Hi Tim, >> I think that a high proportion of the population was illiterate then, << It's as well to note that in "the dark ages" King Richard III complained bitterly that one quarter of the population was still illiterate. Nothing much changes. And beware the "x" on official documents. It was often the case concerning documents that were filled out on their behalf (Like Marriage Certificates) that the invitation was to "make yer mark" - so they did! My GGF was highly literate and kept accounts and diaries but on legal papers signed an "X" where the lawyer had pre written XYZ - his mark. Food for thought Regards Gerry Langley

Yes and one of my grandmothers signed her daughter's birth certificate with something of a flourish some 4 motnhs before she made her mark on her marriage cert. She also pretended to be married on said birth cert. Which caused me a lot of problems finding the wedding. Unusual names helped. Conversely another grandmother signed very shakily on her wedding cert and then a year or so later made her mark on the birht cert. You definitely cannot predict literacy from a mark! Ros ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gerry Langley UK" <GerryLangley@compuserve.com> To: <SOG-UK-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, April 04, 2005 10:56 PM Subject: Re: [SoG] Origins > Hi Tim, > >> I think that a high proportion of the population was illiterate then, << > It's as well to note that in "the dark ages" King Richard III complained > bitterly that one quarter of the population was still illiterate. > Nothing much changes. > And beware the "x" on official documents. > It was often the case concerning documents that were filled out > on their behalf (Like Marriage Certificates) that the invitation > was to "make yer mark" - so they did! > My GGF was highly literate and kept accounts and diaries but on > legal papers signed an "X" where the lawyer had pre written > XYZ - his mark. > Food for thought > Regards > Gerry Langley >