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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: andygmandrew on Monday 23 June 25 14:30 BST (UK)

Title: Bastard Baptism - difficult word
Post by: andygmandrew on Monday 23 June 25 14:30 BST (UK)
From the Baptism register of St Nicholas, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1667

'Sammuell sonne to Barbara Fenwick [unrecognised word] a bastard'

Can anyone help with this word?
Title: Re: Bastard Baptism - difficult word
Post by: JenB on Monday 23 June 25 15:07 BST (UK)
It looks like 'Innocent' to me.
Title: Re: Bastard Baptism - difficult word
Post by: LAPUCCINA on Sunday 29 June 25 23:50 BST (UK)
Are you able to give a bigger page view with more entries shown, so we can see comparison letters in other words?
Title: Re: Bastard Baptism - difficult word
Post by: shanreagh on Tuesday 01 July 25 01:19 BST (UK)
Looks like the spelling may be ffenwick. Not sure how to capitalise a surname spelt like that or even if it was ever capitalised?
Title: Re: Bastard Baptism - difficult word
Post by: maddys52 on Tuesday 01 July 25 01:33 BST (UK)
What appears to be "ff" is a capital F. My go to for Old Law Hands:
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~oel/lawhandslg.html
Title: Re: Bastard Baptism - difficult word
Post by: ~buttons~ on Tuesday 01 July 25 02:29 BST (UK)
Quote from: andygmandrew on Monday 23 June 25 14:30 BST (UK)
From the Baptism register of St Nicholas, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1667

'Sammuell sonne to Barbara Fenwick [unrecognised word] a bastard'

Can anyone help with this word?

'Sammuell sonne to Barbara Fenwick servant a bastard'
Title: Re: Bastard Baptism - difficult word
Post by: goldie61 on Tuesday 01 July 25 03:15 BST (UK)
Quote from: ~buttons~ on Tuesday 01 July 25 02:29 BST (UK)
Quote from: andygmandrew on Monday 23 June 25 14:30 BST (UK)
From the Baptism register of St Nicholas, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1667

'Sammuell sonne to Barbara Fenwick [unrecognised word] a bastard'

Can anyone help with this word?
'Sammuell sonne to Barbara Fenwick servant a bastard'

The word is not 'servant'.

The first letter is a classic capital "I" in this hand.
Compare it to the capital 'S' on Samuell's name above it. It's very different.

I'd agree with Jen B's reply - "Innocent"
You can easily see the 'double n' and the 'o'. The next letter which looks like an 'r' is in fact a 'c' -
It's the same as the 'c' in 'ffenwick'.
The next letter is smudged, but probably an 'e', and then another 'n' and a 't'.

There may be other instances in the baptism register where the the vicar has called illegitimate children the same thing.

The word after this is actually written 'bastert', not 'bastard'.
Title: Re: Bastard Baptism - difficult word
Post by: J.R.Ellam on Tuesday 01 July 25 06:03 BST (UK)
I would agree with Innocent going by some of the letters I can see.

John
Title: Re: Bastard Baptism - difficult word
Post by: andygmandrew on Tuesday 01 July 25 12:58 BST (UK)
Quote from: LAPUCCINA on Sunday 29 June 25 23:50 BST (UK)
Are you able to give a bigger page view with more entries shown, so we can see comparison letters in other words?

Unfortunately the file would be too big. I think 'Innocent' is the correct reading.