Family history mystery photographs

I'm betting most folks have a mystery photo or two in an old family album or a box of grandma's treasures.  I have a couple of beauties that I'm sure someone would be thrilled to have.

Great Northern Railway steam locomotive #1305 and it's crew

With the aid of a magnifying glass I've discovered the photo above is a Great Northern Railway locomotive and it's crew.  The cab has number 1305 and below the number are smaller letters GNRT.  

I'm guessing the photo was taken around 1900, and based on my family histories I think it was taken possibly in Nebraska, Idaho, Montana or Iowa.

This is a great photo that was mixed in with my Bailey and Brown family photos.  If anyone has any idea who, what, where, why, when or how... please share.

Update:  Got a nice reply from Bill Sornsin, Great Northern Railway Historical Society

Unsure of the location but likely somewhere in Montana, perhaps Whitefish.

We can tell you the 1305 was a GN class F-9 2-8-0, built 1903 by

Alco-Brooks, rebuilt 1925 into class C-3 0-8-0 switcher 881, sold for scrap

1/31/50.  So we know the picture was made between 1903 and 1925.

I'm including the authors of "Steam Locomotives of the Great Northern" on my

reply, because F-9 photos are uncommon due to the early rebuild. We'd love

to have a high-resolution scan for our archives and website, if you have one

(full credit provided of course)

Regards   --- Bill Sornsin, GNRHS

I sent them a copy


WWII British Naval Officer

Who is this gentleman?  I know he was my grandfather's cousin.  I believe he is wearing a WWII British Naval Lieutenant's uniform.  

A few surnames of grandfather's cousins would be: HEAD, AVERY, MORRIS, CUMMIN, GILBERT, POPE, BROWN, ASHDOWN, BARLING, and FRENCH.

Second cousin surnames could also be: WILKIE and BUTCHER.

If anyone has any idea who, what, where, why, when or how... please share