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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Deskman on Thursday 08 February 18 20:22 GMT (UK)

Title: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Deskman on Thursday 08 February 18 20:22 GMT (UK)
In 1889 diary p30 literary society http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=787473.0 (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=787473.0) Karen McDonald kindly points out that my spelling of the name as Easton is in varience with what she reads - and it appears twice.

The name appears also in 1889 diary p26 Bowkers http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=787330.18 (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=787330.18)

The name appears 24 times in the diary. I have found a single contemporary newsprint reference to him as 'J Easton' yet I still feel I have got it wrong - No appropriate J Easton in census records found. It has been maddening me for months!

Here are 5 more examples (the first and last words in the 4th image)

Thanks, Deskman

There is a poll at the top of the page


Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Girl Guide on Thursday 08 February 18 21:48 GMT (UK)
There are two Johns and a Joseph EASTERN in the 1891 census.

Born 1857 and two in 1859.

John   Eastern   1857   —   Middlesbrough   Middlesbrough   Yorkshire, Yorkshire (North Riding)

John   Eastern   1859   Norfolk   Walsingham   Wells Next the Sea   Norfolk

Joseph   Eastern   1859   —   Mutford   Lowestoft   Suffolk

No idea if any of them are likely as there is no information regarding your J Easton.
Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Deskman on Thursday 08 February 18 22:15 GMT (UK)
Thanks Girl Guide for taking a look.

I didn't mean to start a search for my man from this forum. I'm really trying to establish the likely spelling of his name. There is, of course no authoritative spelling but as I stand I don't even have a preferred / strong candidate. The one print version I have is a village cricket match report so even that is a weak source

If you are interested I can share what I know about my man but the diary's spelling of his name is my current need. I have been looking at it since May 2014 and I'm still unsure
Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Girl Guide on Thursday 08 February 18 22:49 GMT (UK)
Yes please.  So what do you know about him?  Birth year, birth place, where he lived, occupation etc.

Reveal all!!  ;D ;D ::)
Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: bbart on Thursday 08 February 18 23:17 GMT (UK)
I do know what Karen means, but in looking at the examples above, I'm starting to think the variance could be due to the writer, when he does cross his t's, rarely crosses the actual t, but the next letter over.  It is this short cross, meant for the t, but hitting the o, which makes it look like his most commonly written e.  I hope that is understandable!

The first example above, the t is actually crossed, so it could be an o following, but in the other examples, the t cross is getting muddled with the next letter, which is how he does make his e's. I'm starting to think that the writer is by nature, left handed, but everyone back then was made to write right handed. There is just so many versions of each and every letter!

I'm with Girl Guide in wanting info to unearth this fellow (and any others you run across!)  Honestly, the people here at Rootschat are like dogs hunting for their favourite bone.... we just can't give up the hunt until we find what we are after!
Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: matthewj64 on Thursday 08 February 18 23:25 GMT (UK)
The shapes of letter Os in other words are generally closed loops, unlike the shape in the word in question

I think it is Eastern, compare the ending of "officer" and add the unattached cross for a T as in "captain"

Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Girl Guide on Thursday 08 February 18 23:25 GMT (UK)
Too true Bart, too true.  We dig away until we either find something or regrettably have to admit defeat.   ::) ::)
Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Deskman on Thursday 08 February 18 23:40 GMT (UK)
Thanks bbart and Girl Guide,

I will share what I have but be prepared to be disappointed. ::) :-[
In 1889 my man was single and working near Craven Arms, in south Shropshire. He could have been an land agent's clerk, estate manager's bookkeeper, quantity surveyor or similar. He was away from work on his holidays for the whole of August.
His girlfriend from Craven Arms was Fanny Elizabeth Bromley (age 21), He had "what he calls 'an agreement' with her that they are to be friends & exchange confidences without anything serious or matrimonial being intended"
He was educated with an interest in literature and he was sporty (captain of a village football team), probably born after 1865. His name was J Easton in one newspaper match report and just Easton in two others.

