Family Historian User Group

Dear All,

Please may I ask for assistance in deciphering the last 'Christian' name of "Madeline Gertrude ..............? Anderson" the wife of John Clark Anderson in this birth/baptism entry from 1908, Parish of Dournfontain, Johanessburg, Pretoria, South Africa? I have underlined the word in red for clarification.

I believe the initial letter to be a 'J' but after that, apart from there possibly being two 'i' in the name, I am at a loss!

Thank you for your time.

If anybody on the forum thinks that they may have a conection to these Anderson's, I would be delighted to share information with them.

My regards, Bill

According to the Familysearch transcription it is Zinia.

Perhaps the first mark which seems to be a letter is the writer starting to write something different and then changing his mind?

As correlation, Ancestry have Madeline Gertrude Zinnia Anderson in the Transvaal Province, South Africa, Estates Death Notice Index, 1855-1976 -

Name: Madeline Gertrude Zinnia Anderson
Death Year: 1935
Death Country: South Africa
Title: Transvaal Estates Death Index (Master of the Supreme Court, Pretoria)
Source: National Archives, Pretoria
Reference Number: 91432

From https://www.identitynumber.org/marriage ... e=ANDERSON we see the parents' marriage in 1906. Unfortunately the link doesn't go to the correct image, but it can be found at https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cc=1468076 which has Zinnia in both the record and Madeline's signature.

One final thought for this morning - could Madeline have been born in England? There is a birth registered in Q4 1884 For a Madeline Gertrude Z Lucas, Coventry 6d 500

I've no connection to either family - I just enjoy a challenge (even at 1.40am )

Have you tried flipping the image to see if it's part of the leaching?

Hi David2416

Yes, that was my first thought too and was my original reply - but I then got the bit between my teeth and I found Zinnia, which matched.

I then forgot to document that step in my reply

In my defence it was well after 2.30am by the time I submitted my reply
The page where the ink has transferred from has this text which sadly does not help, as the lower section below the deleted Frogville and inserted Traveller is blank.
On the page we are looking at you can clearly see the 43 & Frogville, plus the alteration in the column for father's occupation, so we know that we've got the correct two associated pages.

It still worries me a little that the ink for Zinnia is paler, but that may just have been due to the pen drying out due to the number of names, or possibly there was a slight delay before entering the final name and the writer forgot to dip again. However, the image of the other page is paler still, so on balance I don't think that it is something transferred from elsewhere.

Aye Russell and David,

Thank you both for taking the time to have a crack at deciphering and I do agree with your deduction that it is "Zinia or Zinnia".

As for your "defence" Russell that it was "02:30am in the morning"! I too am known to get carried away on these sorts of things. Right now I have just completed a 365 mile motorcycle journey and thought I'd just have a wee look-see on here afore retiring to "sheet alley"! Must be barking!

I am investigating further the potential birth of Madeline Gertrude Zinnia Lucas and her relationship to John Clark Anderson, as I have found members of the direct family, but they may not wish to communicate, so shall await developments. Thank you also for the links to the documents that you have posted.

Good health and my regards, Bill