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Quite an easy poser this week, taken from the hearth tax roll for the village of Philpstoun (as it is now styled) in West Lothian in 1691 (National Archives of Scotland reference E69/24/1). The first column on the right hand side records the number of hearths for which the tax has been collected in each property. The second column records the number of hearths whose tax is still uncollected. The third column records the hearths belonging to any paupers (who were exempt from the tax).

The hand is quite clear with a few secretary hand letters and capitals are mostly recognisable at first sight.

excerpt from West Lothian hearth tax roll, 1691, NAS ref. E69/24/1

How many of the 19 personal names can you identify?

Help

For help with reading the poser, use our coaching manual. The following areas may be of particular assistance.

Letters i, j, m, n and u
Letter s
Capital letters

Answer