A little way down Shire Lane, towards Orpington, on the right stands the farm house of Lower Hook Farm. A grand flint clad building dating from the mid 1800's. Richard Hards sent me the picture as his family have close ties to this house. Richard says:

The man is thought to be Alfred Sawyer, younger brother of Jane Wallis who was photographed outside Darrington Cottage. The photograph is thought to have been taken by William Nelson (it's certainly his style). Unfortunately, the original glass negatives do not appear to have survived to confirm this.

Alfred was probably born at Lower Hook shortly after his parents moved there from Chelsfield about 1852. The photograph belonged to my great grandmother (Jane Wallis' younger daughter) who was also born there. Having been widowed at 33, she is recorded in the 1911 census as living at Lower Hook, with her daughter (my grandmother, who was born at Crown Ash cottage) and her uncle Alfred.

Richard Hards

Tony Lewis 2011