Complexion photos on Flickr

Portrait of woman showing her pimples on isolated white background

Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection - Disney Store - First Look - Deboxed - Full Right Rear View by drj1828

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Snow White and her Prince have now been fully deboxed. They are posed standing, supported by the built-in doll stands in the base of the display case.

This regular version of the Snow White and the Prince Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Doll Set has the same two base dolls as the D23 special edition dolls that I reviewed earlier. That is the dolls themselves are identical in every way (except for the serial numbers on the back of the Prince dolls). They also have outfits of almost identical designs, but made of different materials and with differing colors. So the dolls have different looks, especially the Snow Whites.

Snow White has the body of a 2012 Disney Store Classic Princess doll. That is, she has hard plastic legs, with hinged knee joints and ball jointed ankles. She is missing the usual manufacturer's marks printed on Disney limited edition dolls, including the part number and her edition size and serial number. She is also missing the twist waist joint of the previous Designer Princess and Designer Villain dolls. She has a pale complexion, the same as the 2012 Snow White, with whom she shares the same body. However, her neck joint has more freedom of movement, especially downward, and her painted on panties are deep golden yellow, much darker than the 2012 Snow White.

Her face mold appears to be the same as the 2012 and 2013 Classic Snow White, but with a considerably different face paint than either of them. She has large dark brown eyes that are glancing to her left, with four short thick lashes over each eye and four very short and thin lashes under each eye. Over her eyes is gold eyeshadow, and thin black eyebrows gently following the curve of her eyes. She also had short rooted eyelashes that are just barely curving upwards, and are even in length. She has a small button nose, a small mouth with blood red lips forming a charming open mouth smile. She has light pink rouge over most of her cheeks, and a round face with small chin. She is a very beautiful and faithful representation of the sweet and charming movie character.

Her hair is a considerable departure from the traditional short flip hairdo. Her jet black hair is parted to the left of her head, and pulled tightly over her head into a medium length braided ponytail that tapers down to a point and is secured by black rubberband, and is sewn to her collar on her right side. There is a small amount of hair product applied just above her forehead, to a thin strip of her hair. In my doll, that strip keeps on separating from the rest of her hair. I haven't been able to integrate it with the rest of her hair; perhaps I will have to apply more hair product to keep it place. There is a thin bright red satin ribbon around the top of her head that ends in a small bow at left side of her head.

Her outfit is a take on her traditional Princess gown. Her bodice and skirt are separate pieces. The bodice is dark blue velvet with gold piping and elaborate gold embroidery, and decorated with a bow made of metallic gold thread. The floral design is similar to the D23 doll, but differs in its details. She has puffy sleeves of the same dark blue velvet, with separate ribbons of bright red satin that float over the velvet. The sleeves have black lace cuffs decorated with gold hearts, and the oversized collar is pure white lace folded in a fan-like manner behind her neck and head. Her skirt is dark golden taffeta with gold embroidering incorporating fleur-de-lis, flowers and hearts. The embroidery in the skirt is identical to that of the D23 doll. The taffeta gives the skirt has a wrinkled, antique appearance. It has a thin pale tan satin lining. There are golden rhinestones scattered throughout the bodice and skirt of her dress. Under her dress is a floor length white satin slip with the lacey pattern at the hem showing below her skirt. It is sewn to her skirt at two spots at the hem, which I chose to leave alone for now. It is also sewn to the waist band of the skirt, so it is a permanent part of the skirt. She is wearing golden tan flat shoes (or slippers), the same as the D23 doll. It is a beautifully designed and beautifully made outfit that is a darker and more ornated version of the Princess outfit of the movie character.

The Prince appears to have the standard Disney Store Prince body, with articulation at the neck, shoulders, hinge jointed elbows, ball jointed hips, and internal knee joints with limited movement. His hands and feet are large, but his head is disproportionately small compared to Snow White. His face has a neutral expression, with small, narrow deep blue eyes, wide mouth and a straight nose. His molded dark brown hair looks okay. His face doesn't look that movie accurate to me; I actually prefer the playline Classic Prince. As with all Disney Prince dolls, he is sturdily built, and can free stand fairly stably. But for safe keeping, it is best to put him up in the included doll stand, which has a wide C-clamp that goes around his waist very snuggly.

The Prince's outfit is very well made and fitted to his body. It consists of a dark blue faux leather vest, a bright red velvet and satin cape with gold piping permanently attached at the shoulders of the vest, a dark blue faux leather belt with a gold metal buckle and a short black faux leather scabbard attached, white satin shirt, black pants and black boots with a worn look and creases. In the scabbard is a steel gray sword with a brown handle. The sword is thin and very flexible. It was slightly bent out of the box, but was easily bent back into shape. The D23 Prince's vest is much thicker, and feels much more like real leather than this Prince doll. But this Prince has an outfit that is much closer in color to the movie character. He looks great in his outfit, and very dashing, but I wish his expression had more emotion, and was more cheerful.

Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set

Disney Fairytale Designer Collection

US Disney Store

Released and purchased in store on August 20, 2013.

Released online August 21, 2013.

$129.95 US

#558 of 6000

First Look

I will photograph the set boxed, during the deboxing, and fully deboxed. I will also pose the dolls next to comparable dolls, for instance the Gold D23 Snow White doll set.

Product information from the US Disney Store website:

Snow White and the Prince Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection

$129.95

Item No. 6070040900883P

Fairest two of all

With lips red as the rose and skin as white as snow, the Princess has never looked fairer. Paired with her handsome Prince, this stunning set of Disney Fairytale Designer Collection dolls will be cherished happily ever after.

Magic in the details...

Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of one of this item per order.

As part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection this pair of Snow White and Prince dolls were carefully crafted by artists inspired by Walt Disney's 1937 classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original Disney Princess and her Prince have been reimagined in exquisite detail with these limited edition dolls. Brought to life with thoughtful attention, they uniquely capture the essence of the fairytale couple, creating a one of a kind set that will be a treasured keepsake of collectors, Disney fans and every princess at heart.

•Global Limited Editon of 6000

•Includes Certificate of Authenticity

•Romantic side-swept hair

•Dramatic lace collar

•Elaborately embroidered velvet bodice with puff sleeves with red satin detailing

•Layered gown ornately decorated with golden gemstones, taffeta, lace, and embroidered foliage

•Dramatic make-up and rooted eyelashes

•Red bow headband

•Prince features velvet cape

•Satin shirt with faux leather waistcoat and belt

•Boots and sword

•Dolls sold in a special keepsake display case with intricate details on the base, including a golden plate with the name of Snow White and the Prince

•Includes special Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Gift Bag

•Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection

* Intended for adult collectors -- Not a child's toy.

The bare necessities

•Plastic / polyester

•Snow White: 11 1/2''

•Prince: 12'' H

•Imported

' D R A G O N F L Y ' by Shakib Mahmood

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The dragon-fly is dancing/Is on the water glancing/She flits about with nimble wing/The flickering, fluttering, restless thing./Besotted chafers all admire/Her light-blue, gauze-like, neat attire/They laud her blue complexion/And think her shape perfection…

Karli Woods by Craig Sellars

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Instagram - @itskarliwoods

youtube.com/geekingorgeous

Facebook.com/itskarliwoods

Caballero de la triste figura/Don Quijote by Guijo Córdoba fotografía

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Don Quijote, de complexión delgada, rostro enjuto y luengas barbas, limpió los arreos y las armas de su bisabuelo, de finales del XV, y, a la usanza de los caballeros de los tiempos de la guerra de Granada, se alistó según los reglamentos mencionados en la literatura caballeresca.

