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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: RobinClay on Sunday 14 February 10 10:35 GMT (UK)

Title: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: RobinClay on Sunday 14 February 10 10:35 GMT (UK)
Your interpretations are invited fro this inscription, please?

It's in the flyleaf of a prayerbook / hymn book.  Violet was my grandmother; tthe date is her wedding day.
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: genjen on Sunday 14 February 10 10:38 GMT (UK)
To me it looks like

'Violet'
From W.L.F

In memory!

Followed by the date.

Jen
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: RobinClay on Sunday 14 February 10 12:48 GMT (UK)
In memory!
Thank you !

Any other ideas, please ?

I had thought "In sensitivity", but yours is probably more likely.

WLF is probably Canon Feilden, her godfather.
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: ainslie on Sunday 14 February 10 12:50 GMT (UK)
I'll second Jen.
A
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: genjen on Sunday 14 February 10 13:02 GMT (UK)
But if it was her wedding day, why would he write "In Memory"? I find that a bit strange.

Jen
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: Geoff-E on Sunday 14 February 10 13:09 GMT (UK)
I think it may say A memory

I'm not sure if it's an exclamtion mark or a question mark.
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: genjen on Sunday 14 February 10 13:18 GMT (UK)
Ah Geoff - I think you could be right there. 'A Memory' sounds more likely. And I agree about the exclamation/question mark as well...it could be either, couldn't it?

Jen

Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: PaulStaffs on Tuesday 16 February 10 21:23 GMT (UK)
In matrimony!

Of course  ;)
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: Lydart on Tuesday 16 February 10 21:33 GMT (UK)
If its a prayer book, and the giver was a clergyman, any of the above suggestions don't ring true ... but I must admit I can't think of anything that fits the inscription; might he have put something with religious over-tones ? 
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: Family Tree Maker on Tuesday 16 February 10 21:41 GMT (UK)
I agree, why would it say in memory? It could say sincerely
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: PrueM on Tuesday 16 February 10 23:01 GMT (UK)
"A memory!"

Jen has the rest of it right  :)

Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: Emjaybee on Wednesday 17 February 10 09:24 GMT (UK)
Try:

To insincerity!

Did she jilt him?
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: Lydart on Wednesday 17 February 10 10:55 GMT (UK)
I think is probably IS 'A memory' but why ?   And why is it followed with what I'm inclined to see as a question mark rather than an exclamation mark ? 


Maybe she had given up going to church, and he thought giving her a prayer book would jog her memory and maybe spur her into starting to attend again !
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: genjen on Thursday 18 February 10 16:24 GMT (UK)
Maybe she was just leaving the area when she married, so it was given as a memory of him?
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: RobinClay on Thursday 18 February 10 18:17 GMT (UK)
Actually - she lived with her parents in Burton-on-Trent; and her husband lived with his parents ditto.  After marriage in 1906, they moved about six miles away to what is now Needwood Manor Hotel, and he continued to work at Bass's brewery in Burton until 1925, initially riding to work on horseback.  The brewery had stables, of course, which were empty during the day, as the dray horses delivered the beer.
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: Sloe Gin on Thursday 18 February 10 18:27 GMT (UK)
Definitely "A memory", I think - compare with the capital A in April.

As for the meaning: either he was referring to something in the past, which she would have recognised, but we will never know.  Something to do with her early church attendances, perhaps.  Or possibly he meant that the prayer book would always serve as a reminder of her wedding day.
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: Borley Manor on Thursday 18 February 10 19:22 GMT (UK)
Hi,

    Maybe a look through a male eyes...

     Could it be:
                                  Violet from W.L.F.

                                   Le Anniversary ?

                                    date and 1906
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: Sloe Gin on Thursday 18 February 10 19:44 GMT (UK)
It is "memory".  There are several points of comparison - the open 'o', the 'm', the 'r' and the Greek 'e'.
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: Borley Manor on Thursday 18 February 10 19:47 GMT (UK)
    God bit of detective work there ...
         Maybe Le Memory ?     then...... :-X ;)
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: James1950 on Thursday 18 February 10 20:01 GMT (UK)
There is a dotted 'i' in the word that IMHO excludes 'memory'
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: Sloe Gin on Thursday 18 February 10 20:40 GMT (UK)
Hmmm, I don't think it's a dot, just a speck on the paper.  His i-dots in 'Violet' and 'April' are very well defined.
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: RobinClay on Thursday 18 February 10 21:02 GMT (UK)
I think it's not a dot.
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: lesleyhannah on Thursday 18 February 10 21:04 GMT (UK)
`And it would be a lovely memory of her wedding day - it no doubt contained the hymns and the prayers used in the ceremony. It would bring back more memories than a toaster!
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: Borley Manor on Thursday 18 February 10 21:30 GMT (UK)
Hi again,
   
    Could it be, even if it looks strange :

             In All Sincerity !
Title: Re: Gran's prayerbook inscription
Post by: PrueM on Thursday 18 February 10 23:21 GMT (UK)
Argh!  It's clearly A MEMORY.
Compare the letters with those in the other words. 
I agree totally with Sloe Gin - might not make sense to us, but obviously did to the giver and recipient.