Funny and Awkward Vintage Photos That Show the Past in a Different Light

#6: The Original Meme, 1900s

This lantern slide from early 1900s England proves kids have always loved making goofy faces for the camera. While most portraits of the era were stiff and serious, this boy decided to break tradition with a smirk, squint, and tongue-in-cheek expression that feels oddly timeless and modern.

It’s a rare reminder that humor didn’t suddenly appear with the internet—people have always had a silly side. The fact that this image survived over a century makes it even better. Today, he’d be a viral sensation, but back then, he was just a cheeky kid in a wool coat.