RootsChat.Com
Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: RedMystic on Saturday 12 April 14 21:19 BST (UK)
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Hi Chatters,
I'm building a virtual cemetery in Find A Grave. I photographed the headstones in Nunton Cemetery in 2011 when I visited the Outer Hebrides. (I'm not heading there again anytime soon, so revisiting / rephotographing is not a possibility for me.) There are a handful (or so) of stones where some text is apparent, but I can't make it out. I've seen people do a negative image to bring out the writing.
Can I post the photos of the headstones here for manipulation, or would someone be willing to assist me?
Here's the kind of thing I'm looking at. The text is faint, but I feel like it's there. Thoughts?
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hi can someone let me know how this is done please as i have one like that at a local church to me that im doing - the same thing as im putting them on find a grave too !!
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I tried inverting it, tweaking the levels etc but alas I couldn't make anything appear.
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Thanks for trying, Craig.
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There is definitely lots of writing there - - but I can't read any of it other than the occasional letter.
Sorry - Not much help but here it is for what it is worth. When I look at it on here, it doesn't look any better at all! ::) ::)
It is a little clearer when it is enlarged. Not a lot . . .but ;)
Think you will just HAVE to go back with a scrubbing brush RM!
Wiggy
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Heavy sigh. Thanks for trying Wiggy. :)
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Have you contacted a stonemason to see how to safely clean away the moss
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Thanks for the suggestion spices. Unfortunately, I'm in Canada & the stone is in Benbecula. :-[
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I think I need glasses, because being a headstone I know it's got writing on it, but I must be the only one who cannot see any!
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Sorry RedMystic I should have read your original request properly.
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im sorry i looked at the pic and thought that someone had already posted the transcription as the names that appear thus -
MACDONALD of Benbecula
MCDONALD of Earlswood/Wapella Saskatchewan
BAIN of Aberdeenshire, Trafford district, Red Jacket and Moosomin, Saskatchewan
CHEYNE of Aberdeenshire & Trafford district, Saskatchewan
FISHER of Yorkshire, Ontario & Saskatchewan
INKSTER of Shetland, Edinburgh, Saskatchewan and British Columbia
GAUNT of Yorkshire, Kent, British Columbia & Australia
KINCH of Ireland, Prince Edward Island, Alberta Saskatchewan
CORCORAN of Ireland, Prince Edward Island & Saskatchewan
Realising that that was something else (not sure what )
Anyway - I was in a photography class a few weeks back _If i bump into that tutor again I will ask him if he knows anything
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??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
Can't see any of that written on the stone!! ::)
Wiggy
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The list that andreajjj assumed to be the answer appears to be RedMystics list of surnames and locations being researched.
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Ooops - sorry - Didn't realise. ::)
Thanks Craclyn ;)
Wiggy
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why they come like that ? there are underneath everything -
I really thought that some clever person had transcribed that whole stone with some clever digital computer work with all the names - (but not dates )
How dumb am I - ??? lol
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It is part of the profile andreajjj. You can do the same with your own research interests if you modify the "surname interests" field in your profile.
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sometimes by making a negative image, you can see the underlying text. on this one the only word that I could make out is the word buried, nothing else. keep posting though, there might be some hope for the others!
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Thaks to all who have tried.
Jester, how do I make a negative image?
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Hi RM, I made a negative image and sharpened etc and I can see 'buried'
but that's all apart from random letters 'Y' 'E' & 'L'.
I used irfanview to convert to negative, just go to image and come down the list and
there it is!!
I hate to admit defeat but I'm sorry RM that's the best I can do :(
Joy
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Here's the inversion - agree Joy - I tried that too - it doesn't help much does it! Little bit, but not much.
Wiggy
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Have you thought about posting on the appropriate county board to see if anyone lives near enough to visit the graveyard?
The best way to read an old tombstone without causing any damage is to wrap it in cheap, thin tin foil then gently brush the face with a makeup brush or similar. Judging by pictures on the web, the text then leaps out at you. Alternatively the text is sometimes visible when the stone is wet and the light is falling on it obliquely. Using chalk, flour or shaving foam is not recommended.
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Thanks all.
I have a few other headstones that aren't quite as difficult as this one. I may post those in the next few days.
I love the idea of the tinfoil, alpinecottage. I hadn't heard that one before. :o ;D
Maybe, as I'm doing the heavy lifting transcribing the headstones & uploading them to FAG, I can engage someone from the genealogy society on Benbecula to do the tinfoil treatment to my most difficult interpretations.
Thanks again.
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Here is another headstone for the cemetery on Benbecula. This one is a wee bit clearer. Can someone better at manipulation see what it says?
I think it includes the following. A second set of eyes would be much appreciated. :)
In loving memory of
Alexander Boyd
________________ at Torlum
___________________ aged __ years.
Also his wife
S_____________ MacPherson
________________-
Aged 51?? years
Also their daughter
___________________________
___________________________
____________ September _______________
Aged 28? years
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A quick version
Regards
Malky
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Another try to make things easier.
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Thanks loads Malky & Wiggy :)
Is this what you're seeing:
Alexander Boyd died sometime in 1877 in his 62 year.
His wife's name was Salina MacPherson. She died ? November 1895, Aged 51 years.