Presentación • Mi galeria • Lo mas interesante • Mis expos • Fluidr

Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. A breach of copyright has legal consequences.

My younger brother Mike and me. I was always the one with the dark complexion. by Tony Alter

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North Dakota in 1963

Through The Looking Glass Custom Plan by Sarah

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1 of 4 Steampunk Wonderland Customs - Also I swapped her faceplates with a different girl so she has more of a pale complexion now instead of translucent.

"Nothing's so dainty sweet as lovely melancholy." ~ Francis Beaumont by houseofduke

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Out of all the Liccas I have, only about four of them have truly black (black as a raven) hair, and because it looks so gorgeous on her and really stands out against her complexion, I got another black-haired Licca the other day. :o)

She's a Castle Licca with beautiful straight bangs and long hair that reaches her thighs and ends in a layered shaggy cut. Her lips are more of a natural pale pink, a color I love, and her eyes are brown.

I don't know why but I sense an air of melancholy around her, as if she's wiser and older than she looks, and as if she's seen things and been through a few hardships in her life, and that makes her even more interesting to me.

That's why I've dressed her as a street kid, to make her stand out from the rest of my Liccas, and to let her be her own character. Most of my dolly wardrobe is girlier rather than tomboy-ish, so I don't have lots of cool clothes for her right now. She needs some jeans and jackets and more hats of awesomeness. :D

Hat is from a playline Licca and the jersey tee is Momoko. Background is a skateboard from the 80's I used to have as a kid LOLZ.

India - Karnataka - Belur - Chennakeshava Temple - Vishnu - 233d by Manfred Sommer

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Vishnu (/ˈvɪʃnuː/; Sanskrit: Viṣṇu) is a popular Hindu deity, the Supreme God of Vaishnavism (one of the three principal denominations of Hinduism) and one of the three supreme deities (Trimurti) of Hinduism. He is also known as Lord Narayana and Lord Hari. As one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta tradition, He is conceived as "the Preserver or the Protector" within the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the divinity.

In Hindu sacred texts, Vishnu is usually described as having dark complexion of water-filled clouds and as having four arms. He is depicted as a blue being, holding a padma (lotus flower) in the lower left hand, the Kaumodaki gada (mace) in the lower right hand, the Panchajanya shankha (conch) in the upper left hand and the discus weapon Sudarshana Chakra in the upper right hand.

Adherents of Hinduism believe Vishnu's eternal and supreme abode beyond the material universe is called Vaikuntha, which is also known as Paramdhama, the realm of eternal bliss and happiness and the final or highest place for liberated souls who have attained Moksha. Vaikuntha is situated beyond the material universe and hence, cannot be perceived or measured by material science or logic. Vishnu's other abode within the material universe is Ksheera Sagara (the ocean of milk), where he reclines and rests on Ananta Shesha, (the king of the serpent deities, commonly shown with a thousand heads). In almost all Hindu denominations, Vishnu is either worshipped directly or in the form of his ten avatars, the most famous of whom are Rama and Krishna.

The Puranabharati, an ancient text, describes these as the dashavatara, or the ten avatars of Vishnu. Among the ten described, nine have occurred in the past and one will take place in the future as Lord Kalki, at the end of Kali Yuga, (the fourth and final stage in the cycle of yugas that the world goes through). These incarnations take place in all Yugas in cosmic scales; the avatars and their stories show that gods are indeed unimaginable, unthinkable and inconceivable. The Bhagavad Gita mentions their purpose as being to rejuvenate Dharma, to vanquish those negative forces of evil that threaten dharma, and also to display His divine nature in front of all souls.

The Trimurti (three forms) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer, preserver or protector and Shiva the destroyer or transformer." These three deities have also been called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity", all having the same meaning of three in One. They are the different forms or manifestation of One person the Supreme Being or Narayana/Svayam Bhagavan.

Vishnu is also venerated as Mukunda, which means God who is the giver of mukti or moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirths) to his devotees or the worthy ones who deserve salvation from the material world.

ETYMOLOGY

The traditional explanation of the name Vishnu involves the root viś, meaning "to settle" (cognate with Latin vicus, English -wich "village," Slavic: vas -ves), or also (in the Rigveda) "to enter into, to pervade," glossing the name as "the All-Pervading One". Yaska, an early commentator on the Vedas, in his Nirukta, (etymological interpretation), defines Vishnu as viṣṇur viṣvater vā vyaśnoter vā, "one who enters everywhere". He also writes, atha yad viṣito bhavati tad viṣnurbhavati, "that which is free from fetters and bondages is Vishnu".

Adi Shankara in his commentary on the Sahasranama states derivation from viś, with a meaning "presence everywhere" ("As he pervades everything, vevesti, he is called Vishnu"). Adi Shankara states (regarding Vishnu Purana, 3.1.45): "The Power of the Supreme Being has entered within the universe. The root viś means 'enter into'." Swami Chinmayananda, in his translation of Vishnu Sahasranama further elaborates on that verse: "The root vis means to enter. The entire world of things and beings is pervaded by Him and the Upanishad emphatically insists in its mantra 'whatever that is there is the world of change.' Hence, it means that He is not limited by space, time or substance. Chinmayananda states that, that which pervades everything is Vishnu."

SACRET TEXTS - SHRUTI & SMRITI

Shruti is considered to be solely of divine origin. It is preserved as a whole, instead of verse by verse. It includes the four Vedas (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda) the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads with commentaries on them.

Smṛti refers to all the knowledge derived and inculcated after Shruti had been received. Smrti is not 'divine' in origin, but was 'remembered' by later Rishis (sages by insight, who were the scribes) by transcendental means and passed down through their followers. It includes the Bhagavata Purana and the Vishnu Purana which are Sattva Puranas. These both declare Vishnu as Para Brahman Supreme Lord who creates unlimited universes and enters each one of them as Lord of Universe.

SHRUTI

VAISHNAVA CANON

The Vaishnava canon presents Vishnu as the supreme being, rather than another name for the Sun God, who also bore the name Suryanarayana and is considered only as a form of Vishnu.

VEDAS

In the Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Aranyaka (10-13-1), Narayana suktam, Lord Narayana is mentioned as the supreme being. The first verse of Narayana Suktam mentions the words "paramam padam", which literally mean "highest post" and may be understood as the "supreme abode for all souls". This is also known as Param Dhama, Paramapadam, or Vaikuntha. Rig Veda 1:22:20a also mentions the same "paramam padam". This special status is not given to any deity in the Vedas apart from Lord Vishnu/Narayana.[citation needed] Narayana is one of the thousand names of Vishnu as mentioned in the Vishnu Sahasranama. It describes Vishnu as the All-Pervading essence of all beings, the master of - and beyond - the past, present and future, one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within. This illustrates the omnipresent characteristic of Vishnu. Vishnu governs the aspect of preservation and sustenance of the universe, so he is called "Preserver of the universe".

