Everything you need to know before getting in touch. If your question isn't answered here, please don't hesitate to email me.
Usually within a few hours during UK business hours. Always within 24 hours, even at weekends. If you haven't heard back, please check your spam folder.
Every commission comes with a 25% preview before any payment is made. Once the transcription is complete I will send you the first page — or approximately the first quarter of shorter documents — as a PDF in full Heritage Script house style. This shows you exactly how I have handled the handwriting, how uncertain readings are presented, and whether my approach suits what you need. You verify the quality and accuracy first. Payment only follows once you are satisfied.
This means there is no risk to you in commissioning work. If the preview shows something is not right, we discuss it before you commit to anything further. The preview is not a sample of a different document — it is the first quarter of your actual commissioned transcription, produced to full delivery standard.
Yes — if you need a document urgently, I can usually accommodate rush requests for a small additional fee (typically 25–50% extra depending on timeline). Please mention this when requesting your consultation.
If I encounter unexpected complexity while transcribing, I'll contact you before exceeding the quoted price. You can choose to proceed at a revised rate or cancel with no charge.
Yes — each archive reference is a separate document and a separate commission, quoted and invoiced individually. If your research involves multiple related documents (for example, a Bill of Complaint and its accompanying Replication, or a will and a supporting deed), I will quote for each separately. A multi-document discount may be available — please ask when you get in touch. Scope is always agreed in writing before work begins, and no additional documents will be added to an existing commission without a new quote and your agreement.
Chancery depositions in particular: a single Chancery case routinely involves depositions from several different witnesses taken across more than one hearing date — sometimes seven or more documents in a single set. Before commissioning transcription of a Chancery case, please send details of the full set of documents so that I can quote for the collection as a whole rather than document by document. This avoids scope creep mid-commission and ensures the price I give you reflects the actual volume of work involved.
For most documents I can give a reliable free quote from the images alone. However, some documents — multi-page wills with Latin probate clauses, heavily abbreviated records, or documents in poor condition — need a thorough evaluation before I can quote accurately. In those cases I offer a paid assessment at £25, which covers up to an hour of detailed examination. If you decide to proceed, the £25 is deducted from your final invoice. If you decide not to proceed, the fee covers my time and there is no further obligation. I'll always tell you upfront whether a paid assessment is needed.
The assessment fee applies as soon as detailed examination of document content begins — including any preliminary reading of text, evaluation of legibility, or content analysis carried out before a formal quote can be issued. A preliminary read of even part of a document constitutes assessment work and falls within this fee.
Once your transcription is complete, I'll email you the first page (or approximately 25% of shorter documents) as a PDF preview. This allows you to verify the quality, accuracy, and that I've understood your document correctly before any payment is made.
Once you're satisfied, payment is made via PayPal (which handles all currencies automatically) or by bank transfer if you prefer. I then immediately send you a Google Docs link to the complete transcription, viewable on any device without needing specialist software.
For very large projects (over £100), I can arrange a 50% deposit with the balance due on completion if preferred.
Payment is via PayPal, which accepts all currencies and handles conversion automatically. Bank transfer is also available for those who prefer it. There is no surcharge for either method.
Absolutely. I quote in British Pounds (£), but PayPal converts automatically so you pay in your own currency. For reference: a typical will transcription (£50–85) equals roughly $65–110 USD or $100–170 AUD — competitive with UK-based services and often significantly less than US equivalents.
Absolutely — most of my clients are in the USA, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand researching British, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Being based in England, I am ideally placed to understand UK historical documents. Time zones work in your favour: send your document in the evening (your time) and I'll have your quote ready by the next morning.
I specialise in English-language documents and can handle the Latin phrases commonly found in English legal records. For documents primarily in other languages, I can recommend specialist translators.
No — photographs or scans are perfectly fine, and most clients send images taken on a smartphone. Just make sure the images are clear and in focus. For advice on getting the best photographs, see the Pricing page which includes a full guide to photographing your documents.
I'll transcribe everything that's clearly legible and mark any uncertain readings as [?text], or [?...] for sections that are genuinely illegible. You will always know exactly what is definite and what is uncertain.
If significant portions are illegible — due to fading, water damage, poor scan quality, or extremely cramped handwriting — I'll discuss this with you before beginning work. You may need a higher quality scan, or it may be worth knowing upfront that a complete transcription isn't possible from the available image. I will always be honest about limitations rather than guessing.
Most documents are completed within 2–5 working days. Complex or lengthy documents may take longer — I'll give you an estimated completion date when I send your quote. Rush service is available if you need something urgently.
I specialise in documents from 1550–1900, covering secretary hand, court hand, and all the major English historical scripts. I can also work with earlier medieval documents and more recent 20th century handwriting. If you're unsure whether your document falls within my range, just send me a photograph and I'll let you know.
My specialism is handwritten documents, but I can also transcribe old printed documents that use archaic typefaces or Gothic blackletter fonts which can be difficult to read without specialist training.
No — I am a transcriber, not a professional genealogist. My service is accurately reading and typing what is written in your document. If helpful, I can provide basic historical context (identifying dates, legal officials, or place names where verifiable) as a separately priced add-on, but I do not trace family lines, build family trees, or conduct archival research. I am happy to recommend professional genealogists if that is what you need.
Yes — as an optional add-on I can provide a plain English summary explaining what the document says in modern terms: key people, relationships, bequests, and legal provisions set out clearly. This is available for wills, deeds, and most legal records at an additional fee of £15 (short documents, 1–2 pages) or £20 (longer documents).
Please note: the plain English summary is for general reference and ease of understanding only. It should not be relied upon for any legal, financial, or genealogical purpose without reference to the full diplomatic transcription.
The standard prices are for transcription only — reading and faithfully typing what is written in your document. If you would like additional historical context, such as identifying legal officials, verifying dates, or researching people and places mentioned, this can be arranged as a separate add-on service (typically £20–40 per hour). Please note this is not genealogical research or family tree building, but contextual information to help you understand your document more fully.
Please also note that a formal diplomatic transcription — including letter-for-letter readings, certainty notes, and editorial annotation — is the commissioned product. Partial readings or informal summaries of document content requested outside a formal commission are not provided as a courtesy: they form part of the paid transcription work.
Don't hesitate to get in touch. I'm happy to answer any query about your document before you commit to anything.
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