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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Ravelin on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:23 BST (UK)

Title: Help in reading name please
Post by: Ravelin on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:23 BST (UK)
Hello

Can someone please help me in trying to decipher the 2nd childs name on this will of 1788.

I was hoping it to be Samuel but it looks like another name to me.

Thank you in advance.

Ravelin
Title: Re: Help in reading name
Post by: genjen on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:31 BST (UK)
It doesn't look like Samuel to me and if it was, wouldn't it have come first, being male?

The first letter looks as if it could be an L, maybe?
Title: Re: Help in reading name
Post by: mshrmh on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:33 BST (UK)
At a quick glance I thought either Hester or Esther - on closer inspection I'm not sure.....
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: genjen on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:36 BST (UK)
Would it be possible for us to have a bit more of the document so that we can compare letters in other words?
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Ravelin on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:38 BST (UK)
Thanks for your help.  :)

Yes i suppose it would be a female name as it is after the 1st child Mary Ann. Good point.

Ravelin

Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Ravelin on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:39 BST (UK)
Yes i will attach a larger proportion of the will for you to compare letters etc.

Ravelin
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Ravelin on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:44 BST (UK)
More of the will.
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Beximus on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:49 BST (UK)
Looking at London, I'm fairly convinced the name starts with an L
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: lizdb on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:50 BST (UK)
Just a suggestion - I am not convinced myself - but could it possibly say Mary Ann and brother? Was this Will written as soon as baby son was born but not yet named?

Other wise I'd suggest Hester as a possible.

Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Beximus on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:52 BST (UK)
The squiggle from the d on the line below put me off a little - It looks like something like Arthur...
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: SooCatt on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:54 BST (UK)
I think the first letter is L

Take a look at 'London' in the lines above.  Other than that I have no idea  ::)
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Ravelin on Tuesday 09 June 09 11:56 BST (UK)
The first letter L of London looks like the letter S of 'Stock Exhange'.

The name could begin with L or S.
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: SooCatt on Tuesday 09 June 09 12:00 BST (UK)
In the words 'this friendly office' which appear a couple of lines above the name - do you think the 'th' looks like the letters just before the end of the name?
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Ravelin on Tuesday 09 June 09 12:08 BST (UK)
Yes they do look similar soocatt.
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Ravelin on Tuesday 09 June 09 12:10 BST (UK)
The will is of Henry Ann Mouchet of Lambeth.

I was originally hoping to find Samuel Mouchet named as a child. I am stuck on Samuel's baptism.

Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: genjen on Tuesday 09 June 09 13:26 BST (UK)
I can see  th at the end. Also wondered about Arthur but the A of Mary Ann is very different so abandoned that idea.
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: molly90 on Tuesday 09 June 09 13:34 BST (UK)
Could it be Lestar?   It certainly looks like an L at the beginning.

Molly
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: genjen on Tuesday 09 June 09 13:38 BST (UK)
I am wondering about Louisa.

The sqiggle of the d below confuses it but there is also an & symbol of some sort, immediately after, because it says "  for as many as may hereafter be born"
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Koromo on Tuesday 09 June 09 13:44 BST (UK)

I am convinced it's Hester.

Compare the letter forms on this site — click on the capital H.
http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc/alphabets.html

:)
K.

Edit:  Er ... I mean Hesther  :-[
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Dinkydidy on Tuesday 09 June 09 13:48 BST (UK)
I think it's Hesther.

Look at the capital H in Custom House in the 8th line.

Regards,
Didy.
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: genjen on Tuesday 09 June 09 13:53 BST (UK)
Yes, I can see that too. Especially spelled with the th in the middle, as you have said, Didy.
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Ravelin on Tuesday 09 June 09 13:58 BST (UK)
Thanks everyone for your help.  :)

I agree also now that it is Hesther/Hester.




Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: cathaldus on Tuesday 09 June 09 14:17 BST (UK)
I think there is a possibility of the name being Bertha.  Please look at the word "But" at the start of the line,  next but one. 

Bill
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Ravelin on Tuesday 09 June 09 14:52 BST (UK)
I see what you mean Bill.

I do however think that the H in 'custom House' looks more like the first letter of the name.

 
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Gragareth on Wednesday 10 June 09 17:49 BST (UK)
My offering is ..........   L-e-ther.
Gragareth.
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: James1950 on Wednesday 10 June 09 18:15 BST (UK)
IMHO the name looks like Bertram to me


James
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: MKG on Wednesday 10 June 09 19:42 BST (UK)
I have to agree with the L for London crowd, and I agree with the "th" near the end. So, the name is L....th...

I'm not all sure that it can't be a male name, though - this man is leaving whatever he possesses to both his children in share and share alike parts, so he made no distinction between them. That being the case, he may have mentioned Mary Anne first simply because she was the eldest.

Mike
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Priscilla on Wednesday 10 June 09 20:06 BST (UK)
For what it is worth I think the name is Bertha.
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: SWar on Wednesday 10 June 09 20:25 BST (UK)
Could it be brother? - "my children, Mary, Ann and Brother....."

Sue
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Little Nell on Wednesday 10 June 09 21:18 BST (UK)
I vote Hesther too.  Children Mary Ann and Hesther

Nell
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Koromo on Thursday 11 June 09 07:30 BST (UK)

For a comparison, the three images are:
— Ravelin's 1788 original
— a 1772 will showing the words "Tenements and Hereditaments".
— an 1808 example, "Tenements Lands Heredits and ..." "... their Heirs and"

:)
K.
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: MKG on Thursday 11 June 09 11:18 BST (UK)
 ;D ;D When someone stuffs the evidence right up your nostrils like that, you have to take your hat off to them.  ;D ;D

Well done, Koromo - Hesther it is!

Mike
Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Ravelin on Thursday 11 June 09 11:26 BST (UK)
Excellent work there Koromo.  :)

I am even more on the side of it being Hesther now !

Ravelin

Title: Re: Help in reading name please
Post by: Koromo on Thursday 11 June 09 11:54 BST (UK)


 ;D ;D When someone stuffs the evidence right up your nostrils like that ...



LOL! I once spent ages looking for a place called Storsford.
It took me months to work out that it was really Hereford.

:D
K.