A Belated Thank you

[sami]

Here's a very belated Thank you to the Curate or other church official who helpfully wrote out the name of a witness on an 1871 marriage register. It would have been tough for anyone to figure this signature out.

[Ruskie]

Are you certain this is a clarification/rewriting of the surname or might it be the name of another witness?
 

[sami]

...good point Ruskie 

But I'm thinking the small + denotes the name written out and the faint script of the transcribed name makes it unlikely to be another witness.

However I can always stand corrected 

[majm]

      I read the first signature as "Ruskie"    

And I wonder if I should be concerned about anyone who could interpret it otherwise ! 

[Ruskie]

  'Tis not me JM. I am not quite that old.

I was half joking sami.  But then I did wonder if it might be an additional witness. Illegible signature. I see the crosses now you mention them. I would think it irregular to bother to clarify the name of a witness, illegible or not .... 

Are there one or two witnesses on the other line?

[majm]

I have several retired C of E ministers as "phone a rellie" ....  So, may I mention that sometimes the Clergy have been known to 'pencil' in names if the signature is likely to be hard to read.   Similarly, they have been known to pencil in short comments into margins of parish registers if there may be a confusion in the details being recorded in the register.

Pencilled words when digitised are usually fainter than inked words 

  

Cheers,  JM

[Ruskie]

That could well be the case here then JM, though it is a bit earlier than in your living rellies experience I imagine, being an 1871 marriage (but location unknown if of any significance regarding changes/clarification).

I actually think I can see a double f in that signature ... or is it because I want to see it?  I think the pencilled 'crosses' might be the clue. 

[majm]

I have just checked by phone    it seems they were following past practices handed down discreetly from earlier clergy  .....

Cheers,  JM

[majm]

I thought I saw the double f and then I decided I was seeing things based on the pencilled entry.   That 'pencilled' entry ought to be in the same handwriting as elsewhere on the document, otherwise it may well be a further witness.