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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: sophia1422 on Wednesday 15 May 19 17:21 BST (UK)

Title: Occupation?
Post by: sophia1422 on Wednesday 15 May 19 17:21 BST (UK)
Can anybody help me with the last two words of William Taylor's occupation?

It has been transcribed as army pensioner 'totally', but doesn't seem to make sense?
Title: Re: Occupation?
Post by: Gadget on Wednesday 15 May 19 17:28 BST (UK)
Brick maker (retired)
Army Pensioner, Totally de?  (?deaf)

 :-\
Title: Re: Occupation?
Post by: CarolA3 on Wednesday 15 May 19 19:08 BST (UK)
He's a little young to be retired from brick making.  Perhaps he's 'Totally dis(abled)' from an accident or illness?

Carol
Title: Re: Occupation?
Post by: Gadget on Wednesday 15 May 19 20:02 BST (UK)
Quote from: CarolA3 on Wednesday 15 May 19 19:08 BST (UK)
He's a little young to be retired from brick making.

It looks as if it's a 1939 entry and he was born 1881, so he would be 58.

Posted before I'd finished. I only wanted to press CR! :

If he was totally disabled, it would be unlikely that he would be able to work.
Title: Re: Occupation?
Post by: sophia1422 on Wednesday 15 May 19 20:09 BST (UK)
Many thanks Gadget and Carol - I thought it might be some army term but this is definitely some food for thought, especially since he died less than 12 months later.
Title: Re: Occupation?
Post by: Gadget on Wednesday 15 May 19 20:10 BST (UK)
Do you know his cause of death, Sophia?
Title: Re: Occupation?
Post by: sophia1422 on Wednesday 15 May 19 20:15 BST (UK)
No I don't sorry
Title: Re: Occupation?
Post by: artifis on Thursday 16 May 19 16:26 BST (UK)
The second letter in the final word is an 'e', the shape is the same as in all other words a,d the letter after it looks very much like an 'f' so Totally De(a)f.

As he was an army pensioner his deafness could have been the result of a head injury of burst ear drums, both of which could have contributed to his death.

Might be worth getting a £7 email PDF copy of his death certificate direct from the GRO.