WATN?

[lorraine66]

was a WATN a watchman before the police were established properly. I have two on my family tree in late 17th century. I've been told it could mean a policeman of sort in those days employed by the parish and it could have been someone employed to watch the ships/boats coming into the river thanks

[Geoffers]

It coud well be watchman, but context is all important. What is the source of the information and what does the entry read?

[lorraine66]

I found the entry in the local parish records (books) the marriages section. WATN was written as occupation of the groom. Late 1600s records.

[JohnF]

Were you looking at the original longhand (holographic) script or a transcript thereof.
Maybe a typo or difficulty of reading.

[Peter Goodey]

It's rare to find an occupation mentioned in a marriage register of that period. Do you have a photocopy of the page that you can show us?

[JohnF]

Lorraine, you mention ships and rivers so how about waterman?

[Dorset Girl]

To my knowledge before the Police were named as such they were called Peelers - and before that they were Javelin Men - they were dressed in the livery of the Lord they served at the time. Don't suppose that helps much though!!
Marion

[Geoffers]

I found the entry in the local parish records (books) the marriages section. WATN was written as occupation of the groom. Late 1600s records.

I am dubious that this is an occupation, as has been commented by others finding an occupation in a marriage record of this period is most unusual. What does sometimes occur is a record that someone was a widow or widower, or an abbreviated form of that. Is this an original entry, or a transcript?

[lorraine66]

typed in the parish records books in records office at civic centre Newcastle Upon Tyne, they are all typed up. Records in Newcastle state whether illegitimate child, born to black person etc. quite a lot of information. Typed exactly as I've done WATN. The originals are missing according to local archives office.

[Peter Goodey]

What parish?

[lorraine66]

the parish I'm talking about was All Saints in Newcastle Upon TYne. The Local records office has just opened into a beautiful new building and a lot of their books havent been put on shelves as they are still unpacking. So I'm going to have to wait a while for them to have another look for originals. I didnt know that you could take photocopies of the old books.

[Geoffers]

the parish I'm talking about was All Saints in Newcastle Upon TYne. The Local records office has just opened into a beautiful new building and a lot of their books havent been put on shelves as they are still unpacking. So I'm going to have to wait a while for them to have another look for originals.

If the original registers are not available, you might consider the annual copy made, Bishop's Transcripts

[Peter Goodey]

the parish I'm talking about was All Saints in Newcastle Upon TYne. The Local records office has just opened into a beautiful new building and a lot of their books havent been put on shelves as they are still unpacking. So I'm going to have to wait a while for them to have another look for originals. I didnt know that you could take photocopies of the old books.

It's very rare for anyone to be let loose on original registers! Normally when we say 'original', we mean the microfilmed version of the original volume.

However, both the Mormons and the Tyne and Wear Archives Service claim to have them on film so I would suggest that you get back to them.

http://www.tyneandweararchives.org.uk/pdf/userguide02.pdf

[Kerrywood]

the parish I'm talking about was All Saints in Newcastle Upon TYne.

Images of the bishop's transcripts for All Saints, Newcastle, are available on the LDS Record Search Pilot Site (http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#p=allCollections;r=1).

The uploaded transcripts begin in 1762, which I appreciate is later than Lorraine is looking. But the very first page of baptisms shows several examples of the abbreviation in question, and it appears among the marriages too.

Given the location of the parish, I think there's a good chance it's Waterman, but see what others think? ;)

Kerrywood

[Peter Goodey]

The questioner put it in all caps WATN which may have been misleading because the BTs show Watn (the 'n' in superscript).

The BTs for 19th century records using the post-1812 standard register form show several occupations as Watern (again the 'n' in superscript).

As Kerrywood suggested, this is most probably Waterman.

[lorraine66]

The microfilims in local archives don't have all the years unfortunately for all saints church I've spent many a good day in there. Waterman does seem more likely the option. thanks. I'm on an advanced course and we are going to visit (specially arranged) so I will ask tutor if they could be kind enough to let us have a look at that the original see what they say.

[Geoffers]

Hopefully you will get to see the original records - when you manage to, do look at other entries as well. You need to look to see if other entries have occupations recorded; or if other entries have groups of letters that may be interpreted as 'watn' or something similar. You may find the letters formed in an unfamiliar script so do keep an ope mnd as to what you read.

If the chap's occupation is recorded, it may be worth looking for a will to confirm precisely what it was.