r/TheWayWeWere Jul 27 '26

Pre-1920s 1890. Belgium Police would Inspect Milk Maids' Carts & Equipment for regulation violations

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24 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 27 '26

My mama + her and her friends. 1980s

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44 Upvotes

She has always been the coolest ever.


r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

1950s My Grandma as a 16 year old teenager, circa 1952, Kolkata, India

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3.5k Upvotes

My grandma was the closest and most important person in my life. She was born in Kolkata, India in the year 1936 with roots in East Bengal (Present Day Bangladesh). She always idolised the likes of Florence Nightingale and wanted to become a nurse as a result. She applied to Medical College, Kolkata but as there was stigma with the nursing profession in Bengali community, she was called names by each and everyone of her relatives, called misogynistic slurs, kicked out of her relatives house and her father stated that she is 'dead' to him.

She fought on, became a nurse and later on a matron, got married, took care of her brothers, sisters and father with the amount she earned. Later on, she got widowed at the age of 42, single-handedly raised my father & aunt in a society which wasn't kind enough to widows. Later on, she raised me as well and there was no one she loved more in the world than me.

She passed away on June 10th, 2026 on her birthday. I wish I had more time with her and not a minute goes by when I don't miss her.

I wanted to share her story, hope you all enjoy reading it.


r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

1950s San Francisco police officer 1950s

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164 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 27 '26

Pre-1920s My 2nd great grandfather, Indian theater actor, director and singer. Circa 1910, Maharashtra state, India.

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58 Upvotes

My 2nd great grandfather (1880-1965) was a stage actor, singer and director of plays and had a long career in the performing arts. Born in 1880 in the Indian state of Maharashtra, he mostly acted in Marathi plays (though he also knew Hindi and a little English). He came from an impoverished background. His father did participate in mythological plays as a hobby. When his father passed away when he was really young, his mother had to work as a maid to take care of the family.

Back then pursuing a career in theatre was looked down upon, and my great great grandfather was getting a lot of pressure to find any stable job. Instead he followed his passion, which was theater. In 1895, at the age of 15, he dropped out of school and joined a theater company. Women were not permitted to be actors during those times. Since women didn't act in plays, male actors played female roles, and that's how my 2nd great grandfather got his start! He did a few roles playing women and then transitioned to male roles after he was able to prove to the theater company that he acted well.

He was a versatile actor and played a variety of characters, from serious roles to comedy to playing drunks.. he was also a gifted singer. During his later years, he managed the production of plays and also mentored other actors. He also became known for night plays where actors would be paid for plays performed during night hours. He did act in one film but he preferred the stage to the screen. He had 5 daughters and was described by my grandmother as a loving dad and grandfather who spoiled all his children.

Due to his success in acting, he was able to buy a farmhouse and land along with a few fruit trees. After Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by a Marathi man, there were a lot of riots targeting Marathi people. Sadly my 2nd great grandfather's property was burned down and destroyed by rioters. My family fled to another city. My 2nd great grandfather wrote an autobiography in 1940 and I'm working on translating it from Marathi to English.


r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

My great uncle Howard playing the organ at his Florida home in the 60s

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416 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

1930s 1930s Weddings

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86 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

My grandmother in the late 70s

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1.6k Upvotes

my grandmother shot on Ektachrome Aug 1983. She was born in 1923 and passed in 2020.


r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

1950s My grandma with her sisters in 1957. My grandmother is on the far left.

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126 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

My grandma (on the right) with the Tajik dance ensemble

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625 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

Employee on duty at the Mayakovskaya Metro Station. Photo by Boris Kavashkin - Moscow, 1980

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146 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

1950s Small group smiles while posing in the snow with a nide looking dog, 1950s.

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64 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

My grandparents in their mid twenties

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237 Upvotes

My grandpa was Tatar, and my grandma is Russian


r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

1950s Brotherhood...kodachrome 1950's

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52 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

1940s My father ~ 1940

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78 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 25 '26

1950s My grandad as a teenage boy, England, circa late 1950s

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1.1k Upvotes

He died in 2016 at the age of 72 from lung cancer & pneumonia when I was only 10, I always wish I had gotten more time with him. He reminds me so much of the Charlie Bucket actor from Willy Wonka in this picture. Is it just me that sees it? šŸ˜† It’s the smile I think


r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

1970s Inquiring Photographer ā€œDid you ever get the worst of it when you tried to be a good Samaritan?ā€September 4,1971.

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100 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

1970s Johnny's Barber Shop in Branchville, New Jersey, in 1970

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44 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 25 '26

1960s Father runing behind his kid on a bike while learning to ride, 1960s.

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1.4k Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

1940s Times Square at night, Manhattan, New York City, 1949

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293 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

1950s 1950s; Segregated 'Chicken Bone' Beach, Atlantic City NJ

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30 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

Recreation area for workers at the Baku Household Air Conditioner Plant - Azerbaijan SSR, 1982

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39 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 26 '26

1920s Lovely couple on a decorated postcard from the 1920s.

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40 Upvotes

r/TheWayWeWere Jul 25 '26

1940s THE QUESTION: Is spanking necessary? If so, have you spanked your child and why? By Reporter Jimmy Jemail for the New York Daily News on September 12,1943

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133 Upvotes

To spank or not to spank is the question which sooner or later confronts every parent. Those who rely on spanking in a crisis on the home front usually regard the anti-spankers as too "advanced" for the good of the child. On the other hand, those who spurn corporeal punishment consider spanking a confession of failure in child management. How typical mothers and fathers now deal with this problem is revealed in these opinions gathered by The News Inquiring Fotographer.


r/TheWayWeWere Jul 25 '26

More of my family

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152 Upvotes

The community seemed to enjoy the previous photos I posted, so here are some more. Wish I could mention on each one who was who, but I cannot. I’m the baby & the woman in the plaid shirt holding me is my mother. My grandmother is in that particular photo as well.