Deciphering Victorian script..............

[The Station Cat]

Can anyone help me ascertain what these names are?

[Sam Flynn]

The second might be "Smart", and the third one looks like "Sheehan" (or "Sheeham"?)

[The Station Cat]

The second might be "Smart", and the third one looks like "Sheehan" (or "Sheeham"?)

Cheers Sam, it's funny once someone has told you what it is you can see it clearly!!


Just the last two now, can anyone help?

[Herlock Sholmes]

Could the last one be Hayter ?

On Gareth's suggestion of Smart and Sheeham (looks more like an 'm' at the end) my only doubt is the difference in the two s's. Were they written by the same person?

[Sam Flynn]

The first one isn't "Meidner", is it? It's a bit of a long-shot, but the name does exist.

[Herlock Sholmes]

The first one is weird. It looks to me as if it begins with 'm e I d' or 't h e I d' or even 'j h e I d'

I thought that penmanship was taught in schools then!?

[Herlock Sholmes]

The first one isn't "Meidner", is it? It's a bit of a long-shot, but the name does exist.

I think you've cracked it Gareth. Looks the likeliest to me.

[The Station Cat]

Thanks chaps, that's every bobbies name on the 1881 & 1891 census for Bethnal Green accounted for. None of them gave evidence at the Old Bailey in 1888, so can't pin point them via that means and the only name that appears on both lists is a chap called Martin McDonald.

[Dr. John Watson]

What's in a name.

That first name looks like "Weidner" to me.

John

[Sam Flynn]

That first name looks like "Weidner" to me.

I think you may be right, John. From the National Archive...

MEPO 4/341/192 (Register of leavers from the Metropolitan Police)

George Weidner, warrant number 59986. Joined on 21 Feb 1876, and left on 9 April 1901. Last posted to D Division as a Sub Divisional Inspector.

[Joshua Rogan]

Could the last one be Hayter ?

I thought that, but there's a dot over the "i" (or the "y") so could it be Shipton?

[Herlock Sholmes]

I thought that, but there's a dot over the "i" (or the "y") so could it be Shipton?

You could be right there Joshua. To me the first 2 or 3 letters are so indecipherable that it could be that the writer made an error then wrote over it?
-ipton looks right. So Shipton makes sense but it's very unclear the way it's written. Bloody Victorians!

[Herlock Sholmes]

Actually Joshua I've just noticed something. Is that a dot over the 'i' or is it formed by one of the other letters curling over then being cut off at the top in the edit? If I've explained that clearly enough?