Help with a face and a place

Gibby

Piney
Apr 4, 2011
1,640
442
Trenton
I am sure others can relate the posted image to other famous photographers of the era, but for me it has such a Lewis Hine's hint to it. His portfolio is filled with photographs similar to this, and many are glassworks from southern New Jersey. I am not saying this photograph is one of his, just something I noticed.
 

Kevinhooa

Explorer
Mar 12, 2008
332
25
41
Hammonton, NJ.
www.flickr.com
I've e-mailed the sending asking for any additional info that may help narrow it down. Since she said it was in her grandmother's album, who knows, maybe that was a brother or sister that worked there. Oddly enough, one of the workers bears a resemblance to my grandmother who was an Eichinger. We'll see what she says when she e-mails me back.
 

Kevinhooa

Explorer
Mar 12, 2008
332
25
41
Hammonton, NJ.
www.flickr.com
Got an e-mail back from Patty (photo owner) the other day.

She writes, "Thanks Kevin for posting the picture. I posted it on the Bass River Gazette and so far nobody has been able to tell me anything. My Grandmother's maiden name was McCambridge, her grandmother McCambridge was married before to a Holloway and he worked in a sawmill somewhere. That's the only thing I can think of. 7 or 8 generations have lived in Burlington and Atlantic Counties of N.J. so it has to be in one of those counties I would think. No, nobody is realted to the name you asked about. We have Lovelands, Allens, Adams, Cramer, Gaskill, Shinn, Gifford, Somers, Biddle in my Mother's family going back to the 1700's or farther in the area. Thanks"

I know there's a lot of sawmill history in the pines, but I don't think anything that I know of that was red brick like that.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,236
4,331
Pines; Bamber area
A mill used to be in Pemberton Township, perhaps at Browns Mills, that was called "Biddle's Mill". Maybe there is a connection there.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,653
8,265
She has some real piney roots.

There were McCambridge all over the pines. The owner of the Eagle Tavern at one time was a McCambridge. Many of them are buried in Pleasant Mills, Chatsworth, New Gretna, etc.

The late Jim Ungehager figured out that the intersection of Hartford Road and 70 in Medford was called Shinntown.

Guy
 

Pan

Explorer
Jul 4, 2011
555
246
Arizona


Yes, that's even better. I was thinking it needed to be run through an anti-fade program.

"Can you make out the writing behind that guy in from of the lift?"

We can see the "boys positively forbidden". Did the management call the workmen boys? Then the partially visible word might be "Car...", tho that C could be a G. Then on the bottom you can what looks like a rather ornate M, and that might possibly be one of the boss' initials. It might be "Mc" there's also a big O visible on the lower left, to the right of the man's shoulder. Could be "Or". Could say: "Boys positively forbidden in cars Or... Mc..."
 

Takoda

New Member
Feb 12, 2012
17
4
Southern NJ
I've blown up the pic to 400% to try and see wording on the wood lift/elevator better (and good for high resolution for whomever scanned the original, because even at 400% above normal, it does not distort or pixelate)...

I've confirmed what others have said as well:

"B" - Looks to be Boys - however, I'm still wondering why anyone would specifically direct this to "boys".

"P" - definitely looks to be "Positive" or "Positively" (the latter if the word continues behind the back of the men)

"F" - directly above the man's right shoulder, definitely looks to be "Forbid" or "Forbidden" (the latter if word continues behind the back of the men)

between the man on the left w/ dark shirt and the man on his LEFT w/ white shirt - looks to be an apostrophe S ('S) and after it, either the word "Car" (or incomplete spelling of another word starting off with "Car..." since the other man is blocking the remainder of the wood panel).

My guess about the words on the wood is this was possibly an early warning/caution to prevent use of that lift or elevator by anything other than either inventory use or for human transport to the upper level of that building. Just still not sure about the first word "Boys"...

Very interesting pic though!
 

Kevinhooa

Explorer
Mar 12, 2008
332
25
41
Hammonton, NJ.
www.flickr.com
Great work guys. Some good clues in there for sure. If figure if anything, having this shot and the clues in a thread could eventually lead to something. Maybe I should even print it out to show around to a historical society or two.
 

jokerman

Explorer
May 29, 2003
337
12
Manasquan
Their hammers (cross pein pin hammers) suggest that at least half of them were doing some type of light carpentry/cabinetry. Those hammers would also be good for installing horse shoes although it doesnt look like a stable. One of the guys seems to have a hatchet with a small head on the opposite end. The tools def indicate that they werent working with metal. My guess is that they were either making the type of crates that you see the 2 men sitting on, on the far right or it is a shipping location where they prepare shipment items into those crates. Where is it? I have no idea!
 
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