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| Answer to Quiz #3, April 29, 2005 What is this man holding in his hand? |
This undated photo of Charles R.
Millard (b. 1833, New Orleans?; d.
late 1860s, New York?) was taken at
Thompson's Studio, 571 Fulton St.,
Brooklyn, N.Y. He was the great great
great grandfather of Linda Barwick of
Sydney, Australia. It is supposed that
it was taken to commemorate his first
becoming a sea captain in the late
1850s. It is said that he ran the sugar
blockade of New Orleans during the
Civil War, and to have died in New
York in the 1860s.
We had many good guesses on what
Capt. Millard (later changed to
Mallard) was holding in his hand in
the photograph, from navigation
instruments, to forceps for delivering
calves and lambs, to a tool for picking
up ice. He is actually holding a pair of
ice skates.
Millard (b. 1833, New Orleans?; d.
late 1860s, New York?) was taken at
Thompson's Studio, 571 Fulton St.,
Brooklyn, N.Y. He was the great great
great grandfather of Linda Barwick of
Sydney, Australia. It is supposed that
it was taken to commemorate his first
becoming a sea captain in the late
1850s. It is said that he ran the sugar
blockade of New Orleans during the
Civil War, and to have died in New
York in the 1860s.
We had many good guesses on what
Capt. Millard (later changed to
Mallard) was holding in his hand in
the photograph, from navigation
instruments, to forceps for delivering
calves and lambs, to a tool for picking
up ice. He is actually holding a pair of
ice skates.
| Photograph courtesy of Linda Barwick. Click on thumbnail to see larger image. |
The type of skate he is holding is known as a New York Skate. You can compare a
sketch of the New York Skate to several other types posted on http://www.iceskate-
magazine.com/page21.html. This site gives a brief history of the New York Skate:
"About 1860 the New York Skating Club adopted a skate, which was made entirely out
of metal, and attached to the foot automatically without the aid of straps or other
fastenings. This was brought to Berlin by one Mr Watkins in the year 1862. It was
made entirely out of iron or steel, and for the heel fastening an oval plate was used,
with a rectangular gripper; the front part of the skate was then fastened tight to the
skating boot by means of clamps. Strange to say, until this day, in spite of all modern
improvements this method of fastening has proved itself to be the most practical for
general use. A further noticeable improvement was the invention of the “Halifax” skate,
which for its simplicity surpassed all others previously seen. This Halifax skate came
into use all over the world and became a universal favorite amongst skaters."
The skates in the photo have the curved front characteristic of the Jackson Haine
Skate, but they also have the heel and instep clamps that defined the later New York
Skate. The date of the picture must therefore be after 1860, at least ten years later than
assumed. Since it is known that the Thompson Studio was in operation in the 1880s,
the photo might even be that of Charles' F. Millard's son, Charles F. Mallard II (the
name having been changed in the late 1850s), born in 1859 in Nassau. However,
Charles F. Sr. had a definite link with New York and he's wearing a merchant navy pea
jacket, consistent with his being a seacaptain.
For an interesting timeline of the history of ice skates, see http://inventors.about.
com/library/inventors/bliceskates.htm.
sketch of the New York Skate to several other types posted on http://www.iceskate-
magazine.com/page21.html. This site gives a brief history of the New York Skate:
"About 1860 the New York Skating Club adopted a skate, which was made entirely out
of metal, and attached to the foot automatically without the aid of straps or other
fastenings. This was brought to Berlin by one Mr Watkins in the year 1862. It was
made entirely out of iron or steel, and for the heel fastening an oval plate was used,
with a rectangular gripper; the front part of the skate was then fastened tight to the
skating boot by means of clamps. Strange to say, until this day, in spite of all modern
improvements this method of fastening has proved itself to be the most practical for
general use. A further noticeable improvement was the invention of the “Halifax” skate,
which for its simplicity surpassed all others previously seen. This Halifax skate came
into use all over the world and became a universal favorite amongst skaters."
The skates in the photo have the curved front characteristic of the Jackson Haine
Skate, but they also have the heel and instep clamps that defined the later New York
Skate. The date of the picture must therefore be after 1860, at least ten years later than
assumed. Since it is known that the Thompson Studio was in operation in the 1880s,
the photo might even be that of Charles' F. Millard's son, Charles F. Mallard II (the
name having been changed in the late 1850s), born in 1859 in Nassau. However,
Charles F. Sr. had a definite link with New York and he's wearing a merchant navy pea
jacket, consistent with his being a seacaptain.
For an interesting timeline of the history of ice skates, see http://inventors.about.
com/library/inventors/bliceskates.htm.
| Congratulations to the winners of Quiz #3: Barbara Cangiamilla Janet Delgehausen Betty Ware Lisa Cotten Donna Dineen |
| Click here to return to the contest page.. |
| Quiz #3 Results |
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email it to us at CFitzp@aol.com. If we use it, you will receive a free analysis of
your picture.
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