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Unclear Handwriting on Certificate Copies

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Chris in Sussex

Chris in Sussex Report 14 Nov 2007 16:43

A tip

If the certificate is 'clear' as in the scan is as good as it can be and it is just the handwriting causing difficulties then....

Turn the certificate upside down!!!

When you do this you stop trying to 'read' it and start looking at letter formation.
The question is then....Does any part (one letter or groups) of the unreadable words match the letter formation of ones you can read?

It has worked for me in the past.

Chris

Researching:
Avatar...My darling Dad. 1931-2019 'Take nothing on its looks, take everything on evidence. There is no better rule' Charles Dickens, Great Expectations. 'A brickwall is a problem that you haven't solved yet' Dave Annal http://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/brick-walls-and-lost-ancestors/

Dennis

Dennis Report 14 Nov 2007 12:33

It was indeed 1840 I have two Sarah Downing's in my tree one of them died in 1840 the only thing clear about the writing is her age at death but as I don't have a birth year for either of them, I'm no nearer finding the answer, thanks for your help

jen yorkshire

jen yorkshire Report 14 Nov 2007 12:24

yes it is annoying.its the very thing we wanted to see.

Dennis

Dennis Report 14 Nov 2007 12:20

Hi All,
Isn't it annoying when after waiting for Death Certificate copy you find that the writing is unreadable, Is the writing a photo copy of the original or has someone at GRO just filled in a blank copy after reading there records ?