The photo of Royal Navy veteran, Jess Bridges, was taken by Joseph Sidebotham in c.1850. Joseph Sidebotham (17 Jan 1824-30 May 1885) of Bowdon, Cheshire, was born at Apethorn House, Werneth, Hyde, where his father managed Gibraltar Mill in Gee Cross, Hyde. He was one of the founders of the Photographic Section of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society and as a noted amateur photographer he was also one of the founders of the Manchester Photographic Society.

It is understood that Jesse Bridges was a citizen of Denton, Lancashire. During his service in the Royal Navy it is recognised that he saw action in the Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) and he is seen here wearing his Naval General Service Medal. Each battle or campaign covered by this medal was represented by a clasp attached to the ribbon.

The Naval General Service Medal is a campaign medal approved by Her Majesty Queen Victoria on the 1 Jun 1847 for issue to every Officer, Non-commissioned Officer and Seaman of the Royal Navy and it was struck in 1848. The equivalent medal in the army was the Military General Service Medal. The Naval General Service Medal was awarded retrospectively for naval actions during the period 1793-1815, a period that included the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars and the Anglo-American War of 1812. The final date for submitting claims for the medal was the 1 May 1851. Admiral Sir Thomas Bladen Capel GCB RN (25 August 1776-4 March 1853) was one of the members of the board that authorised the medal for approval by Her Majesty.