Old Family Photos?

Regarding these two photos I wrote the following for my Writing Group

Assignment:  "Write about an unknown person in a photograph."

I Wonder Who You Are?

I wonder who you two young men are – I wonder what thoughts are going through your mind as you stand there with your hands on the reigns of the beautifully upholstered wicker sled on that wide sloped undulating  path? 

Since you are both in your so white clothes and dark waistcoats, perhaps you are in uniform?   Are you servants?  I am glad you are both wearing hats – wise in our African sun.

I marvel at the laid pebble paving in ripples down the hill.  I imagine a team of workers creating the waves, squatting there laying the pebbles.  Were you among them?  I wonder what muttered conversations might have occurred?  I wonder whether some said “These people are mad – why do they want this?  Do they know how much hard work they are making for us?  Do they not think of us?”  Perhaps some were thinking “I’m glad to have work, any paid work, now I can go home with my head held high and provide for my family.”  Or “I am thankful to be away from the terror and despair of war.  My mind is more peaceful here.  I am glad to be in the fresh air, in this hot and humid place so far away from all that.”

You on the left have a Latin-look.  I wonder if you are one of the Italian prisoners of war who decided to stay in South Africa?  I like the tilt of your head and your purposeful gaze.  Perhaps you are what we call coloured in our country?   The other young man looks whiter skinned.  There is a different tilt to his head.  His sleeves are rolled up a couple of times.  He looks more tentative to me.  I wonder if you are friends?  Was this photo taken in my mining-engineer paternal grandfather’s day or my sea-captain both maternal and paternal great grandfather’s day?  I wonder if you two men had to stand still while the photographer  controlled the exposure? 

The gardens are so neat!  The bluegum and pine trees are mature and stately.  There seems to be not a breath of wind.  The foliage is lush.  And is that a house in the top left hand corner barely visible through the leaves?  Was there a team of gardeners working at keeping this verdant vegetation in check?  This looks like an established estate.  Is it a hotel?

I wonder who lives in the house or building?   I wonder where they come from?  I wonder how long they lived here?  Were there any children living here?  I wonder if this property is still there – intact? Or is it now among the many pieces of land developed into a guest house or a hotel or a sea of modern town-houses?

I wonder if this photo was taken in the time of cars… if so, surely there is another driveway?  Perhaps this African sleigh-run is the equivalent of the later status symbol of a palm tree and even later a tennis court in your yard.  What is today’s status symbol I wonder?

I have no record of Latin or coloured heritage since the 1700’s. Is either of you my ancestor?   Why were these photos kept with the box of old family photographs I inherited?

And… I wonder if this is even in South Africa?!  Where else might this setting be?  I wondered about India, but the other photograph has what looks like an African leading the ox.  I would love to have some answers someday.  Imagine if you could step out and talk to me! 

In the meantime, I am glad I kept these two photos, and I have enjoyed this assignment.  I am glad I chose you to be the unknown one whom I wrote about.

 

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Do any of you have any ideas about these two photos?

Do you know where I might send them that might have some idea?