Vishnu is the Supreme God who takes manifest forms or avatars across various ages or periods to save humanity from evil beings, demons or Asuras. According to the extant Hindu texts and traditions, Lord Vishnu is considered to be resident in the direction of the "Makara Rashi" (the "Shravana Nakshatra"), which is about coincident with the Capricorn constellation. In some of the extant Puranas, and Vaishnava traditions, Vishnu's eye is considered to be situated at the infinitely distant Southern Celestial Pole.

Following the defeat of Indra and his displacement as the Lord of Heaven or Swarga, Indra asks Lord Vishnu for help and thus Lord Vishnu takes his incarnations or avatars to Earth to save mankind, thus showing his position as Supreme God to all of creation.

In the Puranas, Indra frequently appears proud and haughty. These bad qualities are temporarily removed when Brahma and/or Shiva give boons to Asuras or Rakshasas such as Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu and Ravana, who are then able to defeat Indra in wars between Devas and Asuras. The received boons often made Asuras virtually indestructible.

Indra has no option but to seek help from Vishnu. Indra prays before Vishnu for protection and the Supreme Lord obliges him by taking avatars and generating himself on Earth in various forms, first as a water-dweller (Matsya, fish), then as an amphibious creature (Kurma avatar or Tortoise), then as a half-man-half-animal (Varaha the pig-faced, human-bodied Lord, and Narasimha the Lord with lion's face and claws and a human body). Later, Vishnu appears as human beings (Vamana the short-heighted person), Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and finally as Kalki for performing his task of protecting his devotees from demons and anti-religious entities.

Vishnu's supremacy is attested by his victories over those very powerful entities. It is further attested by the accepted iconography and sculptures of Vishnu in reclining position as producing Brahma emerging from his navel. Brahma the creator is thus created in turn by Vishnu out of his own person. Instead Vishnu takes various avatars to slay or defeat those demons. But it is to be noted that Vishnu also provided boons to Akupresura, a bear faced demon who was destroyed by Lord Shiva.

Vishnu's actions lowered Indra's ranking among Hindu deities and led to the ascendancy of Vishnu.

Few temples are dedicated to the Sun or Suryanarayana, nor indeed Indra, nor does Indra figure largely in the Hindu religion.

Indra is almost completely absent from the deities considered as the chief or most important deity.

RIGVEDA

In the Rigveda, Vishnu is mentioned 93 times. He is frequently invoked alongside other deities, especially Indra, whom he helps in killing Vritra and with whom he drinks Soma. His distinguishing characteristic in the Vedas is his association with light. Two Rigvedic hymns in Mandala 7 are dedicated to Vishnu. In 7.99, Vishnu is addressed as the god who separates heaven and earth, a characteristic he shares with Indra.

The Rig Veda describes Vishnu as younger brother to Indra as Vamana. In Vaishnava canon the 'Vishnu' who is younger brother to Indra is identified as Vamana, Avatar of Vishnu, hence referred to as Vishnu by Vaishnavites. Vishnu is the Supreme God who lives in the highest celestial region, contrasted against those who live in the atmospheric or terrestrial regions. Vishnu is content with mere prayer, unlike almost all of the other gods who receive sacrificial offerings such as Havis, which is given using clarified butter, or Soma. Later foreign translators have view that Vedas place Indra in a superior position to Vishnu's Avatar of Vamana but in fact Vamana helps Indra by restoring his Kingdom.

An alternate translation is provided by Wilson according to Sayana:

When Thy (younger brother) Viṣṇu (Vamana) by (his) strength stepped his three paces, then verily thy beloved horses bore thee. (Rigveda 8:12:27)

Wilson mentions Griffith's possible translation as a footnote. However the following verse from Rigveda renders the above translation by Wilson more probable.

Him whose three places that are filled with sweetness, imperishable, joy as it may list them, Who verily alone upholds the threefold, the earth, the heaven, and all living creatures. (Rig veda 1:154:4)

Wilson offers an alternate translation for Rigveda 10:113:2:

Viṣṇu offering the portion of Soma, glorifies by his own vigor that greatness of his. Indra, the lord of heaven, with the associated gods having slain Vritra, became deserving of honour. (Rigveda 10:113:2)

This verse sees Vishnu as one who is glorified by his own strength, while Indra became deserving of honor after having slain Vritra only in association with other gods.

However Vishnu's praise for other gods does not imply worship. Wilson translates:

Viṣṇu, the mighty giver of dwellings praises thee, and Mitra and Varuna; the company of Maruts imitates thee in exhilaration. (Rigveda 8:15:9) (page 280)

The following verses show categorically Vishnu as distinguished from other gods in Rigveda.

He who presents (offering) to Viṣṇu, the ancient, the creator, the recent, the self-born; he who celebrates the great birth of that mighty one; he verily possessed of abundance, attains (the station) that is to be sought (by all). (Rigveda 1:156:2) (page 98)

No being that is or that has been born, divine Viṣṇu, has attained the utmost limit of thy magnitude, by which thou hast upheld the vast and beautiful heaven, and sustained the eastern horizon of Earth.(Rigveda 7:99:2) (page 196)

The divine Viṣṇu, the best of the doers of good deeds, who came to the pious instituter of rite (Indra), to assist (at its celebration), knowing (the desires of the worshiper), and present at the three connected period (of worship), shows favor to the Arya, and admits the author of the ceremony to a share of the sacrifice. (Rigveda 1:156:5) (page 99)

Jan Gonda, the late Indologist, states that Vishnu, although remaining in the background of Indra's exploits, contributes by his presence, or is key to Indra's success. Vishnu is more than a mere companion, equal in rank or power to Indra, or sometime the one who made Indra's success possible.

Descriptions of Vishnu as younger to Indra are found in only the hymns to Indra, but in a kathenotheism religion like that of the Rigveda, each god, for a time, is supreme in the mind of the devotee.

In the Rig Vedic texts, the deity or god referred to as Vishnu is the Sun God, who also bears the name 'Suryanarayana'. By contrast, the 'Vishnu' referred to in 'Vishnu Purana', 'Vishnu Sahasranamam' and 'Purusha Sooktham' is Lord Narayana, the Consort of Lakshmi. Vaishnavites make a further distinction by extolling the qualities of Vishnu by highlighting his differences from other deities such as Shiva,[citation needed] Brahma or Surya.

THREE STEPS

Hymn 7.100 refers to the celebrated 'three steps' of Vishnu (as Trivikrama) by which he strode over the universe and in three places planted his step. The 'Vishnu Suktam' (RV 1.154) says that the first and second of Vishnu's strides (those encompassing the earth and air) are visible to men and the third is in the heights of heaven (sky). This last place is described as Vishnu's supreme abode in RV 1.22.20:

The princes evermore behold / that loftiest place where Vishnu is / Laid as it were an eye in heaven.(trans. Griffith)

Griffith's "princes" are the sūri, either "inciters" or lords of a sacrifice, or priests charged with pressing the Soma. The verse is quoted as expressing Vishnu's supremacy by Vaishnavites.

Though such solar aspects have been associated with Vishnu by tradition as well as modern-scholarship, he was not just the representation of the sun, as he moves both vertically and horizontally.

In hymns 1.22.17, 1.154.3, 1.154.4 he strides across the earth with three steps, in 6.49.13, 7.100.3 strides across the earth three times and in 1.154.1, 1.155.5,7.29.7 he strides vertically, with the final step in the heavens. The same Veda also says he strode wide and created space in the cosmos for Indra to fight Vritra. By his stride he made dwelling for men possible, the three forming a symbolic representation of the dwelling's all-encompassing nature. This nature and benevolence to men were Vishnu's enduring attributes. As the triple-strider he is known as Trivikrama and as Urukrama, for the strides were wide.

BRAHMANAS

The Brahmanas are commentaries on the Vedas and form part of the Shruti literature. They are concerned with the detail of the proper performance of rituals. In the Rigveda, Shakala Shakha: Aitareya Brahmana Verse 1 declares: agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus, tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā - Agni is the lowest or youngest god and Vishnu is the greatest and the highest God.

The Brahmanas assert the supremacy of Lord Vishnu, addressing him as "Gajapati", the one whom all sacrifices are meant to please. Lord Vishnu accepts all sacrifices to the demigods and allots the respective fruits to the performer In one incident, a demonic person performs a sacrifice by abducting the Rishis (sages), who meditate by constantly chanting God's name. The sacrifice is meant to destroy Indra. But the rishis, who worship Indra as a demigod, alter one pronunciation of the Veda Mantra, reversing the purpose of the sacrifice. When the fruit of the sacrifice is given and the demon is on the verge of dying, he calls to Vishnu, whom he addresses as Supreme Godhead and "the father of all living entities including himself".

Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 mentions Vishnu as the Supreme God. But in the Vaishnava canon, in different ages, with Vishnu in different avatars, his relationship with the asuras or demons, was always adversarial. The asuras always caused harm, while the sages and devas or celestial beings, did penance and called to Vishnu for protection. Vishnu always obliged by taking an avatar to vanquish the asuras. In the Vaishnava canon, Vishnu never gave or granted any boons to the asuras, distinguishing him from the gods Shiva and Brahma, who did. He is the only God called upon to save good beings by defeating or killing the asuras.

Sayana writes that in Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 the declaration agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus,tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā does not indicate any hierarchy among gods. Even in Rigveda Samhita, avama and parama are not applied to denote rank and dignity, but only to mark place and locality.

In Rigveda 1:108:9,: yadindrāghnī avamasyāṃ pṛthivyāṃ madhyamasyāṃ paramasyāmuta sthaḥ | i.e., in the lowest place, the middle (place), and the highest (place). Agni, the fire, has, among the gods, the lowest place; for he resides with man on the earth; while the other gods are either in the air, or in the sky. Vishnu occupies the highest place. The words avama and parama are understood as 'First' and 'Last' respectively. To support this claim, Sayana adduces the mantra (1,4. As'val. Sr. S. 4, 2), agnir mukham prathamo devathanam samathanam uttamo vishnur asit, i.e., Agni was the first of the deities assembled, (and) Vishnu the last.

In the Kausitaki Brahmana (7.1) Agni is called Aaradhya (instead of avama), and Visnu parardha(instead of parama),i.e., belonging to the lower and higher halves (or forming the lower and higher halves). The Vishnu Purana gives tremendous importance to the worship of Vishnu and mentions that sacrifices are to begin only with both the lighting of fire or 'Agni', pouring of sacrificial offerings to Vishnu in 'Agni' so that those offerings reach and are accepted by Vishnu. Worship of Vishnu through Yajnas (or Homams) and other rituals, will not achieve the desired result if Agni's role is neglected.

Muller says "Although the gods are sometimes distinctly invoked as the great and the small, the young and the old (Rig veda 1:27:13), this is only an attempt to find the most comprehensive expression for the divine powers, and nowhere is any of the gods represented as the subordinate to others. It would be easy to find, in the numerous hymns of the Veda, passages in which almost every single god is represented as supreme and absolute."

However this notion is not completely correct as per the following verses, which shows Rigveda describe one or more gods as subject to other god(s).

Him whose high law not Varuna nor Indra, not Mitra, Aryaman, nor Rudra breaketh, Nor evil-hearted fiends, here for my welfare him I invoke, God Savitar, with worship. (Rigveda 2.038.09)

I invite to this place, with reverential salutations, for my good, that divine Savita, whose functions neither Indra, nor Varun.a, nor Mitra nor Aryaman nor Rudra nor the enemies (of the gods), impede. (Rigveda 2.038.09)

SMRITI

VISHNU SMRITI

The Vishnu Smṛti, is one of the later books of the Dharmashastra tradition of Hinduism and the only one that focuses on the bhakti tradition and the required daily puja to Vishnu, rather than the means of knowing dharma. It is also known for its handling of the controversial subject of the practice of sati (self-immolation of a widow on her husband's funeral pyre). The text was composed by an individual or group. The author(s) created a collection of the commonly known legal maxims that were attributed to Vishnu into one book, as Indian oral culture began to be recorded more formally.

BHAGAVATA PURANA

Vishnu is the only Bhagavan as declared in the Bhagavata 1:2:11 in the verse: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate, translated as "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this non-dual substance as Brahman, Paramātma and Bhagavan."

VISHNU PURANA

In the Vishnu Purana (6:5:79) the personality named Parashara Rishi defines six bhagas:

aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ

jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣannāḥ bhaga itīṇganā

Jiva Gosvami explains the verse in Gopala Champu (Pūrva 15:73) and Bhagavata Sandarbha 46:10:

jñāna-śakti-balaiśvarya-vīrya-tejām.sy aśeṣataḥ

bhagavac-chabda-vācyāni vinā heyair guṇādibhiḥ

"The substantives of the word bhagavat (bhagavat-śabda-vācyāni) are unlimited (aśeṣataḥ) knowledge (jñāna), energies (śakti), strength (bala), opulence (aiśvarya), heroism (vīrya), splendor (tejas), without (vinā) objectionable (heyair) qualities (guṇādibhiḥ)."

SANGAM LITERATURE

Tamil Sangam literature (300BCE to 500CE) mentions mAyOn, or the dark one, as the supreme deity who creates, sustains and destroys the universe. Paripadal 3 describes the glory of Thirumal in the most superlative terms.

Paripadal by kaduvan iLaveyinanAr:

"thIyinuL theRal nI poovinuL naaRRa nI kallinuL maNiyu nI sollinuL vaaymai aRaththinuL anbu nI maRaththinuL mainthu nI vEthaththu maRai nI boothaththu madhalu nI vencudar oLiyu nI thingaLuL aLiyu nI anaiththu nI anaiththinut poruLu nI"

The last line states that Lord Vishnu is the supreme deity who is the inner controller (Antaryamin) of the entire universe. This is one of the Lord's glories, which is first mentioned in Vedas and later propounded by Alwars in Prabhandams and Sri Vaishnavaite Acharyas in various commentaries

The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and Vishnu, Lakshmi is mentioned in Tamil works of literature of the Sangam era, including the epic Silapadikaram (book 11, lines 35–40):

āyiram viritteḻu talaiyuṭai aruntiṟaṟ

pāyaṟ paḷḷip palartoḻu tētta viritiraik kāviri viyaṉperu turuttit tiruvamar mārpaṉ kiṭanta vaṇṇamum

On a magnificent cot having a thousand heads spread out, worshipped and praised by many, in an islet surrounded by Kaveri with bellowing waves, is the lying posture of the one who has Lakshmi sitting in his chest.

THEOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES

The actual number of Vishnu's auspicious qualities is countless, although his six most-important "divine glories" are:

Jnana (Omniscience); defined as the power to know about all beings simultaneously;

Aishvarya (Sovereignty), derived from the word Ishvara which means unchallenged rule over all;

Shakti (Power or Energy), the capacity to make the impossible possible;

Bala (Strength), the capacity to support everything by will and without any fatigue;

Virya (Vigour), the power to retain immateriality as the Supreme Spirit or Being in spite of being the material cause of mutable creations;

Tejas (Splendor), which expresses self-sufficiency and the capacity to overpower everything by spiritual effulgence.

Other important qualities attributed to Vishnu are Gambhirya (inestimatable grandeur), Audarya (generosity), and Karunya (compassion). Natya Shastra lists Vishnu as the presiding deity of the Sṛngara rasa.

The Rigveda says: Vishnu can travel in three strides. The first stride is the Earth. The second stride is the visible sky. The third stride cannot be seen by men and is the heaven where the gods and the righteous dead live. (This feature of three strides also appears in the story of his avatar Vamana/Trivikrama.) The Sanskrit for "to stride" is the root kram; its reduplicated perfect is chakram (guņa grade) or chakra (zero-grade), and in the Rigveda he is called by epithets such as vi-chakra-māņas = "he who has made 3 strides". The Sanskrit word chakra also means "wheel". That may have suggested the idea of Vishnu carrying a chakra.

FIVE FORMS

In Shree Vaishnavism, another school dating from around the 10th century AD, Vishnu assumes five forms:

In the Para Form, Para is the highest form of Vishnu found only in Sri Vaikunta also called Moksha, along with his consort Lakshmi, (and Bhumi Devi and Nila devi, avatars of Lakshmi) and surrounded by liberated souls like Ananta, Garuda, and a host of Muktas (liberated souls).

In the Vyuha form, Vishnu assumes four forms, which exercise different cosmic functions and controls activities of living beings.

In the Vibhava form, Vishnu assumes various manifestations, called Vibhavas, more popularly known as Avataras from time to time, to protect the virtuous, punish evil-doers and re-establish righteousness.

In the Antaryami; "Dwelling within" or "Suksma Vasudeva" form, Vishnu exists within the souls of all living beings and in every substance.

In the Arcavatara or Image manifestation, Vishnu is visible and therefore easily approachable by devotees since Para, Vyuha, Vibhava and Antaryami forms can only be imagined or meditated upon because they are beyond our reach. Such images can be

Revealed by Vishnu, for example, a self-manifested (Swayambhu) icon (murti), e.g. The Mahavishnu Temple at Tirunelli, The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, The Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple, etc.; or

Installed by Devas or celestial beings such as such as Guruvayur Temple installed by Vayu; or

Installed by humans, and consecrated according to Vaishnava Agama shastras or scriptures such as Lord Jagannatha of Jagannath Temple (Puri) at Puri.

RELATIONS WITH OTHER DEITIES

SHIVA

The three gods of the Trimurti clan are inseparable and in harmony in view of their common vision and universal good. They are perfectly ideal in all respects.

Both Asuras and Devas played supportive roles in this story by keeping company with Vishnu in his incarnated forms. Hanuman is a vanara who is completely dedicated to Rama. He gives Vishnu company and obeys his command, while playing an important part in Rama's life. He is regarded in Vaishnava canon because it is through blessings that Hanuman is born. Thus, Hanuman, Vishnu's constant companion, with his idol appearing temples of Rama, Krishna and Narasimha, i.e. all of Vishnu's avatars, is considered by Vaishnavas.

Syncretic forces produced stories in which the two deities were shown in cooperative relationships and combined forms. Harihara is the name of a combined deity form of both Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara). This dual form, which is also called Harirudra, is mentioned in the Mahabharata.

LAKSHMI

Vishnu's consort is Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth (also known as Maya). The Samvit (the primary intelligence/dark matter) of the universe is Vishnu, while the other five attributes emerge from this samvit and hence Maya or dark energy of the universe is Lakshmee is his ahamata, activity, or Vishnu's Power. This power of God, Maya or Shakti, is personified and has multiple names: Shree, Lakshmi, Maya, Vishnumaya or Mahamaya. She is said to manifest as Kriyashakti, (Creative Activity) and Bhutishakti (Creation). This world requires Vishnu's creativity. He therefore needs Lakshmi to always be with Him. Her various avatars as Lord Vishnu's consorts are Varahavatar (Bhoodevi) or Bhoomi, Ramavatar Seeta, Krishnavatar Rukmini)

SARASWATI & GANGA

According to Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Lord Vishnu had three wives Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ganga. Due to their constant quarrelsome nature among them. Once Ganga tried to be close with Vishnu, this rebuked Saraswati but Lakshmi tried to pacify them but faced a curse rather. As per the curse, Lakshmi to appear as Tulasi. Sarawati cursed Ganga to run as a river in the world and Saraswati was cursed to run as a river in the netherworld. After this, Lord Vishnu transformed and became Brahma and Shiva to pacify Saraswati and Ganga.

GARUDA

Vishnu's mount (Vahana) is Garuda, the eagle. Vishnu is commonly depicted as riding on his shoulders.

ICONOGRAPHY

According to various Puranas, Vishnu is the ultimate omnipresent reality and is shapeless and omnipresent. However, a strict iconography governs his representation, whether in pictures, icons, or idols:

He has four arms and is male: The four arms indicate his all-powerful and all-pervasive nature. His physical existence is represented by the two arms in the front, while the two arms at the back represent his presence in the spiritual world. The Upanishad Gopal Uttartapani describes the four arms.

The Shreevatsa mark is on his chest, symbolizing his consort Lakshmi.

He wears the auspicious "Kaustubha" jewel around his neck and a garland of vaijayanti flowers (Vanamala). Lakshmi dwells in this jewel, on Vishnu's chest.

A crown adorns his head: The crown symbolizes his supreme authority. This crown sometimes includes a peacock feather, borrowing from his Krishna-avatar.

He wears two earrings: The earrings represent inherent opposites in creation — knowledge and ignorance; happiness and unhappiness; pleasure and pain.

He rests on Ananta, the immortal and infinite snake.

Vishnu is always to be depicted holding four attributes:

A conch shell or Shankha, named Panchajanya, is held by the upper left hand. It represents Vishnu's power to create and maintain the universe. Panchajanya represents the five elements or Panchabhoota – water, fire, air, earth and sky or space. It also represents the five airs or Pranas that are within the body and mind. The conch symbolizes that Vishnu is the primeval Divine sound of creation and continuity. It also represented as Om. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna avatara states that of sound vibrations, 'He is Om'.

The Chakra, a sharp, spinning, discus-like weapon, named "Sudarshana", is held by the upper right hand. It symbolizes the purified spiritualized mind. The name Sudarshana is derived from two words – Su, which means good, superior, and Darshana, which means vision or sight; together. The Chakra represents destruction of ego in the awakening and realization of the soul's original nature and god, burning away spiritual ignorance and illusion, and developing higher spiritual vision and insight to realize god.

