opinion on forename of Ms Aitken

grannysrock · Post by **grannysrock** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 7:07 pm

I have uploaded a signature to the gallery. I had originally interpreted the forename as Agnes , but now I have talked(?) meself out of it ...

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... ?pos=-1359

Would appreciate your thoughts .

Sally

Gallery url added by Marilyn

Post by **emanday** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:17 pm

Hi Sally,

It could be Agnes, but the absence of a "tail" for a "g" is confusing. It might be Annie. Finding a sibling who had a daughter called either Agens or Anne/Annie could solve that.

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:20 pm

Hi Sally

It's a shocker isn't it

There is no trace of a down stroke for the 'g' and I think there would be at least something left so I reckon it is probably plain Ann. If you look at the surname 'Aitken' the shape of the 'n' looks similar to the last letter of the given name. Although why the initial letters are different who knows

I looked at something I had written recently and found that I had done the same

Russell

killearnan · Post by **killearnan** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:38 pm

Annis might be possible. Don't think it is Diana, as I'd agree that the last letter is likely a -s.

Or could it be something less common? Like Dionis? It kinda sorta

looks like it might have 6 letters, based on my first quick glance.

Did she actually sign or is it the registrar's writing? If the registrar's, does he alternate forms of capital A? And are there other cases where the up & down strokes are less than clear?

Also, what time frame is it? Might help those of us fascinated by names to offer better help.

Is it close to a census year? If so, have you tried finding her there?

BJ

Post by **emanday** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:41 pm

I'm very guilty of alternating the way I write my upper case letters. Must be a nightmare for handwriting researchers

Post by **Jean Jeanie** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:49 pm

Hi Sally

Can you upload the whole certificate so that we can compare the handwriting to that shown elsewhere?

Best wishes
Jean

grannysrock · Post by **grannysrock** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:04 pm

Many thanks for your thoughts . The first intial A ( if indeed it is one ) is confusing . Mind you I am inconsistent with little a's . In fact I am so inconisitent with all my letters that my script is not worth the paper it's wriiten on. I see Agnes , then Ann, then I stare eome more and see some very strange names indeed. !

The entry appears to be her own writing . She was the informant for the death of James Gale which took place in 1866 in Alloa. I have been looking through the census entries for Aitken families in the area(strangely not that many ) and not managed to work it out. She could also be the wife of a nephew. And of course she may just have been visiting from far far away.

I thought if I could work out who the informant was , I might be able to prove Grace Aitken's ( wife of deceased) parents . Grace was born according to most censuses in Abbotshall about 1804ish . I think she might have born Grizel to John Aitken and Mary Ilson . They had a fair few kids , but I can't trace any of them to the Alloa area as yet.

Sally

Post by **AnneM** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:07 pm

Hi

I think you were right the first time and it is Agnes. Don't know where the down stroke went though!!

Anne

grannysrock · Post by **grannysrock** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:09 pm

jean,
i have put the whole cert in the gallery now.

And I forgot to thank Marilyn for adding the firts link ! Thanks Marilyn

Sally
http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... ?pos=-1361
<image URL added, LesleyB>

sheilajim · Post by **sheilajim** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:15 pm

Hi Sally

In my opinion, for what it is worth, it sure looks like Agnes to me. Maybe she made the tail of the g small.

Regards