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Weird. There's an entire page of debate that wasn't here last night when I posted. Now that I can see it...

I agree with Daniel's reading of Mg50. "Going over but good" is clear as day now that it has been suggested. "Fiery" was a somewhat uncomfortable best fit for me. It worked, but just barely.

"light" and "soft" in the Mg60 notes both still feel that way to me. Yeah, okay, I can see those words, but it's an uncomfortable fit. The 'l' in "light" has an additional and entirely unnecessary hump. I can rationalize the 'g' in "light" but the penmanship is abysmal. The 'f' in "soft" is not any letter I've ever seen. The author uses two different variations on 't' but at least the 't' in "soft" is one of them.

jdaw1 wrote:Thank you. It seems people generally read it as I did. Next up, from a catalogue of 22 July 1976, Morgan 1950:


and Morgan 1960:

Just to keep the image on the page.

jdaw1 wrote:Another reading problem. The camera failed to focus properly on a page — my responsibility is not denied.

Several photographs follow. The first is as-original. Subsequent pictures have had brightness and contrast changed, in the hope that might help.

The line probably starts “Three Dozen Bottles of”, mostly in small capitals. But what’s the Port?

Re-photographed:

jdaw1 wrote:

jdaw1 wrote:Another reading problem. The camera failed to focus properly on a page — my responsibility is not denied.

Several photographs follow. The first is as-original. Subsequent pictures have had brightness and contrast changed, in the hope that might help.

The line probably starts “Three Dozen Bottles of”, mostly in small capitals. But what’s the Port?

Re-photographed:

I will defer my prize, please, and let it accumulate.

Handwriting experts please:

jdaw1 wrote:Handwriting experts please:

v. pale colour
green nose. spirity
green & hot. spirity

this one seems pretty straightforward to me.

djewesbury wrote:

jdaw1 wrote:Handwriting experts please:

v. pale colour
green nose. spirity
green & hot. spirity

this one seems pretty straightforward to me.

+1

Double green: thank you.

V. Pele colour.
Queer wine. Spirity.
Helm and hot. Spirity.

LGTrotter wrote:V. Pele colour.
Queer wine. Spirity.
Helm and hot. Spirity.

V. Pele was a relative of the Brazilian footballing genius. Quite a dark wine, and a rather racist note.
But no surprise when we discover the Wagnerian overtones in the next line.
You're a genius Owen.

Julian's auction catalogues are of a different order to the hieroglyphs used by the proprietor of the Belfast News Letter and Mayor of Belfast James Alexander Henderson, in his tablet diary of 1873.

Do you need these deciphered?

Office
???
Will Mc (or Mr) Hewitt


Office
? Memorial of
? Of Ballyma??
???
? Meeting of ?
Magistrates for Monday

Actually I have this one, more or less: office, forwarded memorial of inhabitants of Ballymacarrett to Inspector ??? of Constabulary. Then something about organising a meeting of the magistrates for Monday.
This is not the worst.

Hewitt is a solicitor.

Looks very much like "Inspector Jew? of Constabulary" to me.

Yes I thought so too. I have some more:

On the 12th of July (anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne), he met with Major General Warre and his staff. Clearly some kind of euphemism or code.

Indecipherable.

Custody court.. Discharged.??? Meeting

Was the disappointment mutual? Next stop St. Petersburg to consult the Tsar's diary.
(Larne namechecked there, Flash!)
Then Mark Gatiss turned up and they spent the afternoon filming Who Do You Think You Are? which ruined my concentration.

djewesbury wrote:Was the disappointment mutual? Next stop St. Petersburg to consult the Tsar's diary.
(Larne namechecked there, Flash!)

Well that one seems easy... until the end, anyway.

"Went to Windsor to see Emporer of Russia but was disappointed as he did not arrive till 10 at night. Left London for home of ?? ??? for Belfast via Araurae & Larne."

Oh sorry I know that one. Left London for home at 9 o'clock for Belfast via Stranraer and Larne.

djewesbury wrote:Indecipherable.

Custody court.. Discharged.??? Meeting

11.30 Office
1.30 Custody Court
Charged old O.D. "ild" gross ????????
= night blah blah of justice.
2.0 Cemetery & Y2K Committee. (informational meeting)

They were already planning for the Millennium Bug. Those Victorians eh?

djewesbury wrote:Oh sorry I know that one. Left London for home at 9 o'clock for Belfast via Stranraer and Larne.

Ah yes, I can see that now. Old style S.

djewesbury wrote:They were already planning for the Millennium Bug. Those Victorians eh?

I just calls 'em likes I sees 'em.