Course Programme
NB: Students will need to bring paper and pens/pencils. They may also find it useful to bring a magnifying glass.
10:00 Session 1: Introduction: earlier forms of letters and numerals - basic transcription rules
11:15 Coffee
11:45 Session 2: Probate records - wills
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Session 3: Probate records - inventories
15:15 Tea
15:30 Session 4: Parish records
16:45 Day school ends
Course Aims
- To introduce students to earlier forms of the letters of the alphabet, both lower and upper case and of numerals, both Roman and Arabic.
- To introduce students to the principles and techniques involved in palaeography, including how to lay out a transcript.
- To introduce students to a range of documents relevant to local and/or family history.
- To enable students to recognise the contents of various types of document and to set documents in the contexts of their production and purpose, since an understanding of the nature of their contents facilitates transcription.
- To enable students to transcribe old documents.
Presentation of the course
As this is essentially a practical course, it will be presented by means of reading and/or transcribing copies of documents which will be supplied as handouts. Initially we will read through the documents together, discussing the more difficult words (both spelling and meaning) but as the course progresses it is hoped that students will have the confidence to work on their own.
Following each session, transcripts of the documents for that session will be distributed, so that students will not have to write out a rapid transcript as we go along but will be able to annotate the more difficult words or letters in their documents, in that knowledge that they will receive a transcript later.
Tutor Biography: Dr Heather Falvey
Heather teaches local history at Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma and Masters level at ICE and also at the University of Oxford’s Department of Continuing Education.
Her main historical interests are social unrest and discord in early-modern communities and this is reflected in one of her current research projects, which concerns objections to a disorderly alehouse in Rickmansworth (Herts) in 1588. She has edited for publication several series of historical documents including, several volumes of late medieval wills, a memorandum book by two early-modern Hertfordshire vicars, a late-eighteenth century recipe book, and a collection of letters written between the family of Humphry Repton, the landscape gardener.
Accommodation
Although this is a non-residential course, students requiring accommodation may be able to book B&B at Madingley Hall, as availability permits.
Please contact reservations@madingleyhall.co.uk or +44 (0)1223 746222 for availability and booking enquiries.
Dietary requirements
If you have any specific dietary requirements or allergies please inform our Admissions Team on ice.admissions@ice.cam.ac.uk or +44 (0)1223 746262 if you have not already advised us of your requirements.
Additional requirements
ICE is committed to providing equality of opportunity and to a proactive and inclusive approach to equality. We aim to support and encourage under-represented groups, promote an inclusive culture, and value diversity.
Further information about student support.
Course materials
A booklist, course syllabus and detailed timetable are circulated as far as possible in advance of a course. You will receive these documents by email if you have provided us with your email address; please check your spam folder if you have not received these documents. You can also download material from the Documents section at the bottom of this page.