And their daughter Christina died ????????
Also their son Alek
Died ? November 1899
Aged 20 years.
Thanks again.
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Thanks loads Malky & Wiggy :)
Is this what you're seeing:
Alexander Boyd died at F . ?. .lum
15th September? 1877 aged 62 (or 52) years.
Also his wife
Salina MacPherson.
Died 17th November 1895,
Aged 51 years.
And their daughter ( Not sure about Christina maybe Mary)
died 10 . (?March). . 1854?? aged 1 year????????
Also their son Alick/Aleck
Died 11th November 1899 (or 0r 1866)
Aged 20 years.
Thanks again.
Wiggy :-\
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Awesome Wiggy. :-* Thank you.
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Just hope it is more or less correct, RM! :D
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Gosh too slow again! You sure are fast Wiggy 8) ;D
Joy
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But do you agree though?
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I do Wiggy, you and Malky did a great job ;)
Joy
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Congratulations Wiggy & Malky
I did some further digging this morning to try to confirm the info that appeared to be on the stone. Your photo manipulation nailed just about everything! :) Thank you.
In loving memory of
Alexander Boyd
Who died 15 November 1877 Aged 62 years.
Also his wife
Salina MacPherson (also known as Sophia)
Died 17 November 1895
Aged 51 years.
And their daughter Mary (also known as Mary Ann)
Died 2 March 1869 Aged 1 year.
Also their son Alek
Died 11 November 1905
Aged 30 years.
I'm doing a happy dance. You rock. Thanks again. :-*
I'll be posting a few others for help as I enter the 500 or so headstones in the cemetery. ;)
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Hi all. Here's another headstone that is giving me problems. I have provided 2 angles for the same headstone. Can someone lend a hand please? :)
I think it says ???
In
Memory
______________ MacDonald
Who died at ___________ (maybe Creagorry????)
Benbecula
20 or 23??? ??? December 1894
Aged 30 or 70???? Years
RIP
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Same stone - another angle in the event that helps. ;)
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Hi Chatters,
Can someone please pop back to help please? :)
It would be great if another set of eyes looked at the headstone image I posted in this thread on 14 April.
If I'm going to get better at this, I also need to figure out how Malky got the negative image on the headstone I posted a few days ago. I have an adjustment for "exposure" & "effects" but I can't see anything that gives me the image he got. ???
Does anyone have any advice for me? I'm about 1/2 way through uploading the virtual cemetery (352 internment so far) for Nunton Cemetery, Benbecula & have 6 headstones that need some extra photographic treatment in order to decipher them.
Thanks in advance,
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Sorry but I can't add anything new to what you see.
The image viewer that I use to get the negative effect (which also has the opportunity to change the negative from B&W to different colours) is "IrfanView" which was a free download.
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Thanks Rena. :)
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In memory of
?Aaron?. Macdonald. . . . . . . Not at all sure about his/her name - might even start with an H or a W.
who died at . . .(long name possibly beginning with SC . . . . . . could be the name of a farmstead maybe??)
Benbecula
26?th December 1825? ??
Aged 30 years . . .(or is it 52?)
Don't know if next line is writing or some symbol.
Sorry RM - not much help - I know how to invert on my machine but not sure I can tell you on yours - unless it is a Mac.
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Here's the original played with and sharpened a bit
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NB I went back and added some thoughts to a previous post - 2 ago.
(In case you missed them?)
Wiggy ;)
P.S. Oops - just seen the other view where things are much plainer - sorry just repeating what you've already found! :-[ :-[
On that one his/her name looks like W??on doesn't it
And the year does look more like 94 rather than 25! Sorry not a big help here.
just confusing the issue. :-[ :-[
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not to my naked eye sorry
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Hi RM
I see In Memory of
William McDonald
who died at ............?
Benbecula
20 December 1894
Aged 30 Years
R I P
sorry RM that's about it...hope it's not too wrong :-\
A check on Scotlandspeople.gov.uk (http://Scotlandspeople.gov.uk) should point you in correct direction.
I mentioned Irfanview on page 3 reply 18.
Cheers
Joy
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Good morning & thank you Wiggy, Phill & Joyful. :)
Sorry I missed your Infranview when you posted it earlier Joyful. :-[ Thanks for that. My husband HATES when I download free software, but it looks like I need to give it a try. Thanks. :)
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http://foodforworms.org/2013/06/29/how-to-get-great-photos-for-findagrave/
http://www.ncgenweb.us/newhanover/cem1.html
http://www.ctgravestones.com/Conservation/inscriptions.htm
http://www.progenealogists.com/tombstonecare.htm
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Thank you conahay calling. :)
Unfortunately, the cemetery is across the sea from me. I wish I'd known all these tips & tricks when I went to Scotland 3 years ago. I'm trying to engage an historical society volunteer to go to the cemetery to see if they can lend a hand.
Your information is much appreciated.
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you can try rubbing...flour on to the stone, keep rubbing it in till you can see something..i have seen this done and work..
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Thanks dizzybella. I'm a looooooong way away from Benbecula, so that's not a choice for me. ;)
I have heard the flour works, but leaves the stone at risk of deteriorating more quickly. :'( I'm liking the sound of the tinfoil & make-up brush treatment.