Understanding and Transcribing Historical Tax Rolls
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Understanding and Transcribing Historical Tax Rolls Horse Tax, 1785-1798 1. Introduction to Horse Tax records 2. Transcribing the records and field help 3. Records available for transcription 4. Transcription examples 1. Introduction to Horse Tax records These volumes provide information on those who paid taxes on carriage and saddle horses in the late 18th century in the Scottish counties and royal burghs between 1785 and 1798. 2. Transcribing the records and field help Reading historical documents, also known as palaeography, can often be a challenge, but practice helps your learning experience. Before too long, you will read historical documents with few problems. The tax records of the later 18th century are written in what is called a cursive hand style, which is very similar to ‘joined-up handwriting’ that we know today. Most of the letter forms and words should be familiar to the reader, but there may be a few abbreviations, contractions, letter forms or words which may be unknown or unusual to those working with the documents. The Horse Tax records are thought to fall in the beginner, intermediate and advanced categories, so are perfect for all levels of transcribers. There are six different formats of records found in the carriage and horse tax series of records recording similar information. Page 1 Date: 11 Jul 2014 Understanding and Transcribing Historical Tax Rolls Horse Tax, 1785-1798 Please also refer to the Tax FAQs at http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/transcribe/forums/transcriptions/faqs-frequently-asked-questions Horse Tax, volumes 1-14 Horse Tax, volumes 15-16 Horse Tax, volumes 17-19 Page 2 Date: 11 Jul 2014 Understanding and Transcribing Historical Tax Rolls Horse Tax, 1785-1798 Horse Tax, volumes 20-28 Horse Tax, volumes 29-31 Horse Tax, volumes 32-33 Page 3 Date: 11 Jul 2014 Understanding and Transcribing Historical Tax Rolls Horse Tax, 1785-1798 Field help Date The date of the record should be inserted here if it is present in the original record. It should be in the format of: DD MMM YYYY, for example: 22 Oct 1785 However there is no requirement for a leading 0 in dates 1-9. Master/Mistresses name The name of the master or mistress should be entered here. Transcribe the information as it is written. If the first name is abbreviated, expand to include the whole name. If there is a further abbreviation, type it fully after the abbreviation and place in square brackets. For example, should be entered: Archibald Grant Junr [Junior] Actual # The actual number (#) refers to the number of horses. This should be entered as it appears in numerical form Carriage horses This refers to the number of carriage horses. This should be entered as it appears in numerical form Saddle horses This refers to the number of saddle horses. This should be entered as it appears in a numerical form 2 horses This indicates the number of horses. This should be entered as it appears in numerical form 3-5 horses This indicates the number of horses. This should be entered as it appears in numerical form 6 or more horses This indicates the number of horses. This should be entered as it appears in numerical form Duty Financial sums should be entered using the format of £1.2.3 For example, the, should be entered: £5.5.0 10% per 31 George III Financial sums should be entered using the format of £1.2.3 For example, the, should be entered: £5.5.0 10% per 36 George III Financial sums should be entered using the format of £1.2.3.0 For example, the, should be entered: £0.14.0.0 Page 4 Date: 11 Jul 2014 Understanding and Transcribing Historical Tax Rolls Horse Tax, 1785-1798 Additional duty Financial sums should be entered using the format of £1.2.3 For example, the, should be entered: £5.5.0 Duty for 9 months Financial sums should be entered using the format of £1.2.3 For example, the, should be entered: £5.5.0 20% per 37 George III Financial sums should be entered using the format of £1.2.3.0 For example, the, should be entered: £0.14.0.0 Transcribe other information Enter here any handwritten information found in the header or footer of the page, or any marginalia Transcriber’s notes This can be used to record any other notes which the transcriber would find useful for others who may use this record 3. Records available for transcription The following volumes located at the National Records of Scotland have been digitised and made available for transcription: Horse tax, volume 1 NRS reference: E326/9/1 Dates: 1785-1786 Transcription difficulty: Intermediate This volume contains information on who paid horse tax in the counties of Aberdeenshire, Argyll, Ayrshire, Banffshire, Berwickshire, Bute, Caithness, Clackmannanshire, Cromartyshire, Dunbartonshire, Dumfriesshire, Haddingtonshire (East Lothian), Fife, Forfarshire (Angus), Inverness-shire, Kincardineshire, Kinross-shire, and Kirkcudbrightshire, between the 10th of October 1785 until the 5th of April 1786. Horse tax, volume 2 NRS reference: E326/9/2 Dates 1785-1786 Transcription difficulty: Intermediate This volume contains information on who paid horse tax in the counties of Lanarkshire, Midlothian (Edinburghshire), Morayshire (Elgin and Forres), Nairnshire, Orkney, Peeblesshire, Perthshire, Renfrewshire, Ross-shire, Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire, Shetland (lordship of Zetland), Stirlingshire, Sutherland, West Lothian (Linlithgowshire), and Wigtownshire, between the 10th of October 1785 until the 5th of April 1786. Horse tax, volume 3 NRS reference: E326/9/3 Dates: 1785-1786 Transcription difficulty: Intermediate This volume contains information on who paid horse tax in the Scottish burghs of Aberdeen, Annan, Anstruther Easter, Arbroath (Aberdrothock), Ayr, Banff, Brechin, Burntisland, Campbeltown, Crail, Cullen, Cupar, Dingwall, Dumbarton, Dumfries, Dunbar, Dundee, Dunfermline, Dysart, Edinburgh, Elgin, Forfar, Forres, Fortrose and Rosemarkie, Glasgow, Haddington, Inverary, Inverkeithing, Irvine, Jedburgh, Kinghorn, Kirkcaldy, Kirkcudbright, Kirkwall, Lanark, Lauder, Linlithgow, Lochmaben, Montrose, Nairn, New Galloway, North Berwick, Peebles, Perth, Pittenweem, Queensferry (South Queensferry), Rothesay, Rutherglen, St Andrews, Sanquhar, Selkirk, Stirling, Stranraer, Tain, and Wigtown, between the 10th of October 1785 until the 5th of April 1786. Horse tax, volume 4 NRS reference: E326/9/4 Dates: 1786-1787 Transcription difficulty: Advanced This volume contains information on who paid horse tax in the counties of East Lothian (Haddingtonshire), Inverness-shire, Kincardineshire, Kinross-shire, Kirkcudbrightshire, Lanarkshire, Nairnshire, Orkney, Peeblesshire, Perthshire, Renfrewshire, Ross-shire, Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire, Shetland (lordship of Zetland), Stirlingshire, Sutherland, West Lothian (Linlithgowshire), and Wigtownshire, between the 5th of April 1786 until the 5th of April 1787. Horse tax, volume 5 NRS reference: E326/9/5 Dates: 1786-1787 Transcription difficulty: Beginner Page 5 Date: 11 Jul 2014 Understanding and Transcribing Historical Tax Rolls Horse Tax, 1785-1798 This volume contains information on who paid horse tax in the Scottish burghs of Aberdeen, Annan, Anstruther Easter, Arbroath (Aberdrothock), Ayr, Banff, Brechin, Burntisland, Campbeltown, Crail, Cupar, Dingwall, Dumbarton, Dumfries, Dunbar, Dundee, Dunfermline, Dysart, Edinburgh, Elgin, Forfar, Forres, Fortrose and Rosemarkie, Glasgow, Haddington, Inverary, Inverkeithing, Irvine, Jedburgh, Kinghorn, Kirkcaldy, Kirkcudbright, Kirkwall, Lanark, Lauder, Linlithgow, Lochmaben, Montrose, Nairn, North Berwick, Peebles, Perth, Pittenweem, Queensferry (South Queensferry), Rothesay, Rutherglen, St Andrews, Sanquhar, Selkirk, Stirling, Stranraer, Tain, and Wigtown, between the 5th of April 1786 until the 5th of April 1787. Horse tax, volume 6 NRS reference: E326/9/6 Dates: 1787-1788 Transcription difficulty: Beginner This volume contains information on who paid horse tax in the counties of Aberdeenshire, Argyll, Ayrshire, Banffshire, Berwickshire, Bute, Caithness, Clackmannanshire, Cromartyshire, Dunbartonshire, Dumfriesshire, Haddingtonshire (East Lothian), Fife, Forfarshire (Angus), Inverness-shire, Kincardineshire, Kinross-shire, and Kirkcudbrightshire, between the 5th of April 1787 until the 5th of April 1788. Horse tax, volume 7 NRS reference: E326/9/7 Dates: 1787-1788 Transcription difficulty: Advanced This volume contains information on who paid horse tax in the counties of Lanarkshire, Midlothian (Edinburghshire), Morayshire (Elgin and Forres), Nairnshire, Orkney, Peeblesshire, Perthshire, Renfrewshire, Ross-shire, Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire, Stirlingshire, Sutherland, West Lothian (Linlithgowshire), and Wigtownshire, between the 5th of April 1787 until the 5th of April 1788. Horse tax, volume 8 NRS reference: E326/9/8 Dates: 1787-1788 Transcription difficulty: Intermediate This volume contains information on who paid horse tax in the Scottish burghs of Aberdeen, Annan, Anstruther Easter, Arbroath (Aberdrothock), Ayr, Banff, Brechin, Burntisland, Campbeltown, Cullen, Crail, Cupar, Dingwall, Dumbarton, Dumfries, Dunbar, Dundee, Dunfermline, Dysart, Edinburgh, Elgin, Forfar, Forres, Fortrose and Rosemarkie, Glasgow, Haddington, Inverary, Inverkeithing, Irvine, Jedburgh, Kilrenny, Kinghorn, Kirkcaldy, Kirkcudbright, Kirkwall, Lanark, Linlithgow, Lochmaben, Montrose, North Berwick, Peebles, Perth, Pittenweem, Queensferry (South Queensferry), Renfrew, Rothesay, Rutherglen, St Andrews, Sanquhar, Selkirk, Stirling, Stranraer, Tain, and Wigtown, between the 5th of April 1787 until the 5th of April 1788. Horse tax,