deciphering.....

angel · Post by **angel** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:45 pm

Hello everyone

I've been told that the family name is Skinner.

Heather

Post by **AnneM** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:55 pm

Hi Heather

This is probably not much help but it looks to me like Husband is imprisoned. The last word seems to be owing which suggests to me as to others that he was in prison for civil debt which was really common then.

I could not help notice on that page that there is a George Galloway who is a Thatcher....sorry that appealed to my sense of humour!

Anne

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:09 pm

Hi Heather,

I agree with mallog that the word after husband starts with an "s" but after that ........! The downward letter can only be an f, g , j, p or y; g and j seem unlikely. Could it be "ds" at the end or a "k"?

Could there be any clues from where it is in England?
Also as it is England wouldn't the word be "workhouse" not "poorhouse"/

Sorry, that hasn't got us anywhere really but it may bring it to the attention of fresh eyes!

Meg

IanS · Post by **IanS** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 8:48 pm

On magnification, could it be that husband ''is upwoods amowing'' his barley crop?

I thought it possible the second 'o' in 'upwoods' is narrow or squashed as is the rounded ,lower part of the 'd' which then goes on like the upper half of the 'd' in husband, BUT continues to form an 's'.

The weathers maybe been unreliable so he's been up half the night getting his crop in, thus not being in the hoose for the census!!

Well, it's a thought!! He also has agricultural labourers as neighbours.

ninatoo · Post by **ninatoo** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:07 am

A friend from another board was browsing and came up with this:

"Husband is upwoods a-mowing". Which would make sense as it is clearly a rural area with lots of Ag Labs around. Perhaps the husband was working in an area which was a fair distance away and had slept out rough, or in a shed, to save walking all the way home. And the enumerator, knowing that the husband was normally there, thought he'd better explain why he wasn't listed in the census ..."

Hope it helps.

Nina

angel · Post by **angel** » Wed May 03, 2006 7:09 pm

Hello everyone

I would like to thanks everyone on their efforts in my deciphering problem. It looks like husband upwoods a mowing is the answer. My friend would like to pass on her thanks too and wishes everyone teh best.

Heather