Is this William?

[Stanwix England]

Ancestry has this record, for a Catherine Byram on 22/10/1838 marrying a Samuel Hampshire in Brotherton, Yorkshire.

They say the fathers name is Wm Shirtcliffe (Catherine was a widow) and I had assumed that was William.

As you can see from my post in the West Yorkshire forum, I haven't been able to find her baptism despite finding lots of baptisms attributed to a William Shirtcliffe in Brotherton at the right time.

So I'm wondering if it's not WM but actually something else. I would appreciate your thoughts.

[horselydown86]

It looks to be W^m = William.  I have several Williams born between 1760 and 1790 and their W^ms look like this.

[Annie65115]

i agree.

[Stanwix England]

Thank you everyone. I think you are correct, I was just clutching at straws.