Deciphering Old Handwriting

The handwriting in original manuscripts and documents is often a problem to the untrained eye, but don't be deterred! 

The website www.scottishorigins.com features testaments from the early 16th century until the late 19th century. During that time handwriting in Scotland, as elsewhere in Europe, changed quite radically. 

In the 16th and 17th centuries the commissary clerks, who compiled the registers of testaments wrote mainly in a form of handwriting known as Secretary Hand, many of whose letters were different from the letters we know today. However, clerks invariably knew other forms of handwriting (such as Italic) and frequently jumbled up handwriting styles, so that a line of text might include Secretary Hand letters, Italic letters, and other letter styles. 

Between 1700 and 1875 handwriting gradually changed to become modern handwriting. However, the change was not consistent everywhere. Each clerk had a different style (and a different standard of writing clarity). Even nineteenth century handwriting can be difficult to read. 

The following examples illustrate some of the problems in reading testaments. 

Typical Nineteenth Century Handwriting

From a testaments of 1821. Not all handwriting from this period is as neat as this.

Fairly Pure Secretary Hand

From a testament of 1564. The writing looks odd because many of the letters are in their Secretary Hand forms (e.g. 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'g', 'h', 'k', 'r', 's', and 't'). Other probelms are Latin numerals, archaic letters (the 'yogh' and the 'thorn'), Scots vernacular words, phonetic spelling, abbreviations, and interchangeable letters (at this time the letters 'u', 'v' and 'w' were variations of the same letter, as were the letters 'i' and 'j').

Mixture Of Secretary Hand, Cursive, Italic etc

From a testament of 1722. Some letters are recognisably Secretary Hand, but the writing is not as neat as the previous example. Many letters are cursive (either untidy versions of Secretary Hand, Italic, and other writing styles, or forms of the writer's own invention). Other problems include elaborate letters which interfere with other letters or make several words look like one continuous word).

Further Reading

Grant G Simpson, Scottish Handwriting 1150-1650, Edinburgh, 1973, is the only published attempt to look at early Scottish handwriting. It is available in paperback.

The Scottish Records Association's Scottish Handwriting 1500-1700, A Self Help Pack, Edinburgh 1994, contains examples of common types of document found in Scottish archives with transcripts and notes.

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Their aim is to open up Scotland's rich archival heritage to everyone. A complete index to all the registers of Scottish wills and testaments from 1500-1875 is available free of charge on their website and digital images of the wills are being made available for purchase in a rolling programme, due for completion in late 2003. They are also extending the project in order to include Scottish wills to the end of 1901 which should be available early in 2003.

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