LASHMAR PHOTO FINALLY DISCOVERED.....

After years of searching, I have at last managed to turn up a photograph of  a drey waggon and William Turner Lashmar (b.1835) and his wife Eliza (b.1841), together with 5 of their 8 children. William Lashmar is seen holding the horse's reins, and his wife is the lady with hat seated on the drey. She is surrounded by the children. Dating this photo is not easy but must be from the 1870's - certainly no later than early 1880's. Wm. Lashmar looks to be in his 40's which would make the guestimate dating just about right.

Upon scanning the photo, I have managed to decipher some of the writing on the side of the drey, and have enlarged the scan just in case a reader can manage some more...

The top line I haven't made out yet, but the second line clearly shows the word "Brewery" - could the first word be "Crown"? and the last line clearly shows "Lashmar, Oxted".

Further gems of surprise when I turned over the backing paper and found that the photo was glued on to a letter of reccommendation re the products of the Lashmar brewery by Messrs Barton & Co of Redhill, dated 1893.

a really nice find!