There’s a mystery photo album in the Dashwood School Archive. Notes in the front say it belonged to someone called Mary Florence Coulthard, who died in 1950 at the age of 93.

The album is full of family pictures, some of which have names added, but there is no clear link with Banbury or with Dashwood School.

According to the notes, Mary was the daughter of a vicar in Plymstock, Devon and married Christopher Harris Bulted (who died in 1883) and then Colonel Frederick Hole.

During a session with the current Dashwood Banbury Academy group called Book for Breakfast, we had a look at the album and tried to get some initial clues about it. The children noticed:

• the edges of the pages are gold
• the photographs are in black and white
• it has coloured illustrations
• the pages are stiff as if made of wood
• the album is very heavy
• some of the photos are damaged
• there are pictures and quotes decorating the album pages.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be spending time at Book for Breakfast sessions using historical family record resources to find out more about Mary and her family. But if you know anything, do get in touch and tell us!