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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Topic started by: bonnie dundee on Wednesday 12 April 23 12:57 BST (UK)

Title: Literacy
Post by: bonnie dundee on Wednesday 12 April 23 12:57 BST (UK)
My Great grandfather came from a family of linen weavers. He was born around 1839.
I note that, unusually, he was able to write - he signed BMD certificates - where his wife made her Mark.
Does anyone know how that could have come about?
Title: Re: Literacy
Post by: aghadowey on Wednesday 12 April 23 13:28 BST (UK)
You've posted in IRELAND RESOURCES which isn't for queries. Just click on 'report to moderator' to ask for the topic to be moved to IRELAND GENERAL board  :)

Education often depended on religion and area. Even in rural areas there would have been numerous small country schools where basic skills (reading, writing and arithmetic) were taught. From 1831 onwards the National School system made education more accessable to many.
https://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning-zone/primary-students/5th-+-6th-class/history/my-school-history/national-schools-in-the-1/

If you can provide more details we might be able to find if there was a school in the area he grew up during that time period.
Title: Re: Literacy
Post by: Jebber on Wednesday 12 April 23 15:43 BST (UK)
Many people could write well enough to sign their name, if nothing else. Also it sometimes depended on what the Registrar asked of them, even someone who could write would make their mark if asked to do so.

I have an ancestor who signed on her first marriage, but made a X on her second marriage and she was a teacher.
Title: Re: Literacy
Post by: bonnie dundee on Wednesday 12 April 23 22:50 BST (UK)
Sorry about mis-posting.
Interesting replies.
I can't pin down a location in Ireland as my research has only come up with 'born Ireland'
Thank you
Title: Re: Literacy
Post by: QueenoftheWest on Wednesday 12 April 23 23:10 BST (UK)
Many people could write well enough to sign their name, if nothing else. Also it sometimes depended on what the Registrar asked of them, even someone who could write would make their mark if asked to do so.

I have an ancestor who signed on her first marriage, but made a X on her second marriage and she was a teacher.

I was literally thinking about this the other day! I wondered why my Irish great-grandmother, who came from a family of journalists and writers, flicked between signing her name and making her mark. Was it a time-saving exercise? Why else would the Registrar ask for a mark rather than a signature?

Queenie  :)
Title: Re: Literacy
Post by: bonnie dundee on Thursday 13 April 23 06:21 BST (UK)
Everyday's a school day, Queen.
Curious that even educated people chose to use their mark sometimes.
My gt.grandfather used his signature on all the BMDs that I have seen.
Title: Re: Literacy
Post by: bonnie dundee on Thursday 13 April 23 06:31 BST (UK)
Thanks for the link Aghadowey.
Great stuff there.
Title: Re: Literacy
Post by: Sinann on Friday 14 April 23 16:02 BST (UK)
I don't think it was a choice so much as doing as you were told by a person in authority.

Although when I said that to my sister last week to explain why our grandmother signed in one registry district and made her mark in the next she didn't think out grandmother was the type to bow down to the authority of the registrar.

I guess you had to be there on the day to know for sure.
Title: Re: Literacy
Post by: Wexflyer on Friday 14 April 23 19:39 BST (UK)
Having encountered this myself a few times with family members who were certainly literate, may I proffer a possible alternative explanation: lazy registrars.

Lazy registrars for whom it was easier and less time consuming to simply enter an X in the register without asking for a signature.
Title: Re: Literacy
Post by: bonnie dundee on Saturday 15 April 23 02:16 BST (UK)
Yes maybe authoritarian/lazy registrars.
Maybe my gt  grandfather just obstinately signed.
I can be a bit like that.😯