My maternal grandfather was a keen photographer, and recorded his growing family down the years. By 1916 it had reached six children and he photographed them standing in age order: eldest (Maud) on the left. This type of photograph became known in the family as a 'ladder' photograph. He took them annually until 1939, by which time some of the participants were married!
Here is that first photograph:
Ladder photographs were usually taken in May, around the time of the Sunday School Anniversary. This was because the girls always had new 'frocks' for that very important occasion!
And here is the first one of the complete family, taken in May 1922:
This is the last one taken by my grandfather in 1939:
And this is how it was taken:
This was probably taken by my father who, though married to my mother for two years by this time, was not eligible to appear in a ladder photograph! Uncle Frank (also ineligible!) can be seen 'assisting' my grandfather. Beyond the railings is Ward End Park.
In 1974, after a 35 year gap, we resumed taking ladder photos. By this time one brother (Jim) had been in Canada since 1948. And we did it the wrong way round! In this one the youngest is on the left.
But now we had got back into the habit we took ladder photos at every opportunity! Like my mother's 80th birthday party in August 1987:
Once again we took it the wrong way round!
By the time we reached my mother's 90th birthday in 1997 the Grim Reaper had left his mark on the senior generation:
At the understandable request of one of the survivors we agreed (later) that this would be their last ladder photograph.
Two more have since left us.
So was this really the last 'ladder' photograph? Not quite!