Two more very different capital A's from the same man - is it possible?

[Richard Knott]

When Roger Andrews died in 1758 his will mentions his children John, Sarah Andrews and Elizabeth Hixon; and his grandson Roger Andrews.

When his daughter Sarah died in 1760 her brother John, an innkeeper in Durrington, Wilts, dealt with her assets. His signature is attached.

John Andrews married Thomasine in 1737; the signature on his marriage licence is attached. I know this is the same John as John and Thomasine had children in Collingbourne Ducis until 1748; John bought an inn in Durrington (the Nag's Head) in 1749; and he and Thomasine had at least two children in Durrington (Roger, 1755; Susannah 1759) before Thomasine and two daughters died of smallpox in 1759/60.

Although the two signatures have similarities, the A's are completely different. Is this normal/possible?

I posed a very similar question about his grandson here recently:
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=842938.msg7096678#msg7096678

Richard

[Henry7]

I'd say it was the same man.  Signatures change over time (or at least, mine has) and the years between 1737 and 1760 could have made a difference here.

But the letters after the 'A' in 'Andrews' are written in a very similar way.

[dublin1850]

I would agree, after the A, the rest is the same, particularly the ending.

[LizzieL]

Not long ago, while going through some old documents, I found a savings book with my signature on written when I was about twelve years old. The way I signed a capital "E" was completely different to my adult signature.

[Richard Knott]

I'm sure you're right - I had just haven't come across such a radical change in an adult's writing before. Although, interestingly, the first loop of the earlier capital A is very like the final form of the later one. Perhaps that is how the two forms arose.

Richard

[River Tyne Lass]

My initial letter is A.  I do find myself signing both ways as shown above.  However, for more serious stuff (e.g. banking) I try to keep things the same.  So I do think it is possible this is the same hand.

[Ruskie]

The second style of A is easier and quicker to write. Maybe he couldn’t be bothered taking the time and effort to write in the copperplate style with the flourishes. 

I agree that both signatures are written by the same hand.