RootsChat.Com
Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: KrisWilson on Thursday 16 October 25 00:40 BST (UK)
-
Hi everyone,
I'm hoping someone with a keen eye can help me decipher some handwritten text on an old photograph of a family grave.
The writing is on the front of the photo, and I believe it was partially covered by a piece of tape that has since been removed or fallen off. This has left one half of the annotation very faint, while the other half is clearer, although I'm not sure what the word is.
What I can see:
- The clearer part written in blue ink seems to start with an ampersand (&) or (+)
- The fainter part, under where the tape was, is very hard to make out.
I've attached two images:
The original photo so you can see the context.
A high-contrast edited version where I've tried to bring out the faint writing.
Any thoughts on what the full phrase might be would be incredibly helpful.
Thank you in advance for your time and expertise!
-
Here is the close up high contrast version:
-
Young?
No suggestions for the other part sorry.
-
When I try to open the larger picture it comes back with a notation that my system does not support whatever system this photgraph was taken in.
Are you able to re post the larger image please, in a more usual format.
Thanks
-
Thanks mckha489, it could be Young but I oddly have no family with the surname Young
Hi shanreagh,
I have re-uploaded the image below
-
? begins with ‘G’ and ends with ‘y’
-
My thoughts were it could be Granny but I’m not sure
-
Looks like Goary to me.
-
Looks like Goary to me.
I came up with something similar, Goury.
I kind of like Goary better. That name shows up in the Ancestry results when I put in "Goary" "lived in Ireland in 1900." The name Goury shows up in France for the same search.
If you could date the picture, it would help. It looks like it was taken the day of the burial, or a significant anniversary of the death, judging by all the wreaths on the grave.
I wonder where the cemetery is, it would help. Are there people named Goary or Goury living nearby at some time?
-
Hi oldohiohome,
I actually have quite a bit of information on the location it is in Kilsyth, Scotland I have visited the location in the photograph and the stone is sunken into the ground. The photo was found in a collection of photographs in my grandfathers possession, most of the photos were written on top of with peoples names or relation to the Patrick/Kennedy/Millar family which made me think this was a name or relative relating to the family. His surname was Patrick.
I have traced this line back very thoroughly and the surnames are Patrick, Kennedy, Millar, Thomson, Hay, Stevenson, Forrest, Taylor, Kelso, Kirkwood
So no Goary or Goury showing up, Gourlay is a surname found in Kilsyth but that’s never shown up in my family research.
I have even found a map of inscriptions for the cemetery and it’s the oldest section of the cemetery where pre-1855 graves are found, the graveyard notes on the graves nearest are as follows:
#7
MG CL 172 (8 or 9 or 0)
#8
(FS west of7) John Moffat farmer Westfield 25.5.18 (3 or 2) (3) aged 46, w Mary Ferrie .10.1874 70, s Jas student of divinity 1848 24, s Joseph 31.1.18(5)(3 or 5 or 6) (27)
I'll attach the reference in reply to this
It is puzzling it's a photo of a burial in a pre-1855 graveyard as I'm guessing the photo was taken wayyy later than that.
-
Here is the snippet from the graveyard
-
It could be a friend or workmate of your grandfather.
--------------
Is the church still open? Do they know who is buried in that plot?
If they aren't, where did the records go? to a diocese?
If you can date the picture, how does the date line up with your grandfather's life?
Is there anything on the back of the photo? I assume not, or you would have said by now.