Photo negative found during home reno provides snapshot in time

There are always a few surprises when renovating an old home, but one St. John's couple found a snapshot in time while taking on some home improvement. 

Greg Bruce and Laura-Beth Power were renovating their 70-year-old home in the city's downtown when they uncovered a photographic negative of two women hidden behind the walls of their home.

"We found this old negative that was stuck in between the base board and one of the old walls," Bruce said.

Bruce and Power believe the photo was taken in their backyard, but don't know who is in the picture, who it belongs to or how it ended up in the wall.

"It is odd, but who knows. It could have fallen in behind during some renovations, it could have fallen behind some duct work," Bruce said.

Doesn't offer many clues

The negative itself doesn't tell much about its subjects or time period. Power thinks that the photo was taken before the Second World War, based on the clothing and styles.

"Some of the clothing, the younger girl's looks like she's wearing a bonnet I guess, so probably like 1930s or 1940s," said Power.

Bruce said finding the old negative gave him a look back in time to what life was like when the photo was taken.

"What their experience was, what the clothes they were wearing were, what they were doing that day — we are getting to experience that very remotely, and indirectly, but we are still getting a slice of their life back then," he said. 

The photo has now been digitally developed with the help of Photoshop, and Power has shared the picture on Facebook, but there are still plenty of questions about the two women in the picture.

"I wonder who these people are, are they still alive? Would they like this photo back?" said Power.

The couple hope to get the picture developed and that the two people in the photo, or someone who might know them, will see it so they can find out more.