This is the second of copies of three family photos that I was sent by the Olsons who did not know the identities of all the children pictured. The three photos were all taken on the same day at 98A Wanchai Road. Old John Olson does not appear in any of them. The youngest child, Sonny Boy, whose name we now know to be David Ritchie, son of David and Nellie Ritchie is here wearing the normal clothes of a little boy, whereas the photo published in The Hong Kong Legacy by Sean Olson showing the same group of children with their grandfather, John Olson, shows him in baby clothes and clearly younger. I don't want to hazard a guess about the occasion that brought the family together. It had to be before August 1917 when the Warren boys left for Canada. 24th February 1917 was John Olson's 79th birthday. Elizabeth Warnes died on 8th April 1917, but Nellie is not wearing black. Left to right are: Reggie Warren, Hugh Olson, Marjorie Warnes, Ernest Olson, Iris Warnes, Arthur Warren, Ossie Olson and Cyril Warnes. Nellie Ritchie is gazing at her son, David; Tubby Olson is on her other side.
I am grateful to Robbot27 and aagg for their work in discovering and following up on Nellie Olson's correct married name of Ritchie.
Comments
A photo taken on the same day
For comparison, this photo was taken on the same day as the above, but without the three smallest grandchildren of John Olson and with a different background. As stated above, I have not worked out the reason for the photos other than Nellie Ritchie's visit with her son, David. The date must have been late 1916 or early 1917.