Some general tips:

• The ‘Golden Rule’: Please transcribe exactly what is written in the letters (including any exact spelling, capitalization and punctuation). Try to replicate the layout, too (starting a new line when the letter writer does so).
• Handwriting can be difficult to read. If something is illegible you can simply insert ‘[illeg]’. If you think you know what something says, but are not entirely sure (for example, if you think the word may be ‘butter’), you can insert ‘[?butter]’. Anything in square brackets is your comment (and not in the original).
• Most letters are more than one page. If you wish to transcribe the whole letter, that’s terrific. But you can also choose to transcribe just one page if you prefer.
• Your transcription will not go live immediately but will be quickly reviewed before being published on this page.
• Use our ‘Guidance on Transcription’ if you are unsure how to record something.