Tim, Good to see these old photos, and your resultant enquiries, generating so much interest. I can't add anything factual, but I conjecture that the group of four people on the gallery, including the lady, appear to be in everyday clothing. Did the CARMANIAN carry passengers (can't see this confirmed in your M ightyseas write-up?)? If so, this is what I think that group is. Otherwise, might the lady be Capt Bunn's wife (although he looks an oddball character if your identification of him on your website is correct!)? Regarding the three people with the numbers I suspect the figures were not actually on their clothing but were added to the (glass plate) negative at a later stage, possibly for some purpose of identification. If you look at no. 46 in particular the clothing behind the numbers appears to be significantly creased - but no such indication that this affected the 46 - which looks as flat as a pancake!?? Ron Mapplebeck (UK) **** On 05/04/2011 00:01, Tim Latham wrote: > Dear Listers, > > I have recently been sent a transcript of a diary of a crewman aboard > the Carmanian, a Workington sailing ship. The diary refers to "Neptune > coming aboard" on the 23rd March 1900, when the ship was bound from New > York (departed 18th February) for Hong Kong (arrived 9th July). > Coincidentally, a photograph of a "Crossing the Line" ceremony aboard > the Carmanian has been published by the Newcastle NSW Museum, but with > no date given. > > http://collections.ncc.nsw.gov.au/keemu/pages/nrm/Display.php?irn=28789&QueryPage=%2Fkeemu%2Fpages%2Fnrm%2FQuery.php > <http://collections.ncc.nsw.gov.au/keemu/pages/nrm/Display.php?irn=28789&QueryPage=%2Fkeemu%2Fpages%2Fnrm%2FQuery.php> > > I am trying to tie the diary to the photo. The sender of the diary has a > different photo of the Carmanian's crew at San Francisco in December > 1900, and clearly some people are in both photos. > > http://www.mightyseas.co.uk/marhist/gallery/wkton/carmanian_crew_1900.jpg > > What interests me is that three of the people in the "Crossing the Line" > photo have numbers drawn on their shirts, 44, 45 and 46. Could this be > the lines of Longitude where the Equator was crossed - 45 W, just off > the coast of Brazil ? This would make sense in terms of time and sailing > ship routes, and would mean that the photo could be tied to the diary. > Could any Mariners familar with the age old ritual confirm this is the > meaning of the numbers? Or provide explanations for other features in > the photo, such as the blackened faces, the objects being held, or why > some are in turbans. Or explain why, since the woman on the gallery is > clearly a woman, Mrs.Neptune is played by, judging by the moustache, a > sailor ? > > Best Wishes, > > Tim Latham > www.mightyseas.co.uk > > > Regards..........Len > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MARINERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >