Captain William "Billy" Flack

Ancient Faces

482 favorites

Ancient Faces commented

He’s smiling! Captain William “Billy” Flack taken in Lancashire County, England in 1875 when he was commissioned into the 5th Royal Lancashire Militia.

Nov 16, 2015 ·

Rachael Rawson

Rachael Rawson commented

Love his smile! Proud!

Nov 16, 2015 on

Tom Armstrong

Tom Armstrong commented

Surprise pictures taken back then , nobody ever smiled

Nov 16, 2015 on

Kimberly Hannen-Myers

Kimberly Hannen-Myers commented

Great find

Nov 16, 2015 on

Anna Feliciano

Anna Feliciano commented

Love this face!

Nov 16, 2015 on

Mary Ruessing

108 favorites

Mary Ruessing commented

Great picture

Nov 16, 2015 on

Susan Peters

Susan Peters commented

Great photo

Nov 16, 2015 on

Mary Mcneilly Goodall

Mary Mcneilly Goodall commented

I love this. I have Photo's of my Family right back to 1850s.

Nov 16, 2015 on

Patrice LiNuci

Patrice LiNuci commented

He is likeable!

Nov 16, 2015 on

Peter Vance

Peter Vance commented

He was quite the rebel with that smirk.most photos I see of this era people are pretty solemn, though he did just get a commission I guess.

Nov 16, 2015 on

Jim Retzer

Jim Retzer commented

So rare to see a photo of that period with anyone smiling.

Nov 16, 2015 on

Randall Henhawk

Randall Henhawk commented

Looks like Bill Murray.

Nov 16, 2015 on

Cheryl Arent-Vargo

Cheryl Arent-Vargo commented

My very first thought

Nov 16, 2015 on

Terri Allen

Terri Allen commented

Nice one.

Nov 16, 2015 on

Mona Helal

Mona Helal commented

Time of hand made suites......

Nov 16, 2015 on

Stevie Starr

Stevie Starr commented

Very cool.

Nov 16, 2015 on

Kimberley A Smith-Cooper

Kimberley A Smith-Cooper commented

Love it!

Nov 16, 2015 on

Judith McNutt

Judith McNutt commented

Pleasant looking gent

Nov 16, 2015 on

Linda Gamez

Linda Gamez commented

They didn't smile they had bad teeth in them days

Nov 16, 2015 on

Linda Vance

Linda Vance commented

Maybe by 1875 the photog didn't have to have a long exposure time. I've read that is the reason why people didn't smile in early photos. It was hard to hold a smile for the time needed to get a good pic.

Nov 16, 2015 on

Jane Shirto

Jane Shirto commented

I love the clothes

Nov 16, 2015 on

Diane Fox

Diane Fox commented

Very nice.

Nov 16, 2015 on

Carol Wheeler

Carol Wheeler commented

Nov 16, 2015 on

Genoa Woods

Genoa Woods commented

Poor guy, looks kinda poor.

Nov 16, 2015 on

Elisha Mary Fear

Elisha Mary Fear commented

Yay a smile ! What a rareity :) love this

Nov 16, 2015 on

Joan Ross Jenkins

Joan Ross Jenkins commented

Love these old pictures and stories. Thank you.

Nov 16, 2015 on

Willy Dereany

Willy Dereany commented

Love old photos

Nov 16, 2015 on

Richard Milne

Richard Milne commented

His smile is natural... nothing worse than frozen smile

Nov 16, 2015 on

Lorraine Monshing

Lorraine Monshing commented

I find this type of smile is easy to hold , when I'm shopping or at a function I do it , to be more friendly ..... It works wonders 😐

Nov 16, 2015 on

Kelly Jennings Woodall

Kelly Jennings Woodall commented

Back them a smile in a picture was few and far between. Glad to see this smile😆😆😆

Nov 16, 2015 on

Elaine Freeman

Elaine Freeman commented

Looks like Bill Murray

Nov 16, 2015 on

Brenda Ash

Brenda Ash commented

Jolly soul... my Grandparents were from Lancashire too. I see Burnley at the bottom of the pic, my Great Aunt lived Burnley.

Nov 16, 2015 on

Susan Schloss

506 favorites

Susan Schloss commented

By golly, by gum, he IS smiling!!Great photo of a charming risk-taker!

Nov 16, 2015 on

Toni Gonzales

Toni Gonzales commented

Love to see all these photos and stories.

Nov 17, 2015 on

Avay York Evans

Avay York Evans commented

Handsome man indeed*~

Nov 17, 2015 on

Linda Sager

Linda Sager commented

Doesn't look combat ready

Nov 18, 2015 on

Pieter Bismeijer

2 favorites

Pieter Bismeijer commented

I have 24 people with the name William Flack, Yet none born in Ireland so I will have to give this gentleman a miss.

Nov 18, 2015 ·

Ted Flack

Ted Flack commented

Billy Flack's granddaughter, my great Aunt Lucy Flack, wrote that he was "the hansomest man in Burnley". He had served a total of 21 years in the 63rd Regiment of Foot in Ireland, Australia and India, rising from recruit to Regimental Colour Sergeant before being commissioned as a Captain in the Militia.

Mar 30, 2016 on