Hello Kaye and Others: May I add a comment - the handwritten registers I would think are as basically accurate as we can get but we should be careful of the handwritten transcripts (i.e. Bishop's Transcripts and Archdeacon's Transcripts) of the Church of England's parish registers - because of the early handwriting etc. I have found a number of errors in spelling in the transcripts, which may have been as early as the original registers, or nearly so - just a caution. Regards - Carol California At 07:24 PM 7/31/00 +1000, you wrote: >Hello Listers, > >I'd like to add my twopenneth to Andrea's comments on primary and secondary >sources if I may. While I agree with her cautions about copies (BTs vs. original >registers for example) I have a nagging question: does a filmed copy of a parish >register lose its primary status because its a copy ? I'd argue not. snip, snip>