Memorial photograph album for Justin Laczkovic; British, 1875-84

1. 60-page quarto photograph album, of portrait proportions, with padded boards bound in blue-black calf ruled and ornamented in gilt, and white moiré endpapers; all but the last two images have a black border. The front cover has the name 'JUSTIN' in gilt gothic lettering, and the inside inscribed with Justin's full name and dates of birth and death. 25.4 x 20 x 3.7 cm
2. sepia albumen print of landscape proportions, with an oval cartouche showing Justin as a naked baby laid on a table in front of a partly-visible woman. 5.9 x 9.5 cm
3. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin as a seated baby wearing a white dress; inscribed "9 MONTHS - JULY 1875". 9.5 x 5.9 cm.
4. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin seated half-naked on a chair; inscribed as a pair with (5). 9.5 x 5.9 cm.
5. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin three-quarter length, wearing a white dress with ribbon sash and sleeve-ties and sitting in the same chair as in (4); inscribed (with 4) "1 YEAR 11 MONTHS - SEPT 1876". 9.3 X 5.9 cm.
6. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing a head and shoulders pose of Justin half-naked and with his hair brushed into cylindrical curls; inscribed "2 YEAR 11 MONTH - SEPT 1877 - 3 FEET 2¼ INCHES". 13.9 X 10.3 cm
7. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin wearing a white coat-dress and elaborate cap, sitting in a prie-dieu chair; inscribed "2 YEARS 11 MONTHS SEPT 1877 - 3 FEET 2¼ INCHES". 13.9 X 10.2 cm
8. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin in the same outfit, standing on the chair; inscribed as (7). 14 x 10.3 cm
9-12. sepia albumen prints, of portrait proportions, the upper two showing Justin wearing brief garments and sitting on a rug; the lower two showing him in highland dress; inscribed as a group "4 YEARS 11 MONTHS - SEPT 1879 - HEIGHT 3 FT 6½ INS". All 9.5 x 5.9 cm
13. sepia albumen print, of portrait proportions, showing Justin wearing shorts and shirtsleeves, straw hat and ringlets, standing by a wheelbarrow and pretending to dig with the spade he is holding; inscribed "6 YEARS OCTOBER 1880 3 FEET 10¼ INCHES". 13.9 X 10.3 cm
14. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing a head and shoulders pose of Justin wearing highland dress and ringlets; inscribed as (13). 14 x 9.9 cm
15. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin in the same outfit but full length; inscribed as (13). 13.9 x 10.3 cm
16. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, with an oval cartouche showing Justin in a right profile head and shoulders pose, and wearing highland dress and ringlets; inscribed "7 YEARS - OCTOBER 1881 - 4 FEET 3/4 INCHES" . 14 X 10.3 cm
17. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin in the same outfit but wearing a caped coat in addition; inscribed as (16). 13.9 x 10.3 cm
18. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin in the same outfit but without the coat; inscribed as (16). 14 x 10.3 cm
19. another similar; inscribed as (16). 13.7 x 10.3 cm
20. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin with cropped hair, wearing a kilt and tunic and seated at a writing bureau; inscribed "8 YEARS OCTOBER 1882". 14 X 10.2 cm
21. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin in a head and shoulders pose and wearing highland dress; inscribed as (20). 14 x 10.3 cm
22. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin in the same outfit, but with a rifle in his hands; inscribed as (20). 14 x 10.3 cm
23. another similar; inscribed as (20). 14 x 9.9 cm
24. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin in a head and shoulders pose and wearing highland dress; inscribed "8 YEARS 8 MONTHS - JUNE 1883". 14.7 X 10 cm
25. sepia albumen print of portrait proportions, showing Justin in highland dress, seated on a table; inscribed as (24). 14.6 x 9.4 cm
26. another similar, but showing Justin leaning against a table; inscribed as (24). 14.7 x 10.2 cm
27. another similar, but showing Justin sitting in a chair; inscribed as (24). 14.7 x 10 cm
28. a close-up version of (27); inscribed as (24). 14.7 x 9.7 cm
29. a similar print to (24), but with the head turned. 14.8 x 10.3 cm
30. sepia albumen print, of portrait proportions, showing Justin in shorts, shirtsleeves and straw hat, three-quarter length standing, and holding a cricket bat; inscribed as (24). 14.7 x 10.2 cm
31. sepia albumen print, of landscape proportions, showing Justin in the same outfit, but reclining with his cricket bat on a rug amongst foliage; inscribed as (24). 15.3 cm x 19.7 cm
32. (loosely inserted) blonde curl of Justin's hair. approximately 3.8 cm diameter.
33. (loosely inserted) blonde lock of Justin's hair, tied with pale blue sewing silk. approximately 23 cm long
34. sepia albumen print of landscape proportions, showing Justin's grave after his funeral, heaped with wreaths; inscribed "CLEWER CHURCHYARD" [i e St Andrew's Church, Clewer]. 10 X 14.6 cm
35, 36. sepia albumen prints of landscape proportions, showing Justin's grave at a later date, with the headstone (a tall white cross) in place: the inscription reads
"IN LOVING MEMORY OF JUSTINIAN WILLIAM ANDRIA LACZKOVIC, BORN OCTOBER 18TH 1874, DIED AT CHRIST'S HOSPITAL, HERTFORD, AFTER A FEW HOURS ILLNESS 1884. LOVING AND DEARLY LOVED, BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL HE JOINED OUR LOVED ONES ON THE ETERNAL SHORE TO REST FOR EVER "SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS".
ALSO OF CONSTANTIN LACZKOVIC, FATHER OF THE ABOVE, BORN MARCH 19TH 1843, DIED AT HAMMERSMITH DECR 26TH 1882. MODEST, KINDLY, ALL-ACCOMPLISHED, WISE, THE SHADOW OF HIS LOSS DREW LIKE AN ECLIPSE, DARKENING OUR WORLD" (some words obscured by plants on grave but supplied by the Rev Ian Randall of St Andrew's, Clewer). 15.6 x 20.4 cm; 15.5 x 20.7 cm

References: Copy birth and death certificates, with some information from Christ's Hospital School archives

The prints show Justinian William Andria Laczkovic (18/10/1874- 07/10/1884), son of Constantin Laczkovic, a private secretary, and his wife Catherine (née Goring) of Clewer Village near Windsor. "Justin" was a pupil of Christ's Hospital School, Horsham, and died there of
croup: the album was kept as a memorial to him.

The album contains images of Justin (Justinian William Andria) Laczkovic, who was born on October 18th 1874 and died of croup shortly before his tenth birthday, on October 7th 1884.
The photographs show a number of family customs, including recording a child's height every year; the practice (which prevailed until about 1920) of dressing the youngest boys in dresses, often with long hair; wearing mourning for a family member who had died (in this case a black armband and jacket trimmings after his grandfather's death in 1881). However, no photograph was taken of Justin laid out for burial, although this was quite a popular custom at the time. He died while he was away at school, Christ's Hospital in Hertford, and his body would have been brought home for burial already coffined. His gravestone also commemorates his father Constantin, who had died the previous year.

B.82:1 to 36-1995