To me, this looks like a school picture; perhaps a Christian school because the girl's necklace appears to have a cross on it. She is also wearing a pin on the bodice of her outfit which I can't make out. The photograph is identified with a name, May Yapp, and a date, September 1906. The photographer's imprint reads, "Steckel, Los Angeles."
I believe the photographer may have been George Steckel (1864-1938), a well-known, award-winning Los Angeles photographer, probably most famous for his almost nude photograph of body-builder Eugen Sandow in 1894. His studio was located at 220 S. Spring Street, "across from L.A. Theater & Hollenbeck." Author John Steven McGroarty provides a short biography of George Steckel in the second volume of his book, Los Angeles from the Mountains to the Sea.
There is only one May Yapp in the 1900 US Federal Census, living in Los Angeles and she was born in California, July 1887. Her parents are Fred Yapp, b. 1832 N.Y., and Agnes Yapp, born 1859, District of Columbia.
By 1910 May's father, Fred, has passed away. The 1910 census tells us that Agnes is now a widow, and 22-year old May is still living at home, and working as a book-keeper at a dry goods store. Janet Lambie, 54, a sister of Agnes' now lives with the family in Los Angeles.
In 1920, May works as a book-keeper for a wholesale music house and still living with her mother and aunt. Agnes' sister-in-law Antoinette Lambie is also living in the household now.
May is employed as a typist in 1930 and still resides with Agnes and Janet. A nephew of Agnes, Thomas H. Harris, has moved in as well.
May died on 1 October 1974 in Orange County, CA at age 87. Her birth date is given as 22 Jul 1887 in the California Death Index.
Might anyone recognize the uniform, if it is indeed a uniform? I tried to find early Los Angeles school yearbooks online, but didn't have any luck. I know Immaculate Heart opened its doors in 1906, but of course, it could be any number of schools.
If I have the correct May Yapp, she would have been 19 years old in this photograph.
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