The editors have not taken a traditionalist approach to transcription, instead ‘silently’ expanding abbreviations such as Rd or St and most place names. The editors have also added or omitted punctuation and adjusted capitalisation with as light a touch as seems concomitant with comprehension and ease of reading while maintaining the ‘feel’ of the journal.
In line with standard practice square brackets have been used to indicate more significant editorial insertions. It has not been felt necessary to footnote references to frequently occurring individuals every time they appear but, in order to support new readers’ understanding, such biographical footnotes are repeated from time to time.
The provision of an image of each entry below the transcript makes it relatively easy to see where transcription differs from a purist approach.
In almost five years of transcripts the editors believe that there has only been one redaction (for a term which, though once in common use, is now best omitted) but if one is called for again in future it will be suitably footnoted.
