Fielden, Fielding, Feilding ????

What is in the spelling of a name?

I asked the advise of this wonderful group on the internet, as Feilden/Feilding was a particular interest in the Clapham line. This lovely reply seems to explain it. Another instance where local knowledge can be so so important in the study of local history.

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Re: Fielden or Fielding

I think it was a peculiarity of the Lancashire dialect which felt compelled to turn any word ending in "EN" into "ING". My Holdens were routinely recorded as Holding and at school I was called Holding, even though my name was Holden! I also remember my dear old aunties talking about going out into the "garding" to do some weeding, and how very impressed they were at the Coronation when the Queen rode in a Golding coach! In short, I never dismiss any particular variation of spelling and I never expect consistency even within the same family.

Marjorie

(Marjorie also wrote that there were 18 different spellings in one name she is researching, as well as the initial letter being replaced M for an H)

Thank you Marjorie.
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Other people in the group also sent useful answers too.

So, I am still unsure which is the correct name for Ada's father - Fielden or Fielding. If you are lucky there will be a signature on his marriage certificate, that will tell us what he called himself.

Another problem with this Clapham line is the Betty/Betsy confusion.