A mace or Gada, named "Kaumodaki", is held by the lower right hand. It symbolizes that Vishnu's divine power is the source of all spiritual, mental and physical strength. It also signifies Vishnu's power to destroy materialistic or demonic tendencies (Anarthas) that prevent people from reaching god. Vishnu's mace is the power of the Divine within us to spiritually purify and uplift us from our materialistic bonds.

A lotus flower or Padma is held by the lower left hand. It represents spiritual liberation, Divine perfection, purity and the unfolding of Spiritual consciousness within the individual. The lotus opening its petals in the light of the Sun is indicative of the expansion and awakening of our long dormant, original spiritual consciousness in the light of god. The lotus symbolizes that god is the power and source from which the universe and the individual soul emerges. It also represents Divine Truth or Satya, the originator of the rules of conduct or Dharma, and Divine Vedic knowledge or Jnana. The lotus also symbolizes that Vishnu is the embodiment of spiritual perfection and purity and that He is the wellspring of these qualities and that the individual soul must seek to awaken these intrinsic Divine qualities from Vishnu by surrendering to and linking with Him.

To this may be added, conventionally, the vanamaala flower garland, Vishnu's bow (Shaarnga/Kodand) and his sword Nandaka. A verse of the Vishnu Sahasranama stotram states;vanamālī gadhī shārngī shanki chakri cha nandaki / shrīmān nārāyaņo vişņo vāsudevo abhirakşatu//; translation: Protect us Oh Lord Narayana who wears the forest garland,who has the mace, conch, sword and the wheel. And who is called Vishnu and the Vasudeva.

In general, Vishnu's body is depicted in one of the following three ways:

Standing on a lotus flower, often with Lakshmi, his consort, beside him on a similar pedestal.

Reclining on the coiled-up thousand-hooded Shesha Naga, with Lakshmi seated at his feet; the assemblage rests on the "Kshira Sagar" (ocean of milk). In this representation, Brahma is depicted as sitting on a lotus that grows out of Vishnu's navel.

Riding on the back of his eagle mount, known as Garuda. Another name for Garuda is "Veda atma"; Soul of the Vedas. The flapping of his wings symbolizes the power of the Divine Truth of Vedic wisdom. Also the eagle represents the soul. Garuda carrying Vishnu symbolizes the soul or jiva atma carrying the Super soul or Param atma within it.

AVATARS

Ten avatars (dashavatara) of Vishnu are the most prominent: Apart from the most prominent incarnations there are believed to more.

The most commonly believed incarnations of Vishnu are:

Matsya, the fish that kills Damanaka to save the vedas and also saves Manu from a great flood that submerges the entire Earth.

Kurma, the turtle that helps the Devas and Asuras churn the ocean for the nectar of immortality.

Varaha, the boar that rescues the Earth and kills Hiranyaksha.

Narasimha, the half-lion half human, who defeats the demon Hiranyakashipu.

Vamana, the dwarf that grows into a giant to save the world from King Bali.

Parashurama, "Rama of the battle axe", a sage who appeared in the Treta Yuga. He killed Kartavirya Arjuna's army and clan and then killed all the kshatriyas 21 times.

Rama, the prince and king of Ayodhya who killed the Demon King Raavan.

Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, who takes part in the Mahabharata epic. Krishna is worshipped as the Supreme Avatar of Vishnu (Supreme Personality of Godhead) in Gaudiya-Vaishnava philosophy.

Buddha, the ninth avatar of Vishnu.

Kalki, the tenth Avatar of Vishnu and said to be the harbinger of the end Kali Yuga. This avatar of Vishnu is yet to come.

Some versions of the above list include Hayagreeva among the Dashavataras while some include Buddha as ninth avatar of Vishnu. Another 22 avatars are given in Chapter 3, Canto 1 of the Bhagavata Purana, although it states that "the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water".

BEYOND HINDUISM

SIKHISM

Guru Granth Sahib of Sikhism mentions Vishnu, one verse goes:

The true Vaishnaav, the devotee of Vishnu, is the one with whom God is thoroughly pleased. He dwells apart from Maya. Performing good deeds, he does not seek rewards. Spotlessly pure is the religion of such a Vaishnaav; he has no desire for the fruits of his labors. He is absorbed in devotional worship and the singing of Kirtan, the songs of the Lords Glory. Within his mind and body, he meditates in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe. He is kind to all creatures. He holds fast to the Naam, and inspires others to chant it. O Nanak, such a Vaishnaav obtains the supreme status.

BUDDHISM

While some Hindus consider Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu, Buddhists in Sri Lanka venerate Vishnu as the custodian deity of Sri Lanka and protector of Buddhism. Lord Vishnu is also known as upulvan, or uthpala varna, meaning "Blue Lotus coloured". Some postulates that Uthpala varna was a local deity who later merged with Vishnu while another belief is that Uthpala Varna was an early form of Vishnu before he became a supreme deity in Puranic Hinduism. According to Chronicles "Mahawamsa", "Chulawamsa" and folklore in Sri Lanka, Buddha himself handed over the custodianship to Vishnu. Others believe that Buddha entrusted this task to Sakra(Indra) and Sakra delegated this task of custodianship to god Vishnu. In contrary to vedic Hinduism, in assimilation of Hindu god Vishnu into Sinhalese Buddhism, Vishnu becomes a mortal being and a Bodhisattva aspiring Buddhahood. Additionally, Vishnu is considered as the god of home and hearth representing mercy, goodness, order and stability. Many Buddhist and Hindu shrines are dedicated to Vishnu in Sri Lanka. In addition to specific Vishnu "Kovils" or "devalayas", all Buddhist temples necessarily house shrine rooms (Devalayas) closer to the main Buddhist shrine dedicated to Vishnu. John Holt in his groundbreaking study examines the assimilation, transformation, and subordination of the Hindu deity Vishnu within the contexts of Sri Lankan history and Sinhala Buddhist religious culture. He then explores the role and rationale of medieval Sinhala kings in assimilating Visnu into Sinhala Buddhism. According to Holt the veneration of Vishnu in Sri Lanka is evidence of a remarkable ability, over many centuries, to reiterate and reinvent culture as other ethnicities have been absorbed into their own. Though the Vishnu cult in Ceylon was formally endorsed by Kandyan kings in early 1700s, Holt states that vishnu images and shrines are among conspicuous ruins in the medieval capital Polonnaruwa. In Buddhist mythology, when Vishnu failed to traverse the universe in three steps, he was given the title "Ardha Vishnu (Half-Vishnu)" and when Vishnu banished demons from the Vaishali (Vishala)in India, he became "Mulu Vishnu or Whole Vishnu". The extreme significance of god Vishnu in Sinhala society is reflected in recitals of the traditional "Offerings to dwarfs and crossing the door frame (bahirwayanta dola pideem saha uluwahu peneema)" that starts with Sri Vishnu invocation.In the recitals,mentioning of the aspiring Buddhahood of Vishnu which is of prime importance to Buddhists and wishes for him to live five thousand and more years highlight the central role of Vishnu in the psyche of Sri Lankan Buddhists.

