Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1805-1960 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
0.32 linear metres (13 documents).
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Berkeley family's seat was at Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire built in 1153 by Lord Maurice Berkeley. Lord Berkeley of Stratton (died 1678) ran the Duke of York's household and built himself a magnificent London house in Piccadilly. His descendants laid out Berkeley Square in the grounds. In 1679 George Berkeley was made first Earl of Berkeley by King Charles II.
The fifth Earl of Berkeley, Frederick Augustus (1745-1810) took Mary Cole, a butcher's daughter as his mistress. In 1796 they married, Mary having borne the earl five children and later that year their legitimate son Thomas Moreton was born. Mary was anxious about the legitimacy of her adored eldest son William Fitzharding (1786-1857). In 1799 she and the earl forged the Berkeley parish register with a false entry for a secret marriage 1785 to make all their children legitimate. On the death of the earl in 1810, the Berkeley Peerage Case was heard in the House of Lords and in 1811 the earldom passed to Thomas Moreton. In 1841 William Fitzharding was given the title Earl Fitzhardinge.
The family held estates throughout England.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 ACC/0867 1805-1960 Collection 0.32 linear metres (13 documents). Berkeley , family , of Gloucestershire
The Berkeley family's seat was at Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire built in 1153 by Lord Maurice Berkeley. Lord Berkeley of Stratton (died 1678) ran the Duke of York's household and built himself a magnificent London house in Piccadilly. His descendants laid out Berkeley Square in the grounds. In 1679 George Berkeley was made first Earl of Berkeley by King Charles II.
The fifth Earl of Berkeley, Frederick Augustus (1745-1810) took Mary Cole, a butcher's daughter as his mistress. In 1796 they married, Mary having borne the earl five children and later that year their legitimate son Thomas Moreton was born. Mary was anxious about the legitimacy of her adored eldest son William Fitzharding (1786-1857). In 1799 she and the earl forged the Berkeley parish register with a false entry for a secret marriage 1785 to make all their children legitimate. On the death of the earl in 1810, the Berkeley Peerage Case was heard in the House of Lords and in 1811 the earldom passed to Thomas Moreton. In 1841 William Fitzharding was given the title Earl Fitzhardinge.
The family held estates throughout England.
Records deposited in June 1964.
Papers of the Berkeley family including plans of family estates in St George Hanover Square, Cranford, Harlington, and Hillingdon; and pedigree of the Earls of Berkeley and the Barony of Fitzhardinge.
ACC/0867/001 to 013.
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
See also ACC/0530 and ACC/2599. Original records referenced ACC/0530 and ACC/2599 are now held at Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire GL13 9QL where there are related collections.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Records prepared May to September 2011. London Hounslow Cranford Berkeley , family , of Gloucestershire Property Genealogy Family archives Agricultural economics Land economics England Land management Estate management Land use Estates (land) Landed estates Information sources Documents Primary documents Personal papers Family records UK Western Europe Europe Hanover Square Mayfair City of Westminster Hillingdon (district) Hillingdon Harlington
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Records deposited in June 1964.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of the Berkeley family including plans of family estates in St George Hanover Square, Cranford, Harlington, and Hillingdon; and pedigree of the Earls of Berkeley and the Barony of Fitzhardinge.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
ACC/0867/001 to 013.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
See also ACC/0530 and ACC/2599. Original records referenced ACC/0530 and ACC/2599 are now held at Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire GL13 9QL where there are related collections.
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English