To be completed in 12 volumes, this monumental work here begins publication with the first two volumes "Abaco to Bertie "and "Bertin to Byzard. "When completed, it is expected that the biographical dictionary will include information on more than 8,500 individuals.

Hundreds of printed sources have been searched for this project, and dozens of repositories combed, and the names of personnel listed have been filtered through parish registers whenever possible. From published and unpublished sources, from wills, archives of professional societies and guilds, from records of colleges,...