BERKELEY FAMILY AND ESTATES - AIM25

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 ACC/0530

Title

BERKELEY FAMILY AND ESTATES

Date(s)

1491-1838 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

Microfilm only.

Context area

Name of creator

Berkeley , family , of Gloucestershire

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 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

The London Archives

Archival history

GB 0074 ACC/0530 1491-1838 Collection Microfilm only. 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 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 1954.

Papers relating to the Berkeley family estates in Middlesex and London. Please note that the original records in this collection are now held at the archives in Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire and only microfilm copies can be viewed at LMA.

The documents relate to the Manors of Cranford, Harlington, East Bedfont, and Heston and to property in Harlington and Saint James's Park. They include Court rolls and books, rentals, financial accounts and other papers.

ACC/0530/ED: Estate management (muniments of title);
ACC/0530/EM: Estate management (rentals);
ACC/0530/H: Household management (account books);
ACC/0530/M: Manorial court rolls and books.

Collection withdrawn 1996. Copies of records in this collection are available for consultation on fiche and film.

Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor.

English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

The original records are now held at Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Records deposited in June 1954.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers relating to the Berkeley family estates in Middlesex and London. Please note that the original records in this collection are now held at the archives in Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire and only microfilm copies can be viewed at LMA.

The documents relate to the Manors of Cranford, Harlington, East Bedfont, and Heston and to property in Harlington and Saint James's Park. They include Court rolls and books, rentals, financial accounts and other papers.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

ACC/0530/ED: Estate management (muniments of title);
ACC/0530/EM: Estate management (rentals);
ACC/0530/H: Household management (account books);
ACC/0530/M: Manorial court rolls and books.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Collection withdrawn 1996. Copies of records in this collection are available for consultation on fiche and film.

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

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

Related descriptions

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

London Metropolitan Archives

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.

Collection GB 0074 ACC/0530 - BERKELEY FAMILY AND ESTATES