr

Photographers imprint on the front face reads:

DAVID SCOTT, Successor.
W. BRADLEY, 140, PITT STREET.

The name written in ballpoint pen on the front face is 'Alfred Collingbourne'. This name is fictional and does not correspond to the individual identified. As mentioned in a prior post, the history of the ballpoint pen also needs to be taken into account. With this additional information we can safely say that the name was written well after the date that this photo was taken.

Rear face:

William Barclay by David Scott (rear face) [Auld Photograph Collection apc-000114-s2]

Larger version on Flickr

Imprint on rear face is full sized and includes both text and artwork. Inscription of the text reads as:

BY APPOINTMENT
PHOTOGRAPHER
TO
H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh, K.G.
WILLIAM BRADLEY
Artist Photographer
140, PITT STREET,
SYDNEY,
Opposite Mort's Passage,
Next to Richardson & Wrench's.
CASH ON DELIVERY.

Hand written on the rear face is also an identification and date which reads:

Wm. Barclay
Ship Northampton
20th Jany
1876.

Destination Hong Kong

A search on Trove reveals a Captain William Barclay, commander of the ship Northampton, is set to sail on Saturday 22 January 1876 from Circular Quay.

Source: Advertising. (1876, January 22). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 1.
Retrieved September 3, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13367837

It appears from both newspaper articles and information provided online via the Mariners and ships in Australian Waters website, William Barclay and the ship Northampton were also regularly travelling between London and Sydney.

What is the connection?

Additional research provided by +Paul Cooper has revealed a William Barclay (Shipmaster) in Saltcoates appeared in the same parish register as the Reverend John Auld's birth. So it is possible that the family know of each other from their time spent growing up in Ayrshire.

Additional references

• Mariners and ships in Australian Waters. (1999). Northampton. Retreived September 5, 2013 from http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1873/04/074nor.htm
• Mariners and ships in Australian Waters. (2003). Northampton. Retreived September 5, 2013 from http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1871/06/031nor.htm