Canny lass

Here's what I've been able to find out about the Croudace family mentioned here. Dorothy Croudace, maiden name Swann, appears to have been born in 1840 while her husband, Thomas, a couple of years older was born in 1838. Their marriage was registered in Newcastle in the first quarter of 1959. Their son, Robert Swann, was born some months later around July/August 1859. There's no explanation as to why he was given his mother's surname. The name Robert, however, may have been given in memory of his maternal grandfather who died the same year. Just when this happened, I haven't been able to find out. At the time of their marriage Thomas was 'of age', having had his 21st birthday. He did not therefore require his parent's permission to marry. Dorothy, on the other hand was only 19 years old. This may have meant that Dorothy required parental consent to marry. I can't really make any sense of the information about the legal age for marriage at the time as the information available is often contradictory. From what I understand though, it was usual at that time for parents to act as witnesses and sign the marriage register. In the case of Dorothy and Thomas, however, the parent's names do not appear. The witnesses were James Nellis and Elenor Brooks. It may well have been that Dorothy's parents were against the marriage or that they had already passed away. Dorothy's lot was not an easy one but she clearly loved her family.

Djingis Khan?

Pleased to be able to help Maggie. It might be possible to find the date of Death in the Church records.

My hubby thanks you for this. He Thinks it's very good and very time-saving.

This is a lovely one Maggie! You really feel that you get to know the woman rather than just a name. As you say, you can't read the date of death here but the language gives us a few clues. First of all there is a widespread use of a letter that no longer exists in the English language. That's the letter that, at first glance, looks like the letter f. However, if you look closely, you will see that the 'cross piece' doesn't actually cross the upright. It is only attached to the left-hand side of the upright. It's known 'in the trade' as a long-s. I don't have access to it on the computer so I'll use an italic f ( f ) instead. If you look at the 'real' letter f in the words 'fewer', 'fall', and 'features', to mention just a few, you'll see the difference. Here the cross piece sits on the right of the upright. On the grave stone you can see the long-s in the words : faid (said) pofsefsed (possessed) ufually (usually) fhare (share) diftingui fhing(distinguishing) senfe (sense) excesfes (excesses) pafsion (passion) fentiment (sentiment) fpirited (spirited) impofsible (impossible) pofsefsing (possessing) reafon (reason) lofs (loss) thofe (those) happinef s (happiness) confumption (consumption) No need to tell you that it is pronounced as an s. It was very common in certain combinations, particularly si, st and ss – the latter occurs very often here. Long-s was in common use in medial position, that's to say in the middle of words rather than at the beginning or the end, right up until the late 18th century but disappeared completely in the early 19th century. The Times was still using it up until 1803 but it's been found in a few printed materials as late as 1815. I think it was found even later in handwritten documents but certainly not after the first half of the century. Interesting here is that the stonemason is still using it at the beginning of some words. This is unusual after 1800. Then there's the use of capital letters. As you know we use them to start sentences and for proper nouns but this hasn't always been the case. If you go back to the 10th century they were hardly used at all. In the 18th century, however there was an abundance of capital letters as almost every noun - proper or otherwise - was written with a capital letter. That's not the case on this gravestone so I think we've crossed the threshold into the 19th century. The stonemason is actually very sparse in his use of capitals and most sentences begin with small letters which could be indicative of a desire on his part to keep up with the times but going a little bit OTT. The phenomenon is seen quite often in old texts. Then there's the use of the word 'consumption'. Consumption is the old word for Tuberculosis and while the disease has been around for thousands of years the name Tuberculosis has not. The disease was discovered at the beginning of the 19th century and was given its name sometime around the 1830s. Prior to that time it was called consumption. From a linguistic point of view, I think we can safely say the stone was carved some time at the turn of the century, 1790 -1810 or thereabouts. Does anybody know when the cemetery at West Lea opened?

Well, you obviously weren't a mouse in a former Life Malcolm! I was always a dog kind of person myself before I moved here, to a house in the forest over run with mice. Couldn't live without one (or two) now.

Thanks threegee, that's really useful information.

