Mystery Foto #52 Solved: Willie K. and the Vanderbilt Family Cruising on the Nile River in 1888
Our final Mystery Foto of 2015 was a historic image of the Vanderbilt Family. Photo courtesy of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum.
Mystery Foto questions:
- Identify the four Vanderbilts and other people in the photo.
From left to right, (first row) Oliver Hazard Perry (O.H.P.) Belmont, F.O. Beach, and Alva Vanderbilt; (second row) William K. Vanderbilt (Willie K’s father), Consuelo Vanderbilt (Willie K’s 11-year old daughter), 10-year-old William K. Vanderbilt, Jr. and Dr. Francis Johnson; (third row) Miss Kulp, Captain Henry Morrison, an unnamed servant and Winfield Scott Hoyt (William K. Vanderbilt’s best friend.)
- When and where was the photo taken?
At the age of ten in 1887, William K. Vanderbilt Jr. went on a trip up the Nile on the paddle steamer Prince Abbas chartered by his father from Thomas Cook & Son. On board were family, friends, nannies and his future stepfather. The date was originally assumed as 1887. However, based on the below Kleiner's Korner New York Times article, the date of the photo was likely 1888.
- What event occurred eight years after this photo was taken?
In 1895, Willie K's parents, William K. Vanderbilt and Alva Vanderbilt, divorced after 20 years of marriage. Eight years after the Nile cruise in 1896, Alva married family friend O.H.P. Belmont, a guest on the Nile cruise, in New York City. (Courtesy of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum.)
Congrats to Greg O., Art Kleiner (see Kleiner's Korner), Steve Lucas and Florence Ogg for identifying the Vanderbilt family members and O.H.P. Belmont on the Nile cruise. Special kudos to Art Kleiner for documenting the date of the photo.
Enjoy,
Howard
From left to right, (first row) Oliver Hazard Perry (O.H.P.) Belmont, F.O. Beach, and Alva Vanderbilt; (second row) William K. Vanderbilt (Willie K’s father), Consuelo Vanderbilt (Willie K’s 11-year old daughter), 10-year-old William K. Vanderbilt, Jr. and Dr. Francis Johnson; (third row) Miss Kulp, Captain Henry Morrison, an unnamed servant and Winfield Scott Hoyt (William K. Vanderbilt’s best friend.)
S/S Prince Abbas
The Nile River has attracted tourists since the 1800s with cruises taking visitors to some of the greatest archaeological remains on the earth. Tourists in the 19th century were the driving force for the construction of paddle steamers. In 1869, Thomas Cook hired two paddlers for his tours of the Nile. Cook went on to build their own hotels and had a virtual monopoly over the tourist trade in the area. After 1885 they really began to expand their own fleet and in 1886, Cook commissioned Fairchild Shipbuilding & Engineering to build the 160x20 foot S/S Prince Abbas (shown here in 1900).
Kleiner's Korner (Submitted by Art Kleiner)
The New York Times, July 1, 1887
The New York Times, January 17, 1888
Comments
A Christmas softball gift! Remembered this one from a few different sources…
As per Vanderbiltcupraces.com;
“1887: Alva (far right) on a trip up the Nile with her children (9-year old Willie K standing in the middle), her husband William K. Vanderbilt (white outfit far left with 10-year daughter Consuelo by his side) and family friend Oliver Hazard Perry (O.H.P.) Belmont (sitting with cigarette far left). In 1895, after 20 years of marriage, Alva divorced Vanderbilt. Nine years after the Nile cruise, she married O.H.P. Belmont.”
Happy Holidays to all!!
Bwana Teddy Roosevelt Vanderbilt, Bwana Teddy Roosevelt Vanderbilt, Bwana Teddy Roosevelt Vanderbilt, and Bwana Teddy Roosevelt Vanderbilt; Ungawa (page); when the shutter clicked, in Darkest Africa; the NY CentRal RR was run through the Panama Canal. Hee, hee, III
Happy New Year to all my LIMP friends!!!
Identify the four Vanderbilts.
Alva Vanderbilt (can’t miss her), husband William K. Vanderbilt, 10 year old daughter Consuelo, and Willie K., Jr. at age 9.
Identfy any other people in the photo.
Oliver Hazard Perry (O.H.P.) Belmont
When and where was the photo taken? Nile river trip in 1887.
What event occurred nine years after this photo was taken?
Alva married O.H.P. Belmont.
This photo was taken in 1887 during a Vanderbilt family cruise on the Nile River in Egypt. Willie K. Jr. (then 9 years old) is the young boy standing near the center of the photo. His mother, Alva, is seated at the right. Alva’s husband, William K. Vanderbilt, is seated in the white suit near the left side of the photo with Willie K.‘s sister, Consuelo, at his side. Family friend O. H. P. Belmont is seated at the far left smoking a cigarette. Nine years after this photo was taken, Alva married the “family friend” (Belmont), having divorced Willie K.‘s father the year before. Maybe this cruise is where the new romance began.
From Florence Ogg:
Photo 52 is in the photo collection at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum. Alva V,WKV Jr and Sr and Consuela on a Nile cruise
If I remember correctly Oliver Belmont is sitting on the floor.