52 Ancestors 2026 Week 6 - Favourite Photo

Every so often, a photograph surfaces that feels like a small miracle—one of those images that captures far more than the people standing in it. As a family historian, and as someone who belongs to both of the families pictured, this is one of my favourite photographs. It brings together my maternal and paternal relatives in a way that feels both unusual and wonderfully natural.

I often wonder how common it was for both sides of a family to spend time together socially. This seems to be not an unusual occurrence for the West's and the Wadey's. The photo radiates a sense of ease and familiarity that suggests these families were comfortable in each other’s company, something as a family member I can attest to.

The picture appears to have been taken at Hollingbury Golf Course in Brighton, sometime in the late 1940s. The war was over, life was beginning to settle again, and families were rediscovering the simple pleasure of a day out together. There’s something quietly joyful about that context—ordinary life returning, captured in a single frame.

Left to right:

Back row: Paternal aunt, Mother, Father, Paternal uncle, Maternal grandfather, Paternal grandfather, ?, Maternal uncle Front row: Maternal aunt, Paternal uncle, Maternal aunt, ?, Maternal uncle

Even with a few faces still unidentified, (most probably girlfriends) the photograph tells a story of connection—two families linked not just by a marriage but by genuine companionship. (this photo was taken several years before Mum and Dad actually married) For me, it’s a reminder that family history isn’t only about documents and dates. Sometimes it’s about moments like this: a sunny day, a shared outing, and the rare sight of two family lines enjoying life side by side.