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  1. #1
    pottoka
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    Question Transcriptions of gravestones

    A friend let me know about a site with transcriptions from gravestones in cemeteries from all over the world and, having found some of my relatives, I was working through them, but I am intrigued by one of the abbreviations used.

    There are: m/o; d/o; w/o; f/o; s/o; h/o; which are fairly clear, but I am perplexed by s/w. It can apply to both sexes, and a person can be w/o or h/o and s/w, for example.

    I feel as though I'm missing something very obvious here; can anyone help, please?

  2. #2
    Brick wall demolition expert!
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    Would "second wife" fit in the context of the transcription?

  3. #3
    Geoffers
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    Quote Originally Posted by pottoka
    A friend let me know about a site with transcriptions from gravestones in cemeteries from all over the world and, having found some of my relatives, I was working through them, but I am intrigued by one of the abbreviations used.

    There are: m/o; d/o; w/o; f/o; s/o; h/o; which are fairly clear, but I am perplexed by s/w. It can apply to both sexes, and a person can be w/o or h/o and s/w, for example.

    Stone worn????

    Suddenly widowed??? - Could this be a new competition, to think of a possible but most unlikely meaning?

    I don't suppose the creator of these abbreviated transcriptions though to include something as simple as an index on this site?

  4. #4
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    My second guess is "seen with", in reference to the first name being seen on the same tombstone as the other person mentioned in the transcription.

    Ah, found an index:

    s/w = stone shared with
    Last edited by AdeleE; 20-10-2010 at 10:58 AM. Reason: found index

  5. #5
    pottoka
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    Quote Originally Posted by AdeleE View Post
    My second guess is "seen with", in reference to the first name being seen on the same tombstone as the other person mentioned in the transcription.

    Ah, found an index:

    s/w = stone shared with
    Where did you find an index? I looked all over for one and couldn't find one!

  6. #6
    Brick wall demolition expert!
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    It was on one of the cemeteries in Quebec, Canada on the interment.net website. Just happened to come across it while googling.

  7. #7
    pottoka
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    Quote Originally Posted by AdeleE View Post
    It was on one of the cemeteries in Quebec, Canada on the interment.net website. Just happened to come across it while googling.
    Clever you and thank you. That's the site I'm using.

    For anyone interested in how the abbreviation works, here's an example:

    Graves, Elizabeth, d. 16 Jun 18?5, age: 15yr, d/o and s/w Robert and Emma Graves
    Graves, Emma, d. 20 Jan 1914, age: 88yr, w/o Robert Graves. m/o Elizabeth Graves. s/w both.
    Graves, Robert, d. 10 Apr 1879, age: 39yr, “of Linwood”, h/o Emma Graves. F/o Elizabeth Graves. s/w both

    Saint Oswald's Churchyard, Blankney, Lincolnshire

  8. #8
    pottoka
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    Quote Originally Posted by AdeleE View Post
    Would "second wife" fit in the context of the transcription?
    Unfortunately not, as it can be a man or a child. I'll find some examples.

    Quote Originally Posted by Geoffers View Post
    Stone worn????

    Suddenly widowed??? - Could this be a new competition, to think of a possible but most unlikely meaning?

    I don't suppose the creator of these abbreviated transcriptions though to include something as simple as an index on this site?
    The site covers the world as I said, and this particular abbreviation seems to be peculiar to one transcriber in Lincolnshire! Her email address is on the site, so I could write to her. I just thought that you clever lot would know.

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