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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: AncesStory on Thursday 19 March 15 14:42 GMT (UK)
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So far I managed to decipher:
Business unknown.
Unknown whether
alive or dead.
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Unknown whether alive or not.
Can't figure out 4th line - looks like Catherine ? ?
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First is Cathrine (looks to me as if they have missed out the first "e"), second might be Walker, third I can’t make out. Line below reads “unknown whether alive or not”.
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Looks to me like
Cathrine Walker nedlw[ ]kr. Maybe needleworker?
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I thought it might be Catherine Mather.
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I thought Mather too. Occupation could be woolworker :-\. Second and fifth lines are Not Known .... (not Unknown).
Mo
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Wonder if the occupation could be Millworker.
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We thought it was Cathrine Walker "millworker", or "millworks" but the writing is so hard to decipher!
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I would agree that the name is Mather, but I read the occupation as "Spillmaker"
Regards
Istrice
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We thought it was Cathrine Walker "millworker"
I also read it as Walker, not Mather. Compare the way th is written in whether (above and below).
I also think it is Millworker. There is interference from the ascender of the letter l in the line below, which makes it harder to see the first letter.
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Can you advise which part of the country's records you're looking at? The Mathers were chiefly shepherds, found in the far north and in the borders. If the latter, then "millworker" would be feasible due to the number of woollen mills. My first thought was "Mather" I have to say.
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There is no cross through the T in Cathrine, so the surname may be Mather rather than Walker but the fourth letter of the surname looks like the "K" as used in in "known" so it seems more likely the surname is Walker. This is a Forfarshire certificate, so it could be "millworks" for the occupation. The first letter in "Millworks" has the appearance of an elongated downstroke but this comes from the "L" in the word "alive" in the line below. I have enlarged the writing again.
We have been trying to decipher this name for years - family tree stuck!
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If this is a Scottish record, and you have pulled it up on S.P. you can change the two view ways using the available "Adjust" function at the bottom right of the screen, or the "Change Enhanced mode" function at the bottom left of the screen, (the small white on blue tick) Using these will get you a clearer view.
Regards
Malky
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Also you can contact S.P. explaining your problem and they will send you a better copy.
Mo
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Thanks for the good ideas - just tried viewing the image from SP in 3 different forms but still can't decipher the crucial name and occupation of mother, so am asking SP for assistance. Fingers X'd!
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I think a check of the index for marriages with potential names of Catherine Walker & Mather to the male in question within a likely period should help & I would assume census records will give an idea of the area target ???
Annie
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Catherine Walker...Millworker would be my best guess.
Carol
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If you could repost this as a jpg I can import this into Adobe Photoshop and see if I can use some filters and get this sharper and clearer and respond to you -- happy to do this for you :) :)
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The good people at SP sent me a MUCH clearer version of this image to work with. Name of mother is Cathrine Walker, millworker. To all who helped in trying to decipher this illegible writing many thanks!