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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: EmPers on Tuesday 23 August 05 23:43 BST (UK)

Title: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: EmPers on Tuesday 23 August 05 23:43 BST (UK)

Hello everyone.

I recently discovered an old copy of 4 of shakespeares plays. The title page has at the bottom:

London.
Charles Knight & Co.
1843


Would this year be the date the book was published, or is this just the founding year of the publishers?

Also the book has two names written in it, one of whom I am sure is my relative (hence the book being in the family). One name clearly says John ? Clarke Birmingham. I can't tell what the ? is, although I think someone with more experience of reading old writing would be able to, as it is distinct, although faint.

The other is much harder: H J H..... is all I can get? Any help?

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: PaulineJ on Wednesday 24 August 05 00:00 BST (UK)

H J Harris.

and I think the middle initial is an S.

Pauline

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: Swampduck on Wednesday 24 August 05 00:03 BST (UK)

Hi Empers

At first glance it looks like H. J. Harris (with a fancy flourish on the "s")

Can't make out the other name yet.  

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: PrueM on Wednesday 24 August 05 01:26 BST (UK)

I think the guesses have been right so far.  The first name is J. H. Harris.  The second seems to be John S. Clark or possibly Clarke, and then Birmingham.

As for the date, that would probably be the publication date, but could be something else.  I have many late 19th century books with no date at all, so it seems there was no standard, or at least if there was one that publishers didn't always follow it.

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: Carmela on Wednesday 24 August 05 01:56 BST (UK)

Hi EmPers,
1843 is the publication date of the book. What you have is one volume of a set which consisted of 11 volumes, including all the plays, plus the poems and a biography of Shakespeare.

Cheers,
Carmela (book collector/seller)

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: Man of Kent on Thursday 01 September 05 01:44 BST (UK)

This is handy when trying to decypher old text.


http://homepages.rootsweb.com/%7Eoel/

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: ChrisPage on Thursday 01 September 05 10:19 BST (UK)

Thanks for the above link. I have been struggling with an Irish Will written in the 1840s and this has helped me.

Christine

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: Paul E on Friday 02 September 05 12:30 BST (UK)

Might need my spec's changing, but I read it as HJ Henry's....

 :)

Paul

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: MaryA on Friday 02 September 05 18:53 BST (UK)

 8) for Paul
I reckon  H.J. Harris but think the middle initial of the other name could be a fancy L.

Mary

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: Paul E on Friday 02 September 05 19:29 BST (UK)

Thanks Mary!

But is that an apostrophe before the 's' or not? ???

Paul

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: janan on Friday 02 September 05 19:49 BST (UK)

I think it's the dot over the i Paul
Jan ;)

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: MaryA on Friday 02 September 05 20:51 BST (UK)

Looks to me like the dot over Harris  :P

Mary

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: Paul E on Friday 02 September 05 22:26 BST (UK)

I'm persuaded!

cheers :)

Paul

Title: Re: Old Books & Handwriting help
Post by: Rian on Friday 02 September 05 22:46 BST (UK)

I agree with H J Harris too. How about John A Clark or John Q Clark for the other?
Rian.