On 2011/02/08 00:03, [email protected] wrote: > Now if everyone knew how to spell their own surnames, and they didn't use a > different version with each child and change of vicar, the vicars could > write without smudging their work - and they had kept the registers in the > dry so the ink would not run - life would be so much easier!!!! In the 19th century (and well into the 20th) churches were unheated and subject to cold and damp. Registers were kept in, of all things, The Parish Chest. Not particularly recommended for archival purposes. Vicars were notorious for their liking of wines and spirits. They 'went on' until they dropped dead. Hence accounting for the parlous state of some handwriting. Back even earlier, I doubt they had but a basic education, and simply got the job through their family connections. There's an old adage about what happened to sons: the eldest inherited, the second went into the military and the third into the Church. Until the 20th century, they had to rely on candles and oil lamps for lighting. Any wonder with everything else, that there are blots and smudges. Also, ink wasn't available 'off the shelf'. In rural areas in particular they had to make their own ink. It's all very well having a quiet moan (I know you were not being particularly serious), but if everything were made easier, where would be the fun in that :-) -- Regards, Mike Fry Johannesburg