RootsChat.Com
Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Narnster on Saturday 16 July 16 01:05 BST (UK)
-
Can anyone help?! I'm trying to work out what something says on a census document. It's in the 'Rank, Profession or Occupation' column for Margaret Palmer. (She's a visitor, aged 34, at Temple St, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Piece 2406, Folio 216, Page Number 34) It looks like a squiggle, but it must mean something!! Any ideas would be appreciated. It's actually William Lowes, the occupant, that I'm really interested in but am struggling to find his death record so wondering what is the relevance of her visit.
-
The squiggle and the addition to William's occupation appear to have been written in another hand (probably later). William's addition may be "something Dealer."
Margaret's looks more like a number xx80?. I can't make out a word. I'll have another look though, to see if I can make any sense of it. :)
-
"something Dealer"
It looks like Tea Dealer, but the occupation is "Swankey Shop / Red House". A swankey shop seems to have been an unlicensed beer drinking establishment.
"much of the drunkenness complained of on Sundays takes place in houses which are not licensed, and particularly in places designated " Swankey shops," the number of which have of late been considerably on the increase, and are known to keep open nearly all the Saturday night as well as the whole of Sunday"
(Newcastle Courant 26 August 1859)
-
I don't have the image in front of me at the moment, but might it be "Beer Dealer"?
-
"something Dealer"
It looks like Tea Dealer, [/i]"
I thought "Beer Dealer" initially but plumped for "Tea Dealer" - also
Historical Directories (on line)
http://leicester.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16445coll4/id/278588/rec/3
Post Office Directory of Northumberland & Durham 1858
Lowes & Usher tea dealers & grocers, 71, Clayton Street
Tab down to Page 185 and click on to view
-
I'm also thinking the insert is Tea Dealer.
But I can't make any sense of what is written in the Occupation column for Margaret Palmer. Wondered if it started with the letter H :P
sami
-
Thank you to everyone who responded - really very helpful and appreciated! The exert from the Newcastle Courant is a good fit with what I've been told (that William drank the family small holding away!) though I'm left confused by the conflicting information about his occupation. Is he a tea dealer? (He was a shopkeeper on the 1841 census.) But a tea dealer in a 'boozer'?! A swanky house isn't an occupation! Hmmm...
Still struggling re Margaret's 'occupation' though.
-
I'm also thinking the insert is Tea Dealer.
But I can't make any sense of what is written in the Occupation column for Margaret Palmer. Wondered if it started with the letter H :P
I would say Tea Dealer too but.......
Margaret Palmer........well. I have studied it for what seems an age & like sami I believe it may begin with an "H"......
So.....my conclusion on that is HSO.......Health & Safety Officer but not sure if there was such an occupation in 1851 but may prompt a few other ideas ???
Annie
-
Could it be SS? She worked in the Swankey Shop and this was just his abbreviation ?
-
I also thought it was SS, maybe SSO. It's a good suggestion but as far as I can tell she was a farmer's daughter in 1841 and again on the farm in 1861 then an annuitant in 1871. To be working in a Swankey Shop would be a bit odd, but hey, who knows!
William was living in Carlisle with a son in 1841 but then appears in Newcastle in 1851 where his other son was. Margaret is from Cumberland so there must be a connection somehow! ???
Bit stuck for ideas now, though I'm really looking for William's death record which is proving elusive!
-
To be working in a Swankey Shop would be a bit odd, but hey, who knows!
She was just a "Visitor", she needn't have worked in Newcastle at all.
-
I agree Geoff-E and she probably didn't. I'm assuming there was a family/friend connection which I may never work out but thank you everyone for your contributions. Very much appreciated. The SSO or whatever it is will probably remain a mystery!