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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: 1dylan1 on Sunday 27 November 11 03:41 GMT (UK)

Title: Deciphering Handwriting
Post by: 1dylan1 on Sunday 27 November 11 03:41 GMT (UK)
Hello, I wonder if someone would be able to help decipher an address on an 1881 census.  Piece 1289, Folio 30, Page 12.  The family name is SAYER and the address seems to read 'Manhoods Pit'  but when I try and google info on the place name the search engine seems to wander off into other areas  :-[

Many thanks
Title: Re: Deciphering Handwriting
Post by: charlotteCH on Sunday 27 November 11 03:58 GMT (UK)
Hullo and glad you have jined Rootschat :D

if you are able to post a section of the census page that has the address on it, it would make it easier for us to have a try at deciphering it.

charlotte
Title: Re: Deciphering Handwriting
Post by: karenlee on Sunday 27 November 11 04:01 GMT (UK)
Well it most def looks like Manhood Pits.... and a quick Google shows that there was a section of Brightwaltham area known as the Manhood Hundred.  Wonder if this is where the name came from??

Cheers
Karenlee

NOTE.. apologies, it appears that this Hundred was in Sussex..... found refs in The Manor and Manorial Records
Title: Re: Deciphering Handwriting
Post by: 1dylan1 on Sunday 27 November 11 04:19 GMT (UK)
Hullo and glad you have jined Rootschat :D

if you are able to post a section of the census page that has the address on it, it would make it easier for us to have a try at deciphering it.

charlotte

I didn't know you could do that, how do I go about that?

Louise
Title: Re: Deciphering Handwriting
Post by: karenlee on Sunday 27 November 11 04:24 GMT (UK)

This is the Enumeration District description...


Title: Re: Deciphering Handwriting
Post by: charlotteCH on Sunday 27 November 11 07:27 GMT (UK)
What wonderfulclear writing that enumerator had ;D...if only they were all like that.

Karenlee is better placed than I am to tell you how to put the scanned bit on here.

  And it will be fresh in her mind as she's just done it ;)  [  that's for KL who is a good friend]

charlotte
Title: Re: Deciphering Handwriting
Post by: PrueM on Sunday 27 November 11 08:10 GMT (UK)
I've found what I think is it, on an old Ordnance Survey map dated 1882 (http://www.old-maps.co.uk/) - it's called "Manwood Pit" on this map, and is a chalk pit.

I've linked to its location on a modern map, although you won't see anything unless you look at the satellite view.  In the bottom right quadrant of the map I've linked to, look for the name of the road "Sparrowbill" - it's named four times, and the second time it's named, working from the bottom right of the map, you'll see above it a small farmstead or house, surrounded by greenery , and a field boundary working its way north from there.  This is the site of the old "Manwood/Manhood" chalk pit.
http://g.co/maps/564d5
Title: Re: Deciphering Handwriting
Post by: Geoff-E on Sunday 27 November 11 09:10 GMT (UK)
I've found what I think is it, on an old Ordnance Survey map dated 1882 (http://www.old-maps.co.uk/) - it's called "Manwood Pit" on this map, and is a chalk pit.

Here www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html?coords=443375,178570

(Note to PrueM:  if you . URL in your favourites, it's a simple matter to edit it to give the coordinates of any location :) )

EDIT: How strange ... the words savethis have been changed to a full stop.
Title: Re: Deciphering Handwriting
Post by: PrueM on Sunday 27 November 11 10:04 GMT (UK)
Thanks for that, Geoff - must remember that!
I didn't have the coordinates for the actual location though, only the closest village (Brightwalton).
Title: Re: Deciphering Handwriting
Post by: Geoff-E on Sunday 27 November 11 12:37 GMT (UK)
Thanks for that, Geoff - must remember that!
I didn't have the coordinates for the actual location though, only the closest village (Brightwalton).

I use Streetmap to get the coords - find the general area you want, then you can move the map around as much as you like - the coords of the centre of the map are always shown below
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=442842&Y=178845&A=Y&Z=120
Title: Re: Deciphering Handwriting
Post by: 1dylan1 on Sunday 27 November 11 14:07 GMT (UK)
Thanks for the responses :)

It's such an unusual name for a place, I'm sure there has to be a story in there somewhere, especially with Honesty Bottom just round the corner ;D

As ever I am humbled by the wealth of know how you guys have at using the resources out there, I have soo much too learn.

Regards
Louise