Andrew Openshaw contacted me yesterday with some pictures he has of the Snowball family.

The first picture shows Jane Ann Snowball (left) with her sisters Isabel and Sarah Ann.  Jane Ann looks around 16-18 in this picture, so I think it dates from the late 1870s.

Isabel and Sarah Ann were twins born a couple of years earlier than Jane Ann.  Andrew comments:

Jane Ann, Sarah Ann and Isabel were all good with a needle and thread. Isabel is listed in the 1881 census as dressmaker lodging in Howden le Wear. I think my Aunty Jillian might have a photo of their work.

The second picture is of the whole Snowball family.  Andrew emailed:

The Snowball family photo, attached, is one that holds many secrets. The only person, Sally (Sarah) Brown, that would be able to name all of them in one go is long since dead. So, I cannot tell you anything about the people in it at present. But rest assured I am trying to find out anything I can.

The photo was obtained from the handbag of Sally Brown, nee Finn, when she died. She did however confirm with various relatives before her death that it was a Snowball family photo. Sally Finn was the daughter of Sarah Ann Snowball. Sarah Ann fist married a gentlemen called English who died, she took in a lodger to help make up for the loss of her husband’s income and eventually they married having a daughter called Sally. Sally Brown was my father’s maternal grandmother.

I would estimate from the ages of the Children that the photograph is c1870.  Would the splendidly bearded gentleman in the centre be Thomas Snowball?

Finally there are two later pictures, Andrew says both are of Isabel Allen (nee Snowball).  The second of these photos has previously been provided to me as that of Jane Ann Snowball.  Clearly they can’t both be right.  What do you think?