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Handwriting Experts Required
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TOPIC: Handwriting Experts Required

Handwriting Experts Required 5 years, 5 months ago #1

  • larry
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People of the hub, I ask your assistance.

I am presently engaged in the activity of tracing my family history.  Going back along the male line on my dad's side of the family, I have found the 1851 census entry for my great great great grandad, William Blake (not the famous one - mine was a farmer).

Below is an extract from the actual census entry, filled in on the night of March the 30th, 1851 by the enumerator with scrawly handwriting:

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Listed down are the names of the residents of 4 Long Critchell, Dorset on that night:

William Blake
Fanny Blake (I said Fanny)
George Blake
John Blake
XXXXXX Blake
Stephen Blake (my great great grandad)
Sarah Blake
Henry Blake

As you can see, the person marked XXXXXX has a strange name.  I have deduced that it begins with a P, and the people at the National Archives who deciphered this word for entry into the computerised records came up with "Pomorah Blake", which sounds silly to me.

I am sure the first letter is a P.  Compare it to "Plough Boy" in Stephen's profession (8th column from the left).

Any ideas what this says, anyone?  It's a female, but what is her name?  Has anyone come across a name like this before?  Bear in mind she was born in 1840, and people had some strange ideas about names back then.

Ta.
Be very very careful what you put into that head, because you will never ever get it out. Thomas Cardinal Wolsey (1471-1530)

Re: Handwriting Experts Required 5 years, 5 months ago #2

  • Diane
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I know it probably isnt but it looks like Hannah to me
There Goes My Hero Watching Over Me

Re: Handwriting Experts Required 5 years, 5 months ago #3

  • larry
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Compare the first letter with "Henry".

I discounted that idea early on.
Be very very careful what you put into that head, because you will never ever get it out. Thomas Cardinal Wolsey (1471-1530)

Re: Handwriting Experts Required 5 years, 5 months ago #4

  • larry
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Here's a close-up:

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Be very very careful what you put into that head, because you will never ever get it out. Thomas Cardinal Wolsey (1471-1530)

Re: Handwriting Experts Required 5 years, 5 months ago #5

  • Ben
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I've just stared at that for ages and come up with about twelve different names some of which I suspect aren't English, it's that tricky looking second letter. What is that ?  A p or an r ?

Re: Handwriting Experts Required 5 years, 5 months ago #6

  • larry
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Can't be a "p" if the first letter is P.

The sensible choices must be: a, e, h, i, l, o, r, s, u, y.

Hang on - look at the ruled line on the page - is that the bottom serif of an "s" going through it?

Ps - something?  Pos, Pas?
Be very very careful what you put into that head, because you will never ever get it out. Thomas Cardinal Wolsey (1471-1530)
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