Understanding Documents for Genealogy and Local History

Bruce Durie

ISBN 10: 0752464647 / ISBN 13: 9780752464640

Published by The History Press Ltd Feb 2013, 2013

About this Item

Neuware - Genealogists and local historians have probably seen every birth, marriage, death and census record available, and are adept at using the internet for research. However, once they have learnt everything they can from them, the next step is reading and understanding older documents. These can be hard to find (not many are online), are often written in challenging handwriting and use legal and other unfamiliar terms. Some will be in Latin, antiquated English or Scots. Readers need to be able to understand the nature and intent of a range of documents as well as the palaeography (the handwriting) and orthography (the 'shape' of the contents). In Understanding Documents for Genealogy and Local History, Dr Bruce Durie, the celebrated author of Scottish Genealogy, details how to find and comprehend documents from 1560 to the 1860s - wills, testaments, contracts, indentures and charters, land records (retours, sasines and manorial custumals), personal letters, official records, Church papers, trust dispositions, deeds and others. Also covered are the complexities of dates, numbers, calendars, measurements and money, abbreviations, transcription conventions, letter-forms and glossaries. A Latin primer completes the tool kit the genealogist and family historian will need to further their research.

Seller Inventory # 9780752464640

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Understanding Documents for Genealogy and Local History
• Publisher: The History Press Ltd Feb 2013
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0752464647
• ISBN 13: 9780752464640
• Binding: Taschenbuch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 243W x 170H x 28D millimeters 243 millimeters width by 170 millimeters height by 28 millimeters depth
• Weight: 1126 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Genealogists and local historians have probably seen every birth, marriage, death and census record available, and are adept at using the internet for research. However, once they have learnt everything they can from them, the next step is reading and understanding older documents. These can be hard to find (not many are online), are often written in challenging handwriting and use legal and other unfamiliar terms. Some will be in Latin, antiquated English or Scots. Readers need to be able to understand the nature and intent of a range of documents as well as the palaeography (the handwriting) and orthography (the ‘shape’ of the contents). In Understanding Documents for Genealogy and Local History, Dr Bruce Durie, the celebrated author of Scottish Genealogy, details how to find and comprehend documents from 1560 to the 1860s – wills, testaments, contracts, indentures and charters, land records (retours, sasines and manorial custumals), personal letters, official records, Church papers, trust dispositions, deeds and others. Also covered are the complexities of dates, numbers, calendars, measurements and money, abbreviations, transcription conventions, letter-forms and glossaries. A Latin primer completes the tool kit the genealogist and family historian will need to further their research.

About the Author

Bruce Durie hosts a BBC Radio geneaology program called Digging Up Your Roots and is the author of Scottish Genealogy.