GEN-MEDIEVAL-L Archives

From: Kay Allen AG <>
Subject: Re: Slamming Sources; for what profit......
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 1990 07:03:32 -0700

Comments interspersed.

>
> This raises some problems for us amateurs, those who are making their
> own investigations from limited resources. We simply do not have
> access, or the time to get access, to any source manuscripts or even
> photos of such manuscripts. We rely on good secondary sources, on those
> people who have the time and access to the manuscripts. This may cost a
> few dollars (pounds / francs / pesos) to buy the secondary resources,
> but this is cheaper than spending days in hotels near libraries or other
> resources that do have the source material.

It has been said that what separates "the men from the boys" is the
price of the toys :-) One of the reasons I became a professional is to
earn money doing something I liked and was relatively good at to be able
to pay for my own expensive research vices.

But the amateur is not out of luck. Many good items, both primary and
secondary are available through the LDS Family History Center. If you
aren't close to one, the Reference people in Salt Lke City may be able
to help you obtain copies.

People on this list may be able to make copies for you. But it is always
good form to offer to pay copying costs and postage. And nice but not
necessary to offer a small renumeration for thanks. It doesn't need to
be cash, just a small token of appreciation.
>
> Perhaps as the years go past we may get pretty close to some source
> records, but this is not the common experience for the hobbyist or
> amateur genealogist.

It depends on how dedicated the amnateur is. Some with whom I am
acquainted will find ways to get at them, including saving the pennies,
pence or centimes to afford ordering copies. Some amateurs are fortunate
enough to have the ready gelt to not have to wait, but can just order
them. I never was in that class :-)
>
> So. for us less well-equipped people, the problem is one of finding good
> secondary resources. Obviously, as in the art world, it is a matter of
> fashion to find who is the currently regarded best expert in a
> particular field. One decade it is one person for a field, the next
> decade it is another. With luck these changes of expert are towards
> better researched material.

One should not be overly influence by trends, but should be as eclectic
as possible to try to search out what has been published in the area in
which you are interested.

Geographically speaking, for England, the Victoria County History series
is great, if incomplete. Many of the older volumes have been microfilmed
by the LDS Church and are available for rental.

And if you have found something,you can always ask the group for an
opinion. But there are so many different resources that is is impossible
to cover them all in one blanket report.

So hang in there, but be prepared to shell out some filthy lucre as
there are very few free lunches :-)

Kay Allen AG
>
> So the question, for us amateurs, becomes what are the best
> secondary resources for the different areas of study.
>
> Obviously we are privileged to have in this group not a few
> professionals, for whom there are different questions, directly to do
> with the real resources. Long may they prosper! We need the real
> expert and we need open debate to criticise and evelop their knowledge.
>
> --
> Tim Powys-Lybbe
> For a patchwork of bygones: http://powys.org
>

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• Re: Slamming Sources; for what profit...... by Kay Allen AG <>