Next three boxes of press negatives to evaluate have all the same date on them. February 19, 1943 in addition to the note that “Pictures taken 1942”.
First box out of the three carries “Pahl Jack family” and “20 in hear” (sic)
There are indeed 20 negatives in the box, covering two subjects. First we have the interior of “The Cathedral of Annunciation, Stockton” under different artificial lighting conditions and secondly, we have a number of negatives of children and adults, some of them most likely related to “Jack Pahl family.”
Let’s start with a few images of the Cathedral of the Annunciation, Stockton. It’s clear from the sequence Joel is trying to figure out different light settings, including a bulb flash. It’s a mixed bag when it comes to quality but there are a few workable negatives that could be printed with some work.
The Cathedral of the Annunciation in Stockton was dedicated on December 12, 1942, so one more, a nice confirmation of the date range written on the negative boxes.
The above “film noir” image is lit in an interesting way, all major house lights are off and there’s appeal to the result.
While the majority of these images are taken from the organ gallery, this one is in between the pews and it is obvious that Joel used a bulb flash on his camera. The reflection on the altar marble is quite strong.
Another full house light image but closer to the organ, workable image for a crop and some perspective correction. The negative below was overexposed, observe the solarization of the light bulbs at right. Their centers are solarized dark.
Last Cathedral image in this box, I promise. There are some lights up in the organ area or there was a light leak in the film holder. It does kinda work in the overall image. Observe the light reflections on the marble floor in between the pews.
Let’s keep in mind that this is 1942. The photographer only knows how the images might look like when the negatives are developed, that could take a few days. Joel had a darkroom at the house on Walnut Street, but we don’t know when that darkroom was built. He may have developed all his negatives at SJC. We don’t know either way at this point in time.
We’re switching over the Jack Pahl family images without knowing for sure who’s who when it comes to the adults.
Jack Pahl was actually John George Pahl, married to Beverley Brooks. Jack had a brother Rudolf and Emil. Beverley had a sister Adele. And from Joel’s perspective, himself a nephew-in-law of Jack, all these people are “family of Jack” !
The Berkeley University yearbook images were inconclusive from my perspective, so I’ll have to rely on family members to positively identify the adults in these images in the near future.
There’s no question about three of the children, these all fit nicely in the age categories of the genealogy I’ve put together so far.
Little John is going to get his finger caught in the playpen hinge … I’ve done it many times … hahaha, had a similar one as a baby ! Joel is learning it is hard to get young children focussed.
I’ll refrain of identifying the adults until I have relative confirmation. It is all too easy to make mistakes by assuming the not so obvious.
The girl below pops up in few images in the next box also. Street is W Walnut where Joel lived with his mom Clara Pahl but also, his aunt Amy Pahl lived half a block away. This image could very well be taken early 1942 during a visit. And it’s always possible it’s a neighborhood child playing with Butch or one of the puppies.
Adding another adult female in this mix is what threw me off. And thanks extended to Teddie Rose Pahl for confirming that the man above with glasses and the woman below are not related to the Pahl family.
The presence of two women in this stack of negatives, made identifying family members a bit more difficult 80 years after the fact. And through the power of social media we know know that only the children and mother are part of the Pahl family. The others must be friends or College of Pacific or Stockton Junior College students.
The above image is quite a nice “Hollywood style” portrait and the one below is no exception. It is not clear if Joel printed any of these, I took the liberty to retouch the negative below and post it at the top of the blogpost.
Two more boxes in this series of 1942 negatives.
Cheers !
Finding Joel Pahl Dardis 