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1871 place name

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Tobina
Posts: 22
Joined: 14 Jun 2020, 11:01

1871 place name

Post by Tobina »

I wonder if anyone can read this place name in Westmorland from the 1871 census?
On previous census returns the person registered gives his birth place as Kirkby in Westmorland but in 1871 this changes to the entry as shown.
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AdrianBruce
Posts: 358
Joined: 14 Jun 2020, 18:57
Location: South Cheshire

Re: 1871 place name

Post by AdrianBruce »

So far as I can see it's "Westmorland" followed by something beginning with "G" and ending in "ath"(?) :?
Adrian Bruce
Tobina
Posts: 22
Joined: 14 Jun 2020, 11:01

Re: 1871 place name

Post by Tobina »

Thanks for the reply. You are always very helpful.
The census transcription reads Gangath
but I’ve searched everywhere on Westmorland maps etc &
can’t find Gangath. The nearest is Culgaith. I have a baptism record for Kirby Thore but can’t guarantee it’s right so I need to go on searching.
Tobina
Hardwork
Posts: 87
Joined: 14 Jun 2020, 14:15

Re: 1871 place name

Post by Hardwork »

Could it be that it is meant to be Gragareth? Though it is a mountain if the person's father was say, a shepherd, maybe that was where the family may have lived close to. As far as I am aware, Gragareth is the old meeting point of the counties of Westmorland, Lancashire and the North Riding and it is sufficiently far enough away from general sites of habitation for it to be hard to define by village name. It's about 7km from Kirby Lonsdale but I note Mansergh is also close, which was in Westmorland.
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AdrianBruce
Posts: 358
Joined: 14 Jun 2020, 18:57
Location: South Cheshire

Re: 1871 place name

Post by AdrianBruce »

Interesting suggestion - the number of squiggles suggests something like "Gragath" might be possible. It wouldn't be the first unusual name in a census to be rendered differently from its "official" spelling.
Adrian Bruce
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