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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: Vasquez109 on Sunday 18 October 09 19:54 BST (UK)

Title: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: Vasquez109 on Sunday 18 October 09 19:54 BST (UK)
Although this photo needs some attention, its not due to its age as a digital camera was used. Just some grey matter needs adjusting!

Can anyone make anything out on the headstone? And dont worry, I've learnt my lesson about taking photos of gravestones!
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: danuslave on Sunday 18 October 09 20:51 BST (UK)
MARY JANE
THE BELOVED WIFE OF
RICHARD  WEBB?
DIED JAN ??
1865  maybe  :D
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: Vasquez109 on Sunday 18 October 09 20:54 BST (UK)
Thanks! Im rubbish with a camera!  :D
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: danuslave on Sunday 18 October 09 22:09 BST (UK)
Lots of practice should sort that out  :D :D

Next time you take photos of gravestones take a notebook and pen with you and write down the words.  Takes longer but it will save a lot of hair tearing afterwards  :D

Linda
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: Vasquez109 on Sunday 18 October 09 22:10 BST (UK)
Hmm...Yeah! I went to Veryan, Cornwall and took 264 photos. Didn't have time for all that!
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: danuslave on Sunday 18 October 09 22:29 BST (UK)
You need an assistant  :D :D
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: Vasquez109 on Sunday 18 October 09 22:32 BST (UK)
I had one. The wife.

All she did was moan after 20mins in, and then I had to take her shopping in Truro. :(

She cost me a fortune....
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: beekay48 on Sunday 18 October 09 22:46 BST (UK)
If you buy a cheap light reflector it solves the problem, just keep it in the boot of your car and its always available. They fold up very small too - Ask in Jessops or any camera shop, tell them you want the cheapest they have.  If you get your wife to hold the reflector for all those photos she will be too tired to want to go shopping afterwards. :) ;)
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: Vasquez109 on Monday 19 October 09 07:30 BST (UK)
 :D Sounds like a plan!

She also said she ruined a pair of shoes in the graveyard with nettles and brambles which she made me replace :(

Might be a vacancy for a new assistant soon....
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: terry h on Monday 19 October 09 09:46 BST (UK)
Take a micro recorder with you, easier than pen and paper and cheaper than shoes and shopping  ;)  :D :D

Terry
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: Emjaybee on Monday 19 October 09 12:25 BST (UK)
mjb
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: Ruskie on Monday 19 October 09 12:32 BST (UK)
It thought there appeared to be a number 7 after "JAN..."

and after "1805"

looks like "AGED X(?) YEARS " ....
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: Vasquez109 on Monday 19 October 09 17:43 BST (UK)
Oh dear...I had it down as died Jan 27th 1865.

Maybe my eyesight is going.
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: Emjaybee on Monday 19 October 09 18:04 BST (UK)
All restores I do are on a "best guess" basis - you are probably correct.
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: Vasquez109 on Monday 19 October 09 18:04 BST (UK)
Im not so sure! The more I look at it, the more I think you're right!
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: chinakay on Monday 19 October 09 19:27 BST (UK)
Here it is inverted and corrected.

I think it's Jan 27, not because the 2 is easy to see, but if you look at the space between the final D in DIED and the J in JAN, and compare it with the space between the N and the 7....I think there has to be another digit in there.

I think it's 1806.

It's deffo "AGED......YEARS", but the number is completely obscured :(

Cheers,
China
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: Vasquez109 on Monday 19 October 09 19:53 BST (UK)
Thats a nifty tool! What did you use to do that. Ive got Paint Shop Pro X but dont know how to use all the twiddles and fiddles on it!
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: chinakay on Tuesday 20 October 09 00:31 BST (UK)
It's not very nifty I'm afraid...it's just "Paint" which comes bundled with MS Windows. But it does let you invert colours which often lets you see stuff you can't see in the original photo.

Cheers,
China
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: danuslave on Tuesday 20 October 09 00:34 BST (UK)
Look for something that says 'invert colours' or 'negative' - possibly under 'Image'  Or just play until you find something that helps  :D :D

Linda
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: cazza59 on Tuesday 20 October 09 01:11 BST (UK)
I make it:

Mary Jane
The Beloved Wife of Richard Webb
Died Jan 27
1865
Aged ?? Years  (the age is totally obscured by moss).

There is also writing at the bottom, you can make out what possibly could be

'UTER"

Caz
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: cazza59 on Tuesday 20 October 09 01:14 BST (UK)
Actually looking at it on the screen, the word at the very bottom could also be WEBB, perhaps there is a second person also buried there maybe she died in childbirth.

Caz
Title: Re: Illegible Photo help please
Post by: Vasquez109 on Tuesday 20 October 09 21:08 BST (UK)
That UTER. Could it be daughter?