Handwriting help please

[Tsu]

I said I would come back when William Burns's birth certificate arrived and it has answered the question 'what was his mother's name?' it was Ellen.

However, I now have another question.

It states that William's father was John Burns, Soldier in the 65th regiment.  Google tells me they arrived in NZ between 1838 and 1845, so that means that John must be a lot older than I originally thought.  Or could he have signed up in New Zealand?

[lesleyhannah]

Well, I wouldn't have got Ellen in a million years!

[Tsu]

I know!  He must have coughed as he wrote it... 

[Gadget]

I wonder if he/she, when asked, said 'Ilern' 

Say it quickly!


Gadget

[Tsu]

Perhaps.  I'll hopefully find out where she was from (and what accent she may have had) as I have found and ordered her marriage certificate to John Burns.  She was a widow when she married him in 1864.