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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: EKrabappel on Monday 13 May 24 09:04 BST (UK)

Title: Help needed with name on back of photo
Post by: EKrabappel on Monday 13 May 24 09:04 BST (UK)
Hi all,

I have an old photo for which I'm trying to work out the surname. The style of writing has me stumped. As you can tell, thanksgiving = America.

Cheers
Edna
Title: Re: Help needed with name on back of photo
Post by: arthurk on Wednesday 15 May 24 20:09 BST (UK)
Hi Edna, and welcome to RootsChat.

The style of writing is a bit unusual, isn't it, but maybe one of our American members will recognise it. Meanwhile, my best guess for the name is William A. French, but I could be wrong.
Title: Re: Help needed with name on back of photo
Post by: Neale1961 on Thursday 16 May 24 01:34 BST (UK)
First part is clearly “William A”
The surname is not easy, but I wonder if it is “Inench”
A rather unusual name, but I can see a few examples of it in the USA, especially as “McInench” or “McIninch”

Do you know what town or state  in USA the photo comes from?

Welcome to RootsChat from me too. :)
Title: Re: Help needed with name on back of photo
Post by: franh1946 on Thursday 16 May 24 04:04 BST (UK)
Could it possibly be "French"? Fran

Oh sorry I see that's already been suggested...
Title: Re: Help needed with name on back of photo
Post by: maddys52 on Thursday 16 May 24 05:23 BST (UK)
Welcome to RootsChat from me too.

I think "French". You can see that the "F" is very similar to this:
https://loopsandtails.com/cursive/ff/
Title: Re: Help needed with name on back of photo
Post by: Flattybasher9 on Thursday 16 May 24 06:12 BST (UK)
Contrast change.

Malky
Title: Re: Help needed with name on back of photo
Post by: Wexflyer on Thursday 16 May 24 06:39 BST (UK)
Could be Trench
Title: Re: Help needed with name on back of photo
Post by: MollyC on Thursday 16 May 24 08:38 BST (UK)
The standard 19th cent. F was formed exactly the same as the T, with the addition of a small cross bar with a loop, across the centre.  (It was still being taught in British primary schools in the 1950s.)  This looks like a cross bar running into the r.
Title: Re: Help needed with name on back of photo
Post by: manukarik on Thursday 16 May 24 08:50 BST (UK)
Too many William A French / Trench names coming up to narrow down without any other info, for example, place. Eg there's a William A French in Indianapolis, Indiana
Title: Re: Help needed with name on back of photo
Post by: EKrabappel on Friday 17 May 24 08:03 BST (UK)
Thanks for all the responses. It's actually an bunch of photos I purchased as a bulk lot in Australia but so far I believe the photos belonged to 1 (or several) afro-american families from the USA. I did post a photo from a park t reddit and someone identified the park as Alamo Square in San Francisco. Another card mentioned fireworks at the coliseum which I believe is in Los Angeles so the limited info to date points to California. Am trying to get at least 1 name correct that I can work with but it's a challenge!