As described in my post to BLANCHARD-L on 28 July 2003, here is the "mystery photo" and related information that I offered to place on our web page for Rick Blanchard [ rblanch@igs.net ].

Here is Rick's note of 10 July.
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I am a subscriber to the mailing list and have an interesting photo for your collection. I send this photo to you from work in hopes you have heard of this branch of the family and perhaps can identify the general region or period in which it was taken.

Dad and I have been working on a family genealogy (now back to 1600s in Dorset, England). The attached photo is our "mystery photo", obtained from my Granddad, who was sure this photo is of our family. One of his uncles had ostensibly emigrated from England to the U.S. before he was born (1891). By process of elimination, I have figured that if an uncle did immigrate to the U.S. it must have been Tom Blanchard (bap 28 Dec 1856), son of Thomas Blanchard and Anne (Pottle) Blanchard of Sixpenny Handley, Dorset.

It seems to dad and I that this photo was taken in the U.S. Midwest or SW Ontario c1895-1915. You can see that besides the subjects' dress, the schoolhouse/meeting hall's bell tower, high walls, #15 at front, shake roof and rubble foundation, and the architecture of the barns in the background all must offer some clues to an expert. For instance, does the trim suggest "English", Amish/Mennonite or Lutheran style? I reason that the high walls mean this photo was taken east of the Mississippi...alas, I haven't heard from an expert on it.

Via the Web, I have asked a local historian/genealogist in Indiana to have a look at this. But meanwhile, I wonder that perhaps you can offer some advice.

Best regards and thank you for starting and inspiring the BLANCHARD list and associated work.

Richard ("Rick") James Blanchard
Box 123, Carp, ON K0A 1L0
(613) 271-7742 (w)
(613) 839-2148 (h)
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A friend of mine who has 'vernacular architecture' contacts in southern Ontario, has offered to help with this search.

Please contact Rick directly if you can help him and also report any findings to the List in case other members are interested.

Fletch
28 July 2003

On 11 March 2006, Rick Blanchard reported that he has identified the UBP (Unidentified Blanchard Photo) that he submitted for our web page. Although it turns out not to be a Blanchard photo, I think you might be interested in Rick's account of his discovery.

"The information I had was erroneous; the schoolhouse was not in the U.S., nor did my long-lost relative attend there. In case you are interested, the schoolhouse existed at Hazeldean, Ontario, Canada, a settler's hamlet now subsumed by city of Ottawa urbanization. I discovered this photo in the archives of the old Goulbourn Township Museum yesterday. It evidently came into my grandfather's possession because he had worked with a descendant of the teacher at far left, Champness Bradley. Photo was taken in 1890. The Gothic Revival-style building served as SS#13 Goulbourn from 1870-1911 and was destroyed by fire, to be replaced by building of red brick, itself demolished c 1980 to make way for urbanization."

Rick's current address is blanchard@storm.ca

Fletch
27 March 2006