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: Simeon
In or before 1756 [his father] Richard Simeon and [his mother] Elizabeth Hutton were married.
In 1756 John Simeon 1st Baronet was born to [his father] Richard Simeon and [his mother] Elizabeth Hutton.
In 1783 John Simeon 1st Baronet (age 27) and Rebecca Cornwall were married.
In 1784 [his father] Richard Simeon died.
On 21st May 1784 [his son] Richard Godin Simeon 2nd Baronet was born to John Simeon 1st Baronet (age 28) and [his wife] Rebecca Cornwall. He married 8th April 1813 Louisa Edith Barrington, daughter of Fitzwilliam Barrington 10th Baronet and Edith Mary Marshall Lady Barrington, and had issue.
In 1797 John Simeon 1st Baronet (age 41) was elected MP Reading which seat he held until 1802.
In 1806 John Simeon 1st Baronet (age 50) was elected MP Reading which seat he held until 1818.
On 8th April 1813 [his son] Richard Godin Simeon 2nd Baronet (age 28) and [his daughter-in-law] Louisa Edith Barrington were married.
In July 1814 [his son-in-law] Frederick Baker 2nd Baronet (age 42) and [his daughter] Harriet Simeon Lady Baker were married. She by marriage Lady Baker of Loventor in Totnes in Devon.
In 1815 John Simeon 1st Baronet (age 59) was created 1st Baronet Simeon of Grazeley in Berkshire.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
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On 4th February 1824 John Simeon 1st Baronet (age 68) died. His son Richard (age 39) succeeded 2nd Baronet Simeon of Grazeley in Berkshire.
[his daughter] Harriet Simeon Lady Baker was born to John Simeon 1st Baronet and Rebecca Cornwall. She married July 1814 Frederick Baker 2nd Baronet, son of George Baker 1st Baronet and Jane Morris, and had issue.
Prenuptial Settlement of Sir Frederick Francis Baker, bt., and Miss [his daughter] Harriet Simeon, between (1) John Simeon of Queen Ann St., esq., Master in Chancery, and dau. Harriet by wife Rebecca, (2) sd. Sir Frederick, of Jermyn St., (3) Richard Simson of St.John's in Isle of Wight, esq., and Chas. Ogilby of Salvadore House in City of London, James Cocks of Chesterfield St., and Chas. Morris of Wandsworth co. Surr., whereby Harriet's fortune of £6,000 under will of uncle Edward Simeon, merchant, and £4,000 advanced by her father, with further £20,000 advanced by Sir Frederick, is conveyed to trustees in trust to raise £200 p.a. for Harriet and remaining income to Sir Frederick, and after their deaths to use of children of marriage other than eldest son as they shall direct. Wit: Thomas Ireland, William Whitton. Endorsed with deed of appointment, 9 Feb. 1847, reciting events following the above deed, of Sir George Baker, Edward Simeon and John Simeon as trustees. Date: 1814, 5 Jul