I like these humanist funerals. Couple of years ago I Went to the funeral of a gay friend. Shirley Bassey all the way! Everybody left the funeral happy and laughing. Just the way he Always was would have wanted us to be.

and now the font size is being its own boss

Still having bother with these fonts! Now I've got capital letters popping up everywhere!

There are no Words that I can say that will take away the great pain you must be feeling right now. A couple of years ago I lost two 20-year olds within eight weeks of each other. it was a devestating experience. However, I had lots of Lovely memories as a result of having them so long. I'm sure you, and Malcolm, have too. Now's the time to get those memories out and look back on all the fun you've had laughing at their Antics. Think about those Cold Winter evenings when your cat has, more than willingly, supplemented the central heating without asking for anything in return. Think about how your cat was able to drape him/herself irresistably anywhere at all in order to get you to open the fridge door.Cats are just wonderful. Anybody who hates them must have been a mouse in a previous Life. Allow yourself the time to mourn your loss. It's not selfish and despite what some say, it isn't daft either. One day, when the pain has subsided, you'll suddenly realise that the time is right to invite Another cat into your home.

Sounds interesting. I'm afraid VHS is a no-goer in this household. I'll keep an eye out for it.

Haven't lost your sense of humour Keith, I'm pleased to see. What's happening on table 26 these Days? Haven't come across it yet but I've loads to wade through.

Thanks Foxy. I had vague memories of being terrified to go past that shop at the age of 4-5 years, after having seen what appeared to me to be a monster languishing on the marble slab in the window. It was probably just a large catfish or something similar but I had nightmares about it for weeks and I've never eaten fish since. Nice to be back and I think Eileen and Maggie have been doing a very good job with you lot. Everything seems to be under Control at Bedders.

Where would I get it Maggie? Is it a TV series? If so I may get the translation job, if Swedish TV ever buys it. We can learn a great deal about our history from language. It's better than literature when it comes to reflecting our past. It never ceases to fascinate me.

Foxy, first Picture #32. Was Todd & sons a fresh fish shop and if so was it the Todd who used to sell fish from a van around the houses?

Fair Point Maggie. Didn't think of that.

OE (700-1100) verb amasod (past participle = amazed): in the beginning it meant to stun (now obsolete). Later it meant to bewilder and at some time in the 16th century took on the meaning to overwhelm with wonder. By the ME period amasod had changed it's form to amased. On the other hand, there was a word 'maze', with the meaning to stupefy or daze, which is dialectal but has been found in the English language since the 8th Century. At first it was only used in past-participles but it could have various prefixes, as in bimased and amased. By the 15th century its meaning had changed to 'bewilder'. Just when the derivative noun, 'mazer', came into being doesn't appear to be documented..(Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology) However, I wonder if it is 'our' word, Maggie. I worked at the Royal Infirmary in Doncaster a number of years and this word 'mazer' was in common use in the area, especially among older folks. Have you heard it in your area and if so has it the same meaning?

Definitely a YES from me! All-male sports clubs - especially golf - are a gift from the Almighty to the members of the female gender. I think it's so convenient to be able to drop off my other half at one of these establishments before going shopping or to the gym (mixed of course) and picking him up on the way home, safe in the knowledge that he's been playing a round and not playing around. Long may they live!! Funny how these all-male golf clubs usually have female bar-staff (except the manager, naturally) and cleaners. And no, I don't know why this is written in bold style, underlined italics!

I Think Nurse Dunbar went on to become the 'dickie nurse' who visited schools in the Bedlington area. As I understood it Rothbury was used when Mona Taylor was fully booked.

Nice to be back Maggie. Right arm's a beggared now though. Off to bed.

Why the photos have been relegated to the loos I can not imagine!

I heard many, many years ago that a submarine crew from the Blyth base were celebrating Xmas day in the pub, sometime in the early 40's. One of them won a bottle of whisky in a raffle but as he was about to go to sea he asked the landlord to keep it for him until he returned. Sadly he never returned, the sub was destroyed, but the bottle was kept for him and as far as I know it's still there today.

Things are just starting to get back to normal for me Vic after a series of broken arms and ribs. I haven't been able to use a computer for several months. It's still not easy but at least it's possible now.