Palaeography Coffee Chat
The Palaeography Chat is CANCELLED for November 19th!
It will return Tuesday, December 17th.
Want to practice reading old handwriting? Have a document that's driving you crazy? The only way to stay sharp or get better at palaeography is to practice. Kathie Ross will help you practice.
The new Palaeography Coffee Chat will provide a place for members to practice reading those documents. Kathie will bring a document each month for practice transcription. In addition, members can bring their documents and we will crowd source the transcription.
The Palaeography Coffee Chat is scheduled for the third Tuesday of each month from noon to 1:00 pm on Zoom. To register, email coffeechat@bcgs.ca. Please refer to the calendar on the Home Page to confirm the date of the next scheduled Palaeography Coffee Chat.
Palaeography Resources
Free Courses and Tutorials
Bess of Hardwick's Letters: The complete correspondence c. 1550-1608
BYU: Script Tutorial: Paleography Introduction
Early Modern Scottish Palaeography: Reading Scotland's Records
English Paleography: Learn to read Secretary Hand
Folger Shakespeare Library: Early Modern transcripts online
The National Archives: Palaeography
Rediscovering Rycote: the history of a lost Tudor mansion: Palaeography tutorial & exercises (Wayback Machine)
St. Andrews University: Read Me! A self-correcting tool for reading pre-modern handwriting
University of Cambridge: English handwriting, 1500-1700: an online course
University of Nottingham: Manuscripts and Special Collections
Books Available at the BCGS Library
Barrett, John and David Iredale (1995) Discovering Old Handwriting (Discovering Series Number 285) Call# 652 BAR
Buck, W. S. B. (1965) Examples of Handwriting, 1550 - 1650. Call# 652 BUC
Emmison, F. G. (1973) How to Read Local Archives, 1550 - 1700. Call# 652 EMM EMM
Gardner, David E. and Frank Smith (1964) Genealogical Research in England and Wales, Volume 3: Old English Handwriting, Latin, Research Standards and Procedures. Call# 942 GAR V 03
Grieve, Hilda E. P. (1950) More Examples of English Handwriting. Call# 652 GRI GRI
Grieve, Hilda E. P. (1954) Examples of English Handwriting 1150-1750. Call# 652 GRI GRI
Kirkham, E. Kay (1973) The Handwriting of American Records for a Period of 300 Years. Call# 973 KIR
McLaughlin, Eve (1987) Reading Old Handwriting. (Mclaughlin Guides) Call# 652 MCL MCL
Simpson, Grant S. (1973, Revised 1977) Scottish Handwriting 1150 to 1650. An Introduction to the Reading of Documents. Call# 652 SIM SIM
Stryker-Rodda, Harriet (1980) Understanding Colonial Handwriting. Call# 652 STR STR
University Of Durham, Palæography & Diplomatic Department (1976) Durham Diocesan Records, Bishops' Transcripts of Parish Registers, Summary List of Outside Dates of Transcripts. Call# 942.81 DDR
Unknown. How to Read English Documents. Call# 652 ENG ENG
Wright, Andrew (1846) Court-Hand Restored: or The Student's Assistant in Reading Old Deeds, Charters, Records, Etc (Includes Ancient Place Names, Surnames, Latin Words). Call# 652 WRI WRI
Books Available at the Internet Archive
Handbook of dates for students of English history
The new invention, intituled, calligraphia: or, the arte of faire writing
A Few Other Helpful Websites
Dictionaries of the Scots language
Dorchester & Fordington Glossary
Folger Shakespeare Library: Briefing on brevigraphs, those strange shapes in early printed texts
New Advent: ecclesiastical abbreviations
Select word list from manorial records
William Whitaker’s words: a digital Latin-English dictionary
Recommended Books
Buck, W.S.B. (2008) Examples of handwriting 1550-1650. London: Society of Genealogist Enterprises Limited.
British Association for Local History. (1997) Reading Tudor and Stuart handwriting. Chichester, Sussex: Phillimore & Co. Ltd.
Collins, John F. (1985) A primer of ecclesiastical Latin. Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of American Press.
Durie, Bruce. (2013) Understanding documents for genealogy & local history. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press.
Forrest, Mark. (2019) Reading early handwriting 1500-1700. Macclesfield, Cheshire: British Association for Local History.
Jarvis, Claire (2022) Teach yourself palaeography : a guide for genealogists and local historians. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: The History Press.
Marshall, Hilary. (2010) Palaeography for family and local historians. Philimore & Co. Ltd.
Simpson, Grant G. (1998) Scottish handwriting 1150-1700. Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers Ltd.
Stuart, Denis. (1995) Latin for local and family historians. Andover, Hampshire: Phillimore & Co. Ltd.
Stuart, Denis. (1992) Manorial records. Chichester, Sussex: Phillimore & Co. Ltd.