OTHERS

James Freeman Clarke, Richard Leviton, James Cowles Prichard, and others have noted the similarities between Vishnu and Ancient Egyptian God Horus.

During an excavation in an abandoned village of Russia in the Volga region, archaeologist Alexander Kozhevin excavated an ancient idol of Vishnu. The idol dates from between the 7th and 10th centuries. In the interview Kozhevin, stated that, "We may consider it incredible, but we have ground to assert that Middle-Volga region was the original land of Ancient Rus. This is a hypothesis, but a hypothesis, which requires thorough research"

THOUSAND NAMES OF VISHNU

Vishnu's many names and followers are collected in the Vishnu Sahasranama, (Vishnu's thousand names) from within the larger work Mahabharata. The character Bheeshma recites the names before Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, praising him (Vishnu) as the supreme god. These Sahasranama are regarded as the essence of all Vedas by followers of Vaishnavism, who believe sincere chanting of Vishnu Sahasranama results in spiritual well-being and a greater awareness of God.

The names are generally derived from the Anantakalyanagunas (meaning: infinite auspicious attributes).

According to the Siddhartha-samhita there are twenty-four forms of Lord Vishnu. The twenty-four forms are

Vasudeva

Sankarshana

Pradyumna

Anirudha

Keshava

Narayana

Madhava

Govinda

Vishnu

Madhusudana

Trivikrama

Vamana

Sridhara

Hrishikesha

Padmanabha

Damodara

Purushottama

Achyuta

Narasimha

Janardana

Hari

Krishna

Adhokshaja

Upulvan, Uthpala Varna - In Sri Lanka, Vishnu is also referred to as Upulvan ( Blue Lotus Coloured)

WIKIPEDIA

Testing Yen complexion on qunari by Arideya

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Yours truly by Kyle Kruchok

6 26

Thought I'd throw a selfie up. Nothin' too special...

No offense, Greg-0, but the iPhone doesn't help with your complexion.

Sergeant Frank Tann, 1st Norfolks, 1910 by Moominpappa06

3 5

Amongst the gathering of Great War era military graves in Section 25 of the Earlham Cemetery in Norwich there is also this one.

In loving memory of

SGT. FRANK S. TANN.

1st NORFOLK REGT.

Who departed this life

JANy 9th 1910.

Aged 35 years.

Had he asked us, well we know,
We would cry, O, spare the blow,
Yes with streaming tears we pray

Lord we love him, let him stay.

There are surviving serving records for Frank Samuel Tann of the Norfolk Regiment in the National Archives WO 97 series – viewable on the likes of Ancestry, FindMyPast and Genes Reunited.

Frank Samuel Tann, born North Heigham, Norwich and then aged 19 years and 9 months, enlisted at Norwich on the 29th August 1894. An unmarried man, he was working as a Clicker in the Boot trade. He signed up for 7 years in the colours and 5 in the reserves.

Frank had previously in the Militia Norfolk Regiment of Artillery, but had obtained his discharge via purchase.

He was recorded as 5 feet 7 and a half inches tall, weighed 133lbs and had Brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. He had no distinguishing marks.

His next of kin was initially his father, Ransome Bransby Tann, of 81 Philadelphia Lane, Norwich and his younger brothers Harry Tann, (Royal Marines) and George Tann, (2nd Norfolk Regiment). This was changed at some point to a wife, Mrs. E.E. Tann, of 2 King Edward Street, Rose Valley, Brentwood.

He was issued with service number 4058 and reported to the depot. From there he was posted to the 2nd Battalion at Warley on the 31st August 1894.

He passed his 3rd Class Certificate of Education on the 14th February 1895 and his 2nd Class one on the 14th June 1895.

Appointed Lance Corporal on the 27th April 1896, he was transferred to the 1st Battalion on the 10th November 1896. (He would have reverted to Private at that point – Lance ranks were appointments, not permanent promotions). On the same day he is shown as being in India, but I suspect that is the date he sailed from the UK. (He would remain there until the 25th February 1904, although again that might be the date he sailed from India or the date he returned to the UK).

He was appointed paid Lance-Corporal with his new Battalion on the 11th September 1897 with a promotion to Corporal following on the 18th September 1899.

On the 25th September 1900 he passed his 1st Class Certificate of Education.

On the 28th September 1901 he opted to extend his service in the colours to the full 12 years. A month later he was appointed unpaid Lance Sergeant. This was converted to a paid appointment on the 1st December 1901.

On the 6th July 1903 he was promoted to Sergeant.

While at Bareilly, India, with the 1st Battalion, on the 8th December 1903 he opted to extend his service to complete 21 years with the colours.

He was shown as being in the UK from the 26th February 1904 to the 14th January 1905 on “furlo” – although some of that may have been the journey back and possibly the journey out to his next posting.

He was shown as being stationed in South Africa from the 15th January 1905 to the 16th February 1907. While there he qualified in the Ordinary & Advance Course at the exam held at the School of Musketry, Blomfontein on the 27th March 1905. He returned to the UK in 1907 and did not go overseas again.

He was posted to the Depot on the 18th February 1908.

On the 14th September 1908 at Brentwood he married an Ellen Ethel Emily Overy, (Spinster). No children are noted in the records.

He died at Norwich on the 9th January 1910 of a “Malignant new growth.”

1874 / 1875 – Birth……………………………….

The birth of a Frank Samuel Tann, mothers’ maiden name Sayer, was registered in the Norwich District in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1875. Then, as now, you had 42 days after the event to register the birth, so potentially a child registered at the start of Q1 could actually have been born as early as the middle of the preceding November. Something like that would make his age at the time of enlistment correct. The published indexes were by quarter registered, which isn’t necessarily the same as quarter born.

The most likely marriage of his parents was recorded in the Norwich District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1874. This was when a Ransome Bransby Tann married a Hannah Sayer.

The marriage actually took place at St Peter Hungate, Norwich, on the 6th April 1874, Ransome Bransby Tann, aged 20 and a Bachelor from Outside the Parish, worked as an Upholsterer. His father was Samuel Wiseman Tann, also an Upholsterer. Hannah Sayer was a 21 year old spinster. Her father, William Sayer, was a Shoemaker. Witnesses were Frank Tann and Elizabeth Browne.

www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/58183b21e93790eb7f69958...

1881 Census of England and Wales………………..

The 6 year old Frank Tann, born Norwich, was recorded living at a dwelling on Gildengate Street, in the parish of St George Colegate, Norwich. This was the household of his maternal grandparents, Henry Sayer, (aged 51, a General Shopkeeper, born Norwich), and Hannah Sayer, (aged 50, born Norwich).

His parents were recorded living at Gildencroft, St Augustines, Norwich. Ransome B., (26, Upholsterer, born Norwich) and Hannah, (27, Boot Machinist, born Norwich), live there with three of their children, (Harry,4, George, 2, and Emily, 11 months – all born Norwich) and Ransomes’ brother Frank H., (aged 23, an Upholsterer, born Norwich).

The birth of a Henry Tann, mothers’ maiden name Sayer, was recorded in the Norwich District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1877.

The birth of a George Tann, mothers’ maiden name Sayer, was recorded in the Norwich District in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1879.

Franks’ future wife, Ellen Ethel E. Overy was registered as born in the Mile End Old Town District of London in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1883.

