Figure 1.-- Here we see a French family during World War II. Unfortunately the fmily is unidentified. The children are pictured with their parents in what looks like some kind of orchard. The photograph was taken in 1943. By this time in France clothing was becoming hard to get. Much of what was produced was shipped to Germany. Despite the shortages the family is reasonabably dressed. We suspect that mother has made the clothes. The outfits are all coordinated. There re slight differences in the dresses for the older and younger girls. The boy and baby wear rompers with the same styling as the girls' dresses, both smocking and baloon sleeves.

We have found some family snapshots from a French family during the 1920s-50s. They provide a fascinating insight into the growth of the family over four decades. Unfortunately the family is unidentified. Nor do we know just where it France the family lived. It does not seem to be Paris. It seems to be a small town or village. It is a little difficult to tell, but there seems to have been five girls and four boys. Stangely the girls seem to have been born first and than the boys.

The Family

We are not sure just how to classify the family in social class terms. They do nor seem rich, but the family seems to live in comfortable corcumstances. The father looks to be some kind of middle-class worker likr a government employee or bank clerk hey seem to be a conservstive Catholic family. It is a little difficult to tell, but there seems to have been five first and four boys. Stangely the girls seem to have been born first and than the boys. We only know a few of the children's namew. Jean-Marie was the oldest boy. He was born in 1939. Henry seems to have been the boy born in 1943.

Location

We were mot sxure where in France the family lived. It does not seem to be Paris. It seems to be a small town or village. Perhaps French readers will get some clues from the photographs. A French reader noted that the family car in 1958 had a Nantes license plate. This is an industrial city a little inland from the Atlantic coast, but with a connection to the sea. So the photographs here are from the Nantes area of southern France. It is possible that the family moved, but it is more likely that they lived in the Nantes area throughout this same period.

Father: Playing (1906)

Here we see father as a very young boy playing outside his house. I think this is the back courtyard rather than the frot of the house which can probably be seen in the 1927 wedding photograph. One of this sisters is playing with him. I'm not sure about the third child who looks to be another boy. The girl is wearing a dress. I'm not entirely sure what the boys are wearing. I'm also not sure what the children are playing. Mother and some other ladies are keeping a careful look over them.

Father: Family (1910)

Here we see the father's family in 1910. He is photographed with his mother and presumably two sisters about his age. The girls wear similar white dresses. One has no waistline whilke the other has a waistline defined by a pastel bow. They both have white hairbows, but their hair is done differently, one has a center part. The other girl has her swept back without a part. The boy wears a light-colored knee pants sailor suit. Yhe collar has rather unusual styling. He does not yet have his glasses. Mother wears a black dress.

Father: First Communion (1913)

Here we see the father in his First Communion suit (1913). Some children are hard to track as adults. The boy pictured here is easily identifiable in the subsequent images as he marries and has children and grandchildren. We find it a little more difficult to follow his future wife. Here he has carefully combed hair, not a center part, but cloes to it, His First Communion suit is like a tuxedo. He wears kneepants with three quarter socks rather than long stockings. The sleeve now identifies this as a First Communion portrait. Not the medalion on his lapel. I assume that is for the First Communion. I'm not sure if all these children got these for doing First Communion or if represents some specual achievement. French boys often were awarded medals for academic performance.

Parents Wedding (1927)

Here we see the parents wedding. We are guessing that this photograph was taken in front of a house, perhaps the house of one if the parents. It looks a bit run down. etimes rough looking homes like this were fixed up nice inside. Just where in France it was located, we are not sure. It seems to be a small town or village. Presumably a reception was held here zfter a church wedding. Several child attendants are seated in frint of the wedding party. There was quite a large extended family. Three boys are dressed alike in white outfirs. Another boy wears dark short pants.

Family Outing (1943)

Here we see a French family during World War II. The children are pictured with their parents in what looks like some kind of orchard. Some French families left Parid and other cities to live in the countryside during the War. The photograph was taken in 1943. By this time in France clothing was becoming hard to get. Much of what was produced was shipped to Germany. Despite the shortages the family is reasonabably dressed. We suspect that mother has made the clothes. The outfits are all coordinated. There are slight differences in the dresses for the older and younger girls. The boy and baby wear rompers with the same styling and smocking, as the dress. These rompers were called barboteuses and were a very popular garment for younger boys. Note the smocking and baloon sleeves. We do not know what color the clothes were. Notice that the younger chidren all have pendants. The older boy is Jean Marie. He was about 4 years old. The baby is Henry. Another image of this family group is availavleca year or so early. This time Jean Marine is wearing a play romper outfit.

Beach Outing (1947)

The parents apparently celebrated their 20th anniversary at the beach--Villès-Martin. The image is identified enfants Gauffriau-Sabot, that is apparentlt the name of the child, but the way it is written it suggests two children. We had assumed the boy was one of the four children from our family. He seems to be wearing a wool sailor suit, even though he is on the beach. The couple on the right we are not sure about, but we are guessing are one of the daughters and perhaps her boy friend.

Family Outing (1948)

Here we see the family after the War. The family seems to have survived in tact. They are on another outing, this time in 1948. They are in the woods, pergaps on a pivnic. The family is no longer wearing coordinated outfits. The younger girls, however, do wear the same dress style. The younger girl has a hairbow. Yje older boy wears a shirt and short pants. Notice how he has buttoned his collar even on an informal outing. The younger bots seem to be wearing simple one-pience knit garments, but nor rompers like the outfirs they wore during the War. Notice how the younger girl is holding the baby, a good example of the affection common in French families.

Jean-Marie's First Communion (1950)

Jean-Marie was the first boy to do his First Communion (1950). He was 11 years old. Jeam-Marie wears an Eton-suit style First Communion suit with a crisp Eton collar. It looks like a black jacket, light-colored vest, and I think grey trousers. He has a colored tie, but I'm not sure about the color. He has a sleeve bor and small medalion at the pocket. He also has white gloves. For the First Communion he has received a Bible and he has a rosary around his wrist. This is the same suit Jean-Marie would wear in the 1951 wedding and may be the same suit Henry wore for his 1955 First Communion.

Family Wedding (1951)

There was a wedding in the family during 1951. We do not know who was getting married, but we assume it was one of the five girls. The boys szrved as attendants. Except for the oldest boy, they are dressed up in matching blouses and long pants. They were taking care of tghe train of the bride's dress.

Henry's First Communion (1955)

Here we see mother with the boys. The photograph here seems to be Henry doing his First Communion (1955). Henry seems to be the baby in the 1943 photograph. He wears an Eton-styled suit. This was one of the various styles worn by French boys for First Communion. His older brother wears a suit with wide lapels. His younger brothers wear matching sailor suits. I'm not sure about the color. Henry would have been about 11 t=years old. This is older than boys in America do First Communion. I think French children now also do their First Communion earlier.

Park Outing (1955)

We believe that this is the mother and father on a park outing in 1955. We are not sure which park this is. They are probably with a married daughter and grandson. They are with the family priest. I don't think movable chairs like this are now common in French parks. I'm not sure why mother is wearing an overcoat a scarfe and her son a lihjy shirt and shorts. I think an Amerivan mother woyld have been more likely to dress her son more warmly when she wore a coat.

Sunday Drive (1958)

Here we see three of the boys in 1958 with the family car on a Sunday outing. I think family outings after church on Sunday were very common in France at the time. I do not know if this is still common. I do know that church attendance is much less common. The boys are wearing suits and blazers so almost surely this is a Sunday drive after church. As is obvious fom the other photographs, they are a goof Catholic family. All but the oldest boy are still wearing short pants.

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Last updated: 3:54 AM 11/17/2015