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Archiver > ENG-DORSET-LIFE > 2001-05 > 0990090819


From: "Helen Jones" <>
Subject: Re: [DOR-LIFE] Naming trends in Weymouth
Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 10:13:39 +0100
References: <JBENKCGPMOLPBCOFKLMAIEPDDCAA.schap@lds.co.uk>


HI Steve
I do have this book - full title "Girls Names in Dorset 1300-1850" by Philip
N Dawe.
I bought it about 10 years ago in the bookshop which used to be in
Dorchester before Ottakers came - have never seen a copy on sale since. I
don't think he ever did boys names which tend to be more conservative and
less imaginative on the whole (at least they did pre-20th century).The more
unusual ones tend to be taken from surnames and on the whole people are a
little more daring when naming their daughters. My daughter Penelope wishes
we had not been so daring and had called her Sarah Amelia after her Great
Grandmothers as we had originally planned. The name Penelope came about
because my husband was doing a quiz on Latin birdnames the night before she
was born and remembered that Penelope was the Greek name for the Wigeon. We
comfort her with the fact that if we had been further into our family
history when she as born she might have ended up as Euphemia after several
Scottish ancestors! Besides with a surname like Jones you need something a
little out of the ordinary ...and maybe when she gows up she'll be a
Tuppence not a Penny! And she does have Sarah as a middle name if she gets
desperate!

My study at the moment in the latter half of the 19th century when naming
fashions changed very quickly in a comparitively short period of time,
reflecting the changing social climate. I am going to write something up at
the end - possibly a talk for S&DFHS or an article for the Greenwood Tree
(though Colin is not very pleased at the last article I sent him which was
2500 words long!) and it will also go on my website. I have also done a
similar study in Margam, South Wales - and the Weymouth names are far more
adventurous!

I am also collecting unusual names when I see them anywhere - so if anyone
finds something interesting, please send it to me with a reference. Years
ago I found the 17th century baptism of "Gabriel son of Faithful Angel" but
didn't make a note of it and now can't find it. Somewhere in the Winfrith
area I think.

Helen

Helen Jones in Weymouth, Dorset, UK

List Admin: Dorset-L and Eng-Dorset-Life-L
Scammell-L, Davidge-L, Pragnell-L

http://www.melcombe.freeserve.co.uk/
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Chapman" <>
To: "Helen Jones" <>;
<>
Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2001 9:29 AM
Subject: RE: [DOR-LIFE] Naming trends in Weymouth


> Helen
>
> Have you seen the booklet in the Dorset Record Office regarding Girls
> names in Dorset ? I can't remember the actual title. It used to be on
> the bookshelf in the Catalogue Room, but now lives on the archivists
> shelf.
>
> Steve in Zelston
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Helen Jones [mailto:]
> Sent: 15 May 2001 13:38
> To:
> Subject: [DOR-LIFE] Naming trends in Weymouth
>
> I am doing a study into naming trends and am currently working on the
> Weymouth 1851 census index (Somerset and Dorset
> FHS)..............................
> ______________________________
>
>

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