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The Surtees Society

Editing

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Creating the raw materials of History

Editing manuscripts and making them accessible in print is a creative process, which adds value and in a real sense creates new raw materials for future historians.  At the heart of any scholarly edition is a full and accurate transcript of the manuscript record, converting the often challenging handwriting of the original into clear printed text.
As well as a transcript of the record itself, Surtees Society volumes contain additional material to provide the reader with tools which enhance the historical value of the bald text of the document.  These typically include:

  • An Introduction to the record which has been transcribed, giving its provenance and the ‘life-history’of the manuscript(s) and setting it in context.  Introductions also include a statement of Editorial Method, so that the reader knows how the editor has converted the manuscript into printed form.
  • Footnotes, both textual (helping to elucidate the text of the manuscript) and explanatory (identifying people, places and events mentioned in the text, for example)
  • Appendices (such as biographical notes) and a Glossary (explaining obsolete, specialist or dialect terms), if relevant
  • Index(es), both a Name Index (indexing personal and place-names) and a Subject Index.

Our published volumes stand the test of time and become valuable primary sources of historical information for many decades to come.  Few historians should need to consult the original documents once an edition is in print, thus reducing wear and tear and helping to preserve the region’s unique manuscript heritage.

To find out more, see P. D. A. Harvey, Editing Historical Records (British Library, 2001).

Creating the raw materials of History

Invitation for proposals

Although we have published over 200 volumes of scholarly editions so far, these barely scratch the surface of the rich archival resources for the history of northern England and the Scottish borders.  We are always keen to hear from potential editors who would be willing to work with the Society to produce editions of previously unpublished records.

  • We publish editions of archives from across the centuries, from the earliest written records to modern times, and relating to all aspects of the region’s history.
  • Most of our volumes publish a single source or class of record.  To make a full volume, the transcript of the source itself should usually contain at least 75,000 words.
  • Most Surtees Society volumes relate to the historic counties of Northumberland and Durham, though a substantial minority concern Cumberland, Westmorland or Yorkshire.  Some of these have been collaborative ventures, published jointly with other societies in northern England.
  • If you would like to discuss a proposal for a future Surtees Society publication, please send an outline, following the template which can be seen here, to surtees.society@durham.ac.uk 

Editorial conventions

The Surtees Society aims to publish editions which conform to the highest possible scholarly standards.  Modern record editing conventions are the product of thoughtful evolution across many decades: we believe that simple rules, consistently applied, can achieve the highest standards.

Editing is a skill to be learnt and the society encourages and supports those who wish to edit.  Each volume editor is supported by one of the society’s General Editors, who will work with them, advising on all stages of the editorial process and seeing the finished volume through the press.  The relationship between volume editors and the society is spelt out in a Memorandum of Understanding.

Editorial conventions ensure consistency and high standards. The conventions for editing Medieval documents are tailored to the distinctive characteristics of records created before around 1500.  The conventions for editing Post-Medieval documents take account of the wider range of records surviving from the 16th century and later.