1889 diary, in Reading

[Deskman]

The diarist was in Reading, Berkshire. Where did he meet Mrs P?
I've been using Kelly's Directory of Berkshire (1887) to seek to identify places, streets, businesses and residents but have no strong candidates.

 "...called on Mrs P.
who I had met at xxxxxxx went to dinner once or twice &
on the river like the P's very much"

Any help would be much appreciated.

[despair]

In case it helps here is a national list of place names used in registration.No matches beginning "Abb..." in Berkshire.Does anybody think the name ends in "y"?.Perhaps it's the name of a country house or similar.

https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/places/regindex2-3.pdf

Regards
Roger

[Deskman]

Thanks despair,

I should have mentioned Abingdon as a possibility; spelt phonetically it is an approximation.
When writing about suffixes W W Skeat in Place-names of Berkshire (1911) wrote  'Abingdon should rather have become Abbindon or Abbendon'

We have found from examples posted earlier that the 'y' like form by this writer can include a range of letters - ing, ly

I'm not convinced by Abingdon - it is just that I have done no better.

[arthurk]

Is there any connection with Dr Shakel, whom our writer met in Ludlow, but had come from Reading? Details at http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=787830.0

I'm wondering if the place might be meant to be Abberley, which is in Worcestershire, a few miles SW of Stourport-on-Severn, and not too far from Ludlow. If so, it seems he may not have remembered the name exactly, and had a few attempts at getting somewhere close.

[Gadget]

I'm wondering if the place might be meant to be Abberley, which is in Worcestershire, a few miles SW of Stourport-on-Severn, and not too far from Ludlow. If so, it seems he may not have remembered the name exactly, and had a few attempts at getting somewhere close.

  I have been looking at census addresses for around the time but can't find anything in Reading, so wondered about Abberley


Gadget

[Deskman]

Thanks arthurk,

Well remembered. If is is Abberley then the connection with Dr Shackel is weak. This diary entry is 14 May to 4 June, before the writer goes to Shropshire and 5 months before meeting Shackel in Ludlow.

I do not wish to suggest it cannot be Abberley but I can't think of a reason for Mrs P and the diarist to both be there in May.

[Gadget]

Is there any hint at all about the names for the Ps anywhere in the diary?

[Deskman]

Thanks gadget

It is speculative but the Ps may be Mrs Alice and Mr Albert Woodward Parry (1834-1894), and family of ‘Airedale’, Carnarvon Road.
The diarist wrote that he was 'Amused at Ps remarks about C.' C was an architect.
Albert would have known the diarist's boss, C. well as Albert was an architect, and Reading borough engineer and surveyor 1871-1891.

BTW I have identified these C19 central Reading street names; Abbey Square, Abbey Street, Abbots Walk - they are all very close to the diarist's office (Blagrave St) and digs (Forbury).

[Gadget]

I think they were there in 1881 as well 

Speculative - Abbotleigh - Abbadley -maybe the way it was pronounced. 

Will away to the census listings this afternoon.

Gadget