Marriage witnesses name opinions needed

[Ceryswyn]

Hi all,

I've had this record in my possession for a number of years and I am still undecided about the names of the witnesses. I thought perhaps dropping it here for some opinions might be a good idea. Perhaps those with a better understanding of the handwriting of the era will be able to help? This is from a 1819 Marriage Banns in Gloucestershire, England.

[IgorStrav]

Thos [Thomas] Wills
Mary Dear

Is what I see?

[Karen McDonald]

Thos [Thomas] Wills
Mary Dear

That's what I see, too. 

[Ceryswyn]

Adding a bit more of the document here, because in 10 years it's never occured to me to compare the first letter in Wills/Hills/Mills to the lettering on the rest of the document 

I'm looking at the W of William and the H of Hannah, and the way the loop at the beginning of each of those letters are done, the Thomas name now looks like Hills to me.

William and Hannah are both written by someone else and marked their X, so I assume that the handwriting is the same person for all these names....

What do you think?

[IgorStrav]

Although the Witnesses' signatures are actually their own handwriting and therefore may well differ from the signatures of William and Hannah in the way the letters are formed.

What were the full names of William and Hannah?


Added:
Sorry, I can see them in the name you've given the picture.

It could be either Wills or Hills, in my opinion. 

[Karen McDonald]

Adding a bit more of the document here, because in 10 years it's never occured to me to compare the first letter in Wills/Hills/Mills to the lettering on the rest of the document 

I'm looking at the W of William and the H of Hannah, and the way the loop at the beginning of each of those letters are done, the Thomas name now looks like Hills to me.

William and Hannah are both written by someone else and marked their X, so I assume that the handwriting is the same person for all these names....

What do you think?

Good point.

There is only the one single diagonal stroke linking the vertical bits, once you take away the frilly bits. 

So on reflection, I'd go for it being an "H" after all.

But let's see what some of the experts say. 

Edit: There is a little scroll upwards on the end, too. Is it a frilly bit or the end of a "W"? 

[Ceryswyn]

What were the full names of William and Hannah?
 

William Richards and Hannah Page, married 7th Nov 1819 in Cheltenham.

[Ceryswyn]

Just to make matters either easier or harder, there's a second record!

The witnesses names are much clearer. There is nothing written in the brides signature area. Both records say page #216 at the top so I don't know if one was copied to the other or vice versa. This record could be the original, or could be someone's transcription of the other record and therefore not necessarily be accurate.

[Treetotal]

I too see it as Thomas Wills and Mary Dear.
Carol