The Fearnleys

These photos are from the collection of Leeds postman Tom Wheldon (also spelt Weldon) who served in 1/8 Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment during WW1 and was a veteran of the Boer War.  The handwriting on the face of some of the photos is Tom's.

This striking photograph shows Tom Fearnley (b.1886) flanked by his sisters Nellie (b.1888 and christened Ellen) and Minnie (b.1890).   The Fearnleys were next-door neighbours of the Wheldon family in Belle Vue Grove, Leeds in 1901 and still lived in the same area later in the 1900s.

The Fearnleys had a much younger sister Phyllis (b. first quarter of 1905), who is shown below with mother Emily.

It seems likely that the cards were sent at Christmas 1905 when Phyllis was not quite a year old and before Tom Wheldon's marriage in early 1906.  

Two other cards show Nellie Fearnley on her own - one looks to have been taken at the same sitting as the photo above (Nellie is wearing the same blouse and pearls in both pictures) while in the second she is wearing a gypsy costume.

This postcard showing Nellie Fearnley is dated 25 January 1908 and was sent to Tom and his wife:

It is likely that the following photos were also taken in 1908 or 1909, given that the youngest daughter Phyllis was born at the beginning of 1905.  The first photo shows Tom Fearnley, Phyllis, mother Emily, Minnie and Nellie dressed in their finest.  Tom Fearnley is shown on his own in the second photo.

Neither of the above photos have anything written on the reverse.