A key measure for
historical literacy rates in England is provided by church marriage registers:
you begin by simply counting who signs their name in full and who signs their
name with just an X; aggregate the results to work out changing percentages
over time. There is a good case for assuming that those who could write their
name also had some ability to read – learning to read usually precedes learning
to write.
It is a feature of
English - and an obstacle to the acquisition of literacy - that standard
spellings score low on being phonetically based in contrast to at least some
other languages. All attempts to change this and make more use of phonetic
spellings have been thwarted by those who have mastered the glass bead games
(“i before e except after c” and so on, until you ascend to the seventh circle
of rules for apostrophes).
However, a parallel form
of literacy did once exist though predictive text smartphone software has
probably eliminated it. It is evidenced in letters like the one I have
laboriously transcribed below. Those who had been taught their alphabet and
some minimal writing skills could guess at spellings guided by how the words
sounded in their own dialect plus whatever general rules they knew or imagined
to exist; you would not use a dictionary which would be an expensive piece of
equipment to possess. Letters using this method are reasonably common and
probably achieved their purpose. I think I understand most of this one written
exactly two hundred years ago from Bradhurst just outside Chatham in Kent to
London. The use of precise dates in the letter suggests that the writer,
Susannah Harden, has a calendar in her home.
The address panel of the letter appears to refer to a son , but opens with “Dear Jane” who I assume is the son's wife and
the (more) literate partner. Though signed off by “your Father and mother”, the
letter itself refers to “your mother” – that is, Jane’s mother. The families
involved are probably closely inter-related. Mr Dobson the Chemist in the
address line was well-established in Coleman Street – the “Back Bank” refers to
an area literally at the back of the Bank of England. The couple may have been
employed by him or simply renting lodgings.
This letter can be
compared with another letter on this site also written in Kent and just
eighteen miles away in 1801:
https://www.otherpeoplesletters.com/2026/07/now-all-my-famley-is-goan-to-bed-i-am.html
Transcription
Addressed to: … [
unclear looks like Ed] Harden at
Mr dobson Chimest and
drugest Coleman Street 30 at the Back
Bank London
Datelined: Bradhurst
22th Janry 1826
Postmarked at the local post town CHATHAM 31 [= 31 miles from London]; London receiver
mark 25 JA 1826
Deer Jane this fue Lins
coms to Let you now how I got home But so wat be fore I got to Chattem that I
had not a dry thrad In me and have had shuch a Cold ever sens and I hant dun no
work sens but ham goen to trye a gane a Monday a gane and I hope that these few
Lins Will find you much better then Leeves hus at present for John has got such
a Cold and horsnes that We cant hardle under stand him and Thomas has had a
cold but he better a gane and your mother do but porley and hanner Runs a bout
anny wares and Richard says you must send a Lather jacket and a cape and a cyt
[?] and I had a Lettr and a passel on Sunday Last from totrig [? Totteridge,
north of London] From your ant Hannah Harden and she sent me word that your
aunt Wilkens is ded and that she did on the 9th Jany and your mother
wants to now hoe washes for you now and send word how you Lick your plase now
and all The perticklers and I hant sene Nor heard maidston [Maidstone, Kent]
sens I with you & your hant & uncil [?] Barns sense thare Love to you
and thare ….[?] Quite well your Granmother was at Bradhurst on the 19th
of this mont and she Wos very Bad and wos trubbel To wock home I have not herd
From them sens and your aunt mary Hammond Is as yousel [usual?] I got Mr Russel
Bill on tusday Night after I got hom a muday [?] and your Brother and Sisters
sends …[word faded] & thre Love to you
So no more at present
From your Father and mother
John & Susannah
Harden
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