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Original poster

Anyone want to help decipher a letter from 1790? Pic attached. Hilariously starts with 'for god sake'

108 replies

OldTrot · 09/02/2023 10:43

And not 'for god sake' in a religious sense!

I have so far ....

Dear Sir

For God sake - ????? In the way you want ?? - so as to ? my ? and ? me knows you have done it - I shall be unwilling to suppose that the ? will be ??

Name?

As I shall be in London I wish you would ? about the money - as I shall ? again found about that?

The time you mentioned ? is now come - ?? I should be glad of it ?

Yours sincerely

B Wood
Tiverton
3 May
1790

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FannyGotobed · 09/02/2023 11:25

It's so interesting! I have absolutely rubbish handwriting myself so am very good at deciphering scribbles! I really cannot work out one or two words, the one before 'about the money' is really hard. This is what I've got now...

Shuts? family

For gods sake - push the examination? of Mr Kingdom? - in the way you want w w schofield? in - so as to prevent my longer delay and let me know you have done it. - I shall be unwilling to suppose that the matter will be delayed any longer.

Marilyn ? Boudon?

As I shall soon be in London - I wish you would ??? about the money - as I shall be again pushed? about that matter - The time you mentioned last year is now come - if it could? satisfy your uncle and Mr Parkes? - I should be glad of it.

Scout2016 · 09/02/2023 11:27

Sorry if I have missed it but where do you get these letters from @OldTrot OP? great name btw.

This sort of thing is why I bloody love mumsnet. It's like the middle of Aldi, you never know what will pop up - wetsuit, funny shaped pasta or chainsaw.
One of my other very favourite threads was someone asking "can anyone recommend a book about nuns?" And sure enough in no time at all a ton of people could and had.

longleggitybeastie · 09/02/2023 11:27

For Gods sake - push the examination of Mr Haringdon (?) in the way you want to be satisfied in - so as to prevent any longer delay and let me know you have done it

VitaminX · 09/02/2023 11:28

Fascinating! I suppose in those days people could read it as easily as we can read a MN thread (or close enough)? If so, can it not be learned?

PissedOffofTiverton1790 · 09/02/2023 11:29

I’m still pissed off!!

FannyGotobed · 09/02/2023 11:29

I've also done quite a bit of genealogy tracing my family tree (my username is actually the name of one of my distant forebears) so got used to deciphering old writing.

I find anything like this really interesting, social history, the lives of ordinary people, it's so fascinating.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 09/02/2023 11:30

One of my other very favourite threads was someone asking "can anyone recommend a book about nuns?" And sure enough in no time at all a ton of people could and had

A few weeks ago someone asked more in hope than expectation 'Anyone been on holiday to Uzbekistan?' and it turned out that a number of us had!

FannyGotobed · 09/02/2023 11:34

I love Mumsnet for the random stuff like books about nuns and holidays in Uszbekistan that come up all the time!

I think I've got the word now...

As I shall soon be in London - I wish you would determine about the money - as I shall be again pushed about that matter

FannyGotobed · 09/02/2023 11:37

Although Mumsnet is a dreadful time thief, I'm supposed to be sorting out my car insurance, instead I'm deciphering a letter from over 200 years ago!

AlwaysLatte · 09/02/2023 11:40

For God’s sake – push the examination of Mr Ringden in the way you want to be--- hoped in – so as to prevent any longer delays, and let me know when you have done it – I shall be unwilling to suppose that the matter will be delayed any longer.
Martyn G Bowden
As I shall soon be in London … I wish you would
…. About the money as I shall be again pushed about that matter.
The time you mentioned last year is now come.
It should satisfy your Uncle and ….. wishes.
I should be glad of it.

AlwaysLatte · 09/02/2023 11:41

There are some words I just cannot work out. He obviously wrote it in in a bit of a furious hurry!

AffIt · 09/02/2023 11:42

What a fascinating hobby! I'm afraid I have nothing to add in terms of deciphering, though.

Funny how we've lost the ability to read copperplate handwriting, it's so beautiful.

Boohai · 09/02/2023 11:43

As I shall soon be in London - I wish you would determine about the money -
as I shall again be found about Lady Martha - The time you mentioned last year is now come - F could vilify your uncle and Mr Parkes - I should be glad of it.

BadNomad · 09/02/2023 11:46

As I will soon be in London - I wish you would determine about the money - as I shall be again pushed about that matter - the time you mentioned last year is now come - if I cant satisfy your uncle and he pushes - I should be glad of it.

HamFrancisco · 09/02/2023 12:02

Ooh, this is fun! Here's my version.

For Gods Sake - push the Examination of Mr Kingdom - in the way you want G G Schofield in - so as to prevent any longer delay and let me know you have done it. - I shall be unwilling to suppose that the matter will be delayed any longer.
Martyn Boudon
As I shall see (?) G in London - I wish you would XXXXX about the money - as I shall be again finished about that matter - The time you mentioned XXX your is now come. - XXXX satisfy your uncle and XXXXX - I should be glad of it - Ian D XXX

longleggitybeastie · 09/02/2023 12:08

Martyn Boudon
As I shall soon be in London - I wish you would determine about the money - as I shall again be pushed about that by Martyn. The time you mentioned last year is now come. If I should satisfy your Uncle and Martyn's wishes I should be grateful_ I am <something>
Yours sincerely
B Wood

Winter2020 · 09/02/2023 12:10

This could be the Mr Beadon that the letter is addressed to?

Anyone want to help decipher a letter from 1790? Pic attached. Hilariously starts with 'for god sake'
longleggitybeastie · 09/02/2023 12:13

Looking at the word 'satisfy' that is obvious in the second part, it's very similar to the word that looks like 'Schofield' in the first - I think it's 'satisfied'...

5hell · 09/02/2023 12:20

Is it Tiverton (Devon) or Twerton (Bath)??

WarningToTheCurious · 09/02/2023 12:24

A Mr Beavis Wood was the Town Clerk for Tiverton in 1790.

It looks to me like the letter might be in two sections, with the first section with a name(?) above it and the second section headed with the name Martyn Beadon (as per the address).

Original poster
OldTrot · 09/02/2023 12:34

@FannyGotobed yes! That's surely it? Determine

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Original poster
OldTrot · 09/02/2023 12:36

Sometimes I really dislike Mumsnet

And other times - like this - I just love the sleuthing and history buffs and what you can learn

@WarningToTheCurious could this really be Mr Beavis Wood? The letter has a seal on it so it's clearly someone who'd have a stamp / seal which would fit

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Original poster
OldTrot · 09/02/2023 12:36

@5hell it is Tiverton in Devon for sure

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Original poster
OldTrot · 09/02/2023 12:38

So it's Martyn Beadon half way down the letter?

Bloody work is getting in the way of this for me right now! Annoying!

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