1891 Census of England & Wales……………………

Frank Tann, (16, Shoemaker) and his grandparents Henry, (63, Shoemaker) and Harriet Sayer, (62), were now recorded living at 75 Middle Street, which was also in the parish of St George Colegate, Norwich.

His parents has also moved and were now recorded at 49 Esdelle Street, Norwich. Ransome, (36, Upholsterer) and Hannah, (37) are living there with their children Harry, (14, Cabinet Maker), George, (13, Errand Boy), Emily, (11), Florence, (9), Arthur, (4) and Alice, (3 months). All the family members are shown as born Norwich.

Franks’ future wife, the 7 year old Ellen E., born Bow, London, was to be found living at 11 Trellis Street, Bow, London. This was the household of her parents Richard, (50, Labourer, born Bethnal Green) and Ellen, (42, born Lambeth). The couple have two other children living with them.

12th October 1893 – brother Henry joins the Royal Marines

Henry seems to have added a couple of years to his age when he joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry at Norwich on the 12th October 1893. A cabinet maker and the son of Ransome Tann, he gave his date of birth as the 28th April 1875 and his place of birth as St Benedicts, Norwich. Ransome was stated then to be living at Drakes Court, St Georges, Middle Street, Norwich.

On enlistment he was described as 5 feet 6 and six tenth inches tall, (on discharge he was 5 feet 9 and a half), with dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a dark complexion. He had no distinguishing marks.

His service number was Z/613 in the Chatham Division. He was stationed on HMS Torch from the 11th January 1897 to the 2nd September 1898, being promoted Corporal on the 23rd October 1897.

HMS Torch (1894).

HMS Torch was an Alert-class sloop of the Royal Navy, built at Sheerness Dockyard and launched in 1894. Torch joined the Australian Station in February 1897, serving in New Zealand waters in 1898 and 1899.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Torch_(1894)

He was brought home aboard S.S. Origaba and discharged as an Invalid on the 9th November 1898. His General Character was rated Very Good and he was discharged to an address of 45 Adam & Eve Row, East Road, Cambridge.

discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7767041

1895 – Brother George joins the Norfolk Regiment – possibly?

The service record for Frank shows he has a younger brother George serving in the 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. I couldn’t find any likely surviving service records, but in the 1899 to 1902 Anglo-Boer War Medal Roll for the Norfolk Regiment there is a Sergeant 4368 G. Tann.

A check of nearby services numbers shows that 4342 enlisted 23rd July 1895 and 4501 joined on the 27th January 1896.

armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/2009/07/norfolk-regiment-...

On the 1911 Census of England & Wales there was a 32 year old married Colour Sergeant George Tann, born Norwich, who was recorded in Barracks at Belgaum, India with the 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment.

And going forward to the Great War there is a Medal Index Card for Regimental Serjeant Major 4368 George Tann, Norfolk Regiment, later 63825 Royal Defence Corps. The card itself shows he went overseas with the 7th Battalion, landing in France on the 30th May 1915 when that Battalion first deployed abroad.

discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D5477680

It looks like Ancestry potentially have some Pension records for him so seems likely he survived the war.

1901 Census of England & Wales…………………………

There is no obvious match for the Frank Tann shown above, but this is to be expected if he was the man who joined the Army in 1894. The service records for that individual shows him in India at that time. Members of the Army stationed overseas would only be included in the scope of the census from 1911 onwards.

His parents had by now moved to Cambridge and were to be found living at 45 Adam + Eve Street. As well Ransome B., (46, Upholsterer, born Norwich) and Hannah, (47, born Norwich), they also had living with them their two youngest children from the previous census, Arthur, (14, Errand Boy) and Alice, (10) – both born Norwich.

His grandfather, the 72 year old widower Harry Sayer, a working Shoemaker, was recorded boarding at 72 St Augustines Street, Norwich. The householder was a Licensed Victualler, so I suspect the address is probably a public house.

His future wife, the 17 year old Ellen E. Overy, a Laundress born Mile End, London, was recorded living at 4 Victoria Road, Southweald, Essex. She is recorded as the sister of the head of the household who is a 26 year old publishers clerk, Alfred Hyatt, born Finchley, Middlesex. Also in the household is Alfreds’ married mother, Ellen Ovey, aged “50” and born Lambeth. Alfred is presumably a child from a previous relationship.

No obvious match for brother Harry Tann on this Census.

14th September 1908 – marriage…………………

On the 14th September 1908 at Brentwood Frank married an Ellen Ethel Emily Overy, (Spinster). – sourced from his service record.

The marriage of a Frank Samuel Tann to an Ellen Ethel Overy was recorded in the Billericay District of Essex in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1908.

On the day………………….

As can be seen in his service record, Frank died of a malignant new growth on the 9th January 1910. I can only assume that was cancerous.

Postscript…………………………..

Parents Ransome and Hannah were back in Norwich by the time of the 1911 Census of England & Wales. Married 38 years, they state the marriage has produced 8 children, of which sadly only 4 were then still alive. Ransome would pass away in Norwich in 1918 at the age of 64. Hannah possibly died in the Epping District of Essex in 1942, aged 89.

Maternal grandfather Henry Sayer, (83), formerly a shoemaker, was an inmate in the Great Hospital, Bishopgate Street, Norwich. This was an Alms House for the distressed elderly. The death of a Henry Sayer, aged 83, was recorded in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1911 – the census was taken on the 2nd April.

Franks’ widow, the 27 year old Ellen Tann, born Bow, London, was recorded among the live in nursing staff at the Essex Lunatic Asylum at Brentwood, Essex. The death of the 72 year old Ethel E.E. Tann was recorded in the Brentwood District of Essex in Q2 1956.

Whatever caused his brother Harry to be discharged from the Royal Marine Light Infantry in 1898, it didn’t stop him joining the Royal Marine Reserve on the 25th June 1910. Looks like his number was Chatham A/538. After a basic weeks drill he would go on to do another week in 1911, 1912 and 1913 before taking part in the Test Mobilisation in July 1914. On the 2nd August 1914 he was embodied as a full time marine. After various home postings, he was discharged again on the 15th February 1916 on the grounds of ill-health. His discharge address was 54 Boundary Road, Merton Surrey.

Following his Great War Service it looks like George may have followed many a career soldier and sailors dream – he became a Pub Landlord, taking the Licence of The Ship Inn, Foulsham, on the 9th September 1926.

www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norfolkf/foulsham/foulsh.htm

Unfortunately the death of a George Tann, aged 54, was recorded in the Aylsham District of Norfolk in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1933. The 1934 Probate Calendar records that George Tann, of The Ship Inn, Foulsham, Norfolk, died on the 22nd December 1933. Probate was granted at the Norwich Court on the 23rd January 1934 to Elizabeth Tann, widow. probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=Tann&ye...

Elizabeth would relinquish the licence on the Ship Inn by the end of March 1934 – see the Norfolk Pubs webpage.

Sonnet XVIII by Marcos

24 4

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer's lease hath all too short a date:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimmed,

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed:

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,

Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Portrait by Raminder Pal Singh

12 18

As soon as I turned my camera towards her she was all smiles. I was too...

Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection - Disney Store - First Look - Deboxed - Midrange Right Side View by drj1828