How to Decipher and Study Old Documents - A Guide to the Readings of Ancient Manuscripts

by Emma Elizabeth Thoyts

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Genres: Language

220 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1972

About the author

Emma Elizabeth Thoyts (1860–1949), aka Mrs. John Hauntenville Cope, was an English palaeographer, historian and genealogist.

Thoyts was born in Bryanston Square, Marylebone in Middlesex on 8 July 1860, the eldest daughter Major William Richard Mortimer Thoyts of Sulhamstead House, Berkshire, and his wife, Anne Annabella Puleston. She was the great-granddaughter of William Thoyts, the High Sheriff of Berkshire, and grew up at Sulhamstead House where she developed an interest in history. She wrote widely, particularly upon subjects related to Sulhamstead and the surrounding villages and the families who lived there. She transcribed many Berkshire parish registers and soon became a recognised expert on the reading of ancient handwriting. One of her few published works, How to Decipher and Study Old Documents (1893), is still in print today under the title How to Read Old Documents. Her many manuscript works are now in the Berkshire Local Studies Library in Reading.

In 1899, Emma married one of the last of the great Cope family from Bramshill House in Hampshire, John Hautenville Cope. He was a fellow historian and major contributor to the Victoria County History of Berkshire. The two settled in Finchampstead in Berkshire, where Emma died on 9 November 1949, having outlived her husband by seven years and a day. They are buried together in the churchyard at St Mary's, Eversley, the Cope family burial ground.

Source: Wikipedia

Reviews

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖊️ I enjoyed reading this book since it had much information about documents and handwriting, too. The illustrations were very helpful.

✧⋆˚₊˚⋆✧
༒ From Chapter II, "Handwriting"

🔻The uneducated generally have a very good opinion of their own personal qualifications.

📕Published — 1903. In the public domain.
🎨Illustrated.

જ⁀🟢 Read on Project Gutenberg.
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[Meg - find me on TSG · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, the last chapter skimmed the surface of what I thought this book would be helpful for, chiefly learning hints to help one better be able to decipher the formation of letters and abbreviations in medieval manuscripts. Bummer.

However, the chapter on parish registers might be helpful to genealogists and there was another chapter that gave references to other books that might better cover the manuscript stuff--although since they are likely of similar vintage to this one, that seems dubious.

There were also beautiful engravings/woodcuts at the beginning of each chapter for no apparent reason.