Might these signatures be by the same person?

[Davedrave]

I would be grateful for opinions on a couple of signatures.

In 1787 an Edward Bently witnessed the marriage of Robert Bentley (who made a mark) in Whitwick.
In 1792 Edward Bentley signed a petition for clemency in Thurmaston. Both villages are in Leicestershire.

I’m troubled by the fact that Bently appears in one signature and Bentley in the other, but there are some quite suggestive circumstancial reasons for thinking that it may be the same Edward in both records.

Dave

[ShaunJ]

Yes I would say they are by the same hand.

[emeltom]

Me too - same person

[rosie17]

Another one here same signature

Rosie

[hepburn]

Same here

[Davedrave]

Thank you for your replies. It is good to have confirmation that I’m not seeing a similarity just because it fits my theory.

Edward son of Robert and Elizabeth Bentley was baptised in Barkby, Leics., in 1788. The only marriage I could spot for Robert Bentley was this Whitwick one to Elizabeth Clarke. It so happens that Robert Bentley, born in Thurmaston, brother of Edward, had been apprenticed to a Clarke in Barkby. So it looks as if Robert probably married a relative of his master.

Dave

[Davedrave]

But now I’ve found both Edward and John Bentley, sons of Robert and Elizabeth, baptised in Whitwick in 1789

[teragram31510]

I've found that a baptism or death may well be recorded in both the village the family actually resided in and the native village of one of the parents - or the village the baptism took place in (perhaps the grandparent's village) and the village where the parents of the child lived.

I quite clearly have the death of Anthonie Poole recorded in Whitelackington, Somerset in 1587 and also in Baltonborough in 1588, where he originated from and where his brother still lived.

So perhaps your Edward was recorded in 2 places - though why John was forgotten I don't know!

[Davedrave]

I've found that a baptism or death may well be recorded in both the village the family actually resided in and the native village of one of the parents - or the village the baptism took place in (perhaps the grandparent's village) and the village where the parents of the child lived.

I quite clearly have the death of Anthonie Poole recorded in Whitelackington, Somerset in 1587 and also in Baltonborough in 1588, where he originated from and where his brother still lived.

So perhaps your Edward was recorded in 2 places - though why John was forgotten I don't know!

That’s an interesting possibility. I suppose that Edward could have been baptised in 1788 and then baptised again when his brother John was born in his mother’s parish the following year. Unfortunately Edward didn’t live until 1851, so there’s no clue as to his birthplace below county level.

Dave