Early Elvis in Tupelo --> Correct Dates?

These photos all appear to be from Tupelo, prior to the Presley's Memphis migration in November 1948.

Does anyone have specific dates for these?

1945_Tupelo.jpg

1945_Tupelo

1946_Tupelo.jpg

1946_Tupelo

1947_Tupelo.jpg

1947_Tupelo

1947_Tupelo_Easter.jpg

1947_Tupelo_Easter

1947_Tupelo_Easter_w Gladys.jpg

1947_Tupelo_Easter_w Gladys


Part II below -->

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Last edited by drjohncarpenter on Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:58 pm, edited 2 times in total.

These photos all appear to be from Tupelo, prior to the Presley's Memphis migration in November 1948.

Does anyone have specific dates for these?

1945_Tupelo.jpg

1945_Tupelo

1946_Tupelo.jpg

1946_Tupelo

1947_Tupelo.jpg

1947_Tupelo

1947_Tupelo_w Gladys.jpg

1947_Tupelo_w Gladys

1948_Tupelo.jpg

1948_Tupelo

Beautiful pics of our boy. Thanks Doc!

I guess dating Elvis photos, pre-1950, is VERY murky territory.

Can anyone help out?

I don't have any idea of how the US school system works, John, but would any of these correspond with Elvis' first or last years in a given school?

In the UK it was sometimes the case that children would be photographed as they entered and left schools.

I don't have any idea of how the US school system works, John, but would any of these correspond with Elvis' first or last years in a given school?

In the UK it was sometimes the case that children would be photographed as they entered and left schools.

I do agree that, save the one with his mom, these are school portraits.

1 - 1946 ???
2- 1947
3- 1948

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Wow, can't recall having seen that last pic before. Interesting.

date

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1 - 1946 ???
2- 1947
3- 1948

Your first image is an exact copy of the one I posted above as 1946. The second is obviously from the same session as the one with his mom circa 1947, which make me think this may well be from a special event, like Easter services. It is also reversed. The final shot is new and may well be from 1944, when Elvis was nine. Thank you for sharing it. Any idea what yearbook it is from?

date

OK, cool, this is circa October 1947 then, as that's when school photos are usually taken.

I'm going to rearrange my original post to add this image. The dating is all guesswork based on Elvis' face; I wish one of our Tupelo experts could chime in.

And these two I am now guessing are from Memphis in 1948 and 1949:

1948_Memphis.jpg

1948_Memphis

1949_Memphis.jpg

1949_Memphis


Any early photo experts out there?

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One more to add to the mystery.

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High Res. and
1947 uncropped.

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One more to add to the mystery.

No mystery, it's probably his kindergarden (1940) or 1st grade (1941) picture.

High Res. and
1947 uncropped.

The bottom shot is reversed. But those flowers sure do seem to emphasize the Easter holiday, eh?

High Res. and
1947 uncropped.

The bottom shot is reversed. But those flowers sure do seem to emphasize the Easter holiday, eh?

Yes that's why I don't think it's a school shot, because he and his mother are in the same background in the photo well above.

But those flowers sure do seem to emphasize the Easter holiday, eh?

Yes that's why I don't think it's a school shot, because he and his mother are in the same background in the photo well above.

Agreed.

One more to add to the mystery.

This is one of my favorites of young Elvis. He's very cute here!

The youngest picture is fantastic, the one with the 'snarl'.

Wow, can't recall having seen that last pic before. Interesting.

Agreed. It is a great photo.

interesting to see the difference between the 45-46 shot........his eyes were developing into that 'sloe, sexy look'

interesting to see the difference between the 45-46 shot........his eyes were developing into that 'sloe, sexy look'

Yes, you can see it. I hope we eventually get definitive dates for all of these.

A FTD book about early Elvis would be a great companion to the Sun box, IMO. If not a great companion, at least it would be an amazing project (once again in my opinion).

For the audio they could focus on songs that influenced Elvis.

The one listed as 1946 is new to my eyes too, thanks for sharing.

A somewhat damaged picture I saw when in Tupelo the other week, thought it appeared new to me so took a ‘snap’ of it.

A somewhat damaged picture I saw when in Tupelo the other week, thought it appeared new to me so took a ‘snap’ of it.

Wow, Julian! I saw those striped overalls (pronounced "overhauls" in the deep south) on him before. I do not know if I saw this shot ever before, though! (And I have no recall as to where I saw the striped ones, either, so this is GREAT!)

Thanks.

And, Doc, thanks very much. I agree these really should be dated. Perhaps a check of school records, and finding out the months when school pictures were taken in those schools might help. They would often take them much later in the year than October. I have one (or, well, I had it, but I'm digging through a garage to find it again) of me, and it says in the background of the classroom "March Comes In Like a Lion, and Goes Out Like A Lamb." So, that was March. A shame there's nothing there like that.

Surely, a researcher who digs deeply into his childhood could dig around the Tupelo records and maybe come up with something! I would buy such a book! (I should write such a book. But I'm busy right now.) This is the period which absolutely fascinates me, and is so little covered. Especially the transition from East Tupelo to Tupelo. Physically, you can see that his hair changed color. Also, his countenance changed from sad, helpless little child, to a certain tougher, insistent look that's hard to describe. More confidence, or strength. Somebody had better do this work fast, because southerners do not eat healthy food,, so they're dying! (Seriously, the longevity rates for those states, particularly in the rural areas, should reveal a difference. Look at the map: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_life_expectancy and also, look which state is LAST.)

rjm