Granny King and Harry, 1897

Another "black sheep" story.
This is "Granny KIng" my husband's Great grandmother and her grandson, Harry. Her daughter, and Harry's mother, was Mary King.
It seems that Mary King became pregnant with Harry while her lover was engaged (and then married) another woman. His name was Algernon (Algie) Dodgson.
Mary gave Harry her name (King) - and Algernon headed out to Australia. Two years later he returned a widower (I assume) whereupon she and Algy got married. (We have the marriage certificate.)
Then either she told him to bug off - or he left again. Either way, Harry always kept her maiden name - and she always went by Mary King.
I wish I knew the whole of this strange story.
Mary later emigrated and joined her son in the States, where she married again, quite late in life.
This Cabinet Card was taken in Matlock Bridge, which I assume is near Ulverston, Harry's home town.
Harry was born in 1895. Polly is sporting a remarkable headdress type of thing - HOW could that creation not have been viewed as peculiar?
This is a re-scan that I'm so happy about. This photograph is in a very ornate cut glass frame that I couldn't figure out how to open. It's behind thick (about a third of an inch) bevelled glass and has a wooden back. It's held in place with a spring and metal holders. I've never seen any other frame like it but perhaps many of you have.

My husband was able to dis-assemble it so I could re-scan it, and now it's safely back on the wall!
Another interesting part of the story - he went back to Australia and enlisted during WW1 - but under an alias!
Certainly looks like he had things to hide.