AKA 'Pouncing', although strictly speaking a proper pounce is made from a piece of oiled card which is then perforated with a needle to give a dotted outline. The card is then patted with a muslin bag filled with French Chalk which goes through the holes.
When I was doing it, I just printed the design onto 80 gsm paper & chalked the back to transfer it rather as Mr Baker has done at Quorn.
As to historical examples... There are plenty of examples showing a guide lines - top only if you're using the plank edge as a bottom guide - but very few showing anything else. I did turf up these though:—
March 1938: This looks as though the G W and 12T have been pounced, & maybe the number too (that 8 is very nice & both the 5s are suspiciously similar):—
August 1948: Not sure about this one - the 'dotted box' is something I've not seen elsewhere & the general wonkiness suggests freehand:—
June 1958: Plenty of chalk lines here, & a suspicion of sketching out on the number - sort of a halfway house between pouncing/tracing & freehand:—