Signature of William Trease

Signature of William Trease - 1794

Signature of William Bray - 1809

The first example we have of William's handwriting is his signature on a legal document of 1794 shown above left. The two words seem to be a good example of calligraphy. The characters are fairly evenly spaced and written with equal emphasis. Both words start at a similar horizontal level and rise upwards at a similar gradient. It would need a graphologist to draw any conclusions about the personal traits of the writer but one could hazard a guess that the writer may have been as careful in their life generally as they were with their handwriting. William's son, William junior, who was trained as a scrivener, also exhibited a clear hand. Surviving pages from a schoolbook of William senior's grandson, yet another William Trease, also exhibit beautiful handwriting.

The second handwriting example is of William Bray, a schoolmaster of St Gennys. There are some similarities, certainly in the flourish at the end of the letter "W". Maybe William Bray had taught William Trease or they had both been taught in a similar way. The name William Bray occurs frequently in connection with members or possible members of the Trease family of St Gennys :-

• in 1796 is witness to marriage of John Broad to Ann Stacey (formerly Trease) together with John Sandow (ders?) and William Trease
• in 1800 is witness to marriage of John Saunders of Otterham to Mary Marshall of St Gennys together with Loveday Elson
• in 1803 is witness to marriage of William Marshall and Catherine Smeeth together with Stephen Bray (possibly the Stephen Bray who married Frances Uglow at Jacobstow in 1799).
• in 1804 is witness to marriage of Loveday Elson to William Heain together with Thomas Trease
• in 1809 is surety for Administration Bond for Ann Broad (formerly Trease)
• in 1842 another William Bray is witness of marriage of Marianne Saunders (dau of John and Mary see 1803 marriage above) to James Moyse together with Thomas Barriball