That sums up what I know about him. :(

I have not made any connection but in the 1891 census there was a married James Easton (b Shropshire c1866) with his parents William (b Kent c1825) and Elizabeth (b Shropshire c1833) at Masllyn Lane, Bronington, Ellesmere, Flintshire. His wife was elsewhere. The occupations are so faint that I cannot make out a single character.

I would be delighted to learn of anything more about my mystery man. ;D

Cheers, Deskman
Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Karen McDonald on Friday 09 February 18 08:13 GMT (UK)
Hi Deskman,

In the 2nd example of names shown at the top of this thread, I think (having participated in all of these threads so far  ;D) that I can see EASTERN.

He rarely crosses his "t" and the small "e" and "r" are very typical of his style.

As far as the newspaper goes: If someone wrote down what he (thought he) heard, then is could well come out as "Easton". When I think about it, there is an Eastern Avenue in my birthtown (sunny ol' Sarfend-on-Sea) and we always pronounced it as "Easton".

So I'm going to vote for Eastern.  :D

Best regards from Wolfenbüttel, where we have -7 but glorious sunshine. Going to wrap up well and go for walkies in a few mins.

Karen
Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Deskman on Friday 09 February 18 08:45 GMT (UK)

Quote
His girlfriend from Craven Arms was Fanny Elizabeth Bromley (age 21), He had "what he calls 'an agreement' with her that they are to be friends & exchange confidences without anything serious or matrimonial being intended"

It looks to me as if our man kept to his plan. I think Fanny married Alfred Henry Burton, chemist & druggist Q3 1896
Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Girl Guide on Friday 09 February 18 09:06 GMT (UK)
That looks right, the family are living here Norton, Llo Yard Street, Llandudno, Conway, Caernarvonshire, Wales

The first child has an interesting choice of names:-

BURTON, HARRY  MONTAGUE BROMLEY    BROMLEY     
GRO Reference: 1897  D Quarter in CONWAY  Volume 11B  Page 431   

Bromley after his mother, but I wonder where the Montague comes from?
 
Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Karen McDonald on Friday 09 February 18 09:08 GMT (UK)
The more I look, the less I see "Easton".
I can see why people might vote for Easton, but only if they have not read all the previous threads.  ;)

If you look at Deskman's samples on the first page of this thread (as well as all the previous threads), you will see that an "o" is almost always completely closed AND that it is almost always joined to the preceding letter.

The writer's lower-case "e" does, as with a lot of his letters, indeed vary, but is very often looks like a small, curved capital T, if you see what I mean (see samples of surname on page 1 of this thread).

There is simply "too much there" for it to be only Easton. He tends to leave out letters, not add unnecessary bits.  :)

My two penn'th... (yet again  ;D)

Karen


Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Girl Guide on Friday 09 February 18 09:19 GMT (UK)
Karen - I must admit that when I saw the word my mind immediately leapt to Eastern.  Like you I felt that there was more at the end of the word that made Eastern more likely than Easton and I haven't been reading all the pieces of writing.
Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: bbart on Friday 09 February 18 20:33 GMT (UK)
I have a question about the 4th sample in post one:
What is the very first word?  It has a lot of the same form as we are struggling with, with the exception of a g or y tail in it.  (I am assuming the very last word on the snippet is the name we are struggling with).
Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Deskman on Friday 09 February 18 20:37 GMT (UK)
Hi bbart the first word is the name Easton/Eastern/Whatever and last word is Easton/Eastern/Whatever.
Title: Re: 1889 diary - What is his name?
Post by: Deskman on Friday 09 February 18 20:40 GMT (UK)
This name spelling topic and poll have been running for 24 hours. It has had 205 visits but only 6 votes cast in the poll
3 for Eastern
3 for Easton
 :'(
Thanks to those who have voted and for all the comments.

I'm left generally undecided, both options have good arguments  :-\
I’ll go for Eastern until I know different…
…I'll now close the topic leaving the poll running and move on...