BERKELEY FAMILY AND ESTATES

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0074 ACC/0530
Held at	: London Metropolitan Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma ›
Full title	: BERKELEY FAMILY AND ESTATES
Date(s)	: 1491-1838
Level of description	: Collection
Extent	: Microfilm only.
Name of creator(s)	: Berkeley | family | of Gloucestershire

Context

Administrative/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.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

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.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

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 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Collection withdrawn 1996.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.

Finding aids:

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

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Records deposited in June 1954.

Allied Materials

Related material:

See also ACC/0867 and ACC/2599.

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:
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.

Date(s) of descriptions:
January to May 2011.