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Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
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Paternal Family Tree: Yorke
On 19th May 1755 [his father] Charles Yorke (age 32) and Catherine Blount Freeman (age 18) were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke (age 64) and [his grandmother] Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
On 30th December 1762 [his father] Charles Yorke (age 40) and [his mother] Agneta Johnson (age 22) were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke (age 72) and [his grandmother] Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
On 6th June 1768 Admiral Joseph Sydney Yorke was born to [his father] Charles Yorke (age 45) and [his mother] Agneta Johnson (age 27) at Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.
On 17th January 1770 [his father] Charles Yorke (age 47) was appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal.
On 20th January 1770 [his father] Charles Yorke (age 47) died. He was buried at St Andrew's Church, Wimpole [Map]. Grey marble obelisk on break-front pedestal of white marble with inscription tablet flanked by festoons and frieze carved with emblems of the Chancellor's office; at the base of the obelisk two putti unveil a portrait medallion and at the apex is an achievement of arms; signed 'P. SCHEEMAKER (age 79) FaT'.
On 15th February 1780 Admiral Joseph Sydney Yorke (age 11) joined the Royal Navy becoming a midshipman aboard HMS Duke commanded by Sir Charles Douglas. He followed Douglas to his next command HMS Formidable under George Brydges Rodney 1st Baron Rodney (age 62).
On 24th July 1782 [his half-brother] Philip Yorke 3rd Earl of Hardwicke (age 25) and [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Lindsay Countess Hardwicke (age 18) were married. She the daughter of James Lindsay 5th Earl Balcarres and Anne Dalrymple Countess Balcarres (age 55).
On 17th March 1785 Henry Burgh 1st Marquess Clarincade (age 43) and [his future wife] Urania Paulet Marchioness Clanricarde (age 18) were married. The difference in their ages was 24 years. She the daughter of George Paulett 12th Marquess Winchester (age 62) and Martha Ingoldsby Marchioness Winchester. He the son of John Smith Burgh 11th Earl Clanricarde and Hester Amelia Vincent Countess Clanricarde.
On 17th August 1785 Henry Burgh 1st Marquess Clarincade (age 43) was created 1st Marquess Clarincade. [his future wife] Urania Paulet Marchioness Clanricarde (age 18) by marriage Marchioness Clarincade.
On 16th June 1789 Admiral Joseph Sydney Yorke (age 21) was promoted to Lieutenant. He moved to the 50-gun HMS Adamant to serve under Admiral Sir Richard Hughes.
On 16th May 1790 [his uncle] Philip Yorke 2nd Earl of Hardwicke (age 69) died. His nephew [his half-brother] Philip (age 32) succeeded 3rd Earl Hardwicke, 3rd Viscount Royston. He was buried at St Andrew's Church, Wimpole [Map]. Monument at the De Grey Mausoleum, St John the Baptist Church, Flitton [Map] sculpted by Thomas Banks (age 54)..
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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In July 1794 Admiral Joseph Sydney Yorke (age 26) moved to HMS Stag.
On 4th September 1794 William Beauchamp-Proctor 3rd Baronet (age 12) entered the Royal Navy on 4 September 1794, with the rank of able seaman, aboard the 32-gun frigate Stag under Captain Joseph Sydney Yorke (age 26).
On 29th March 1798 Admiral Joseph Sydney Yorke (age 29) and Elizabeth Weake Rattray were married.
On 2nd April 1799 [his son] Charles Yorke 4th Earl of Hardwicke was born to Admiral Joseph Sydney Yorke (age 30) and [his wife] Elizabeth Weake Rattray at Sydney Lodge, Hamble le Rice. He married August 1833 Susan Liddell Countess Hardwicke, daughter of Thomas Liddell 1st Baron Ravensworth and Maria Susannah Simpson Baroness Calthorpe, and had issue.
In 1803 King George III of Great Britain and Ireland (age 64) created new Garter Knights as follows:
624th John Henry Manners 5th Duke Rutland (age 25).
625th [his half-brother] Philip Yorke 3rd Earl of Hardwicke (age 45). His brother Admiral Joseph Sydney Yorke (age 34) stood in for the Earl at the investiture since the Earl was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland at the time and unable to be present.
On 30th October 1803 [his son] Henry Reginald Yorke was born to Admiral Joseph Sydney Yorke (age 35) and [his wife] Elizabeth Weake Rattray. He married 1833 Flora Elizabeth Campbell and had issue.
On 31st July 1810 [his half-brother] Philip Yorke 3rd Earl of Hardwicke (age 53) was appointed Admiral of the Blue.
On 20th January 1812 [his wife] Elizabeth Weake Rattray died.
On 22nd May 1813 Admiral Joseph Sydney Yorke (age 44) and Urania Paulet Marchioness Clanricarde (age 46) were married at St Martin in the Fields Church [Map]. She the daughter of George Paulett 12th Marquess Winchester and Martha Ingoldsby Marchioness Winchester.
On 30th December 1820 [his mother] Agneta Johnson (age 80) died. Buried at St Andrew's Church, Wimpole [Map].
Inscription tablet flanked by pilasters with figures of her husband in robes of state and of two sons, and with medallion portrait at the head, all in white marble, signed 'J. FLAXMAN (age 65), R.A. Sculptor'
Agneta Johnson: On 11th November 1740 she was born to Henry Johnson of Berkhamstead in Hertfordshire. On 30th December 1762 Charles Yorke and she were married. He the son of Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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On 5th May 1831 Admiral Joseph Sydney Yorke (age 62) drowned when the boat in which he was travelling was hit by lightning. He was buried at St Andrew's Church, Wimpole [Map].
Large grey marble panel with achievement of arms, descriptive tablet with naval trophies and emblems, and a female mourner, all in white marble.
In 1843 [his former wife] Urania Paulet Marchioness Clanricarde (age 76) died.
Great x 2 Grandfather: Simon Yorke of Dover 
Great x 1 Grandfather: Philip Yorke
GrandFather: Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke
Father: Charles Yorke
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Cocks of Castleditch Herefordshire
Great x 1 Grandfather: Charles Cocks
GrandMother: Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Somers
Great x 1 Grandmother: Mary Somers
GrandFather: Henry Johnson of Berkhamstead in Hertfordshire
Mother: Agneta Johnson