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Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
1857. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of William Morris (age 22).
Around 1864. Unknown Photographer. Jane Morris nee Burden (age 24) and Jane Alicia Morris (age 2).
Around 1865. Unknown Photographer. Jane Morris nee Burden (age 25) and Jane Alicia Morris (age 3).
Around 1865 . Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Thomas Woolner (age 39).
After 19th September 1870. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Julia Prinsep Jackson (age 24) in mourning.
1873. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Julia Prinsep Jackson (age 26) in mourning with her daughter Stella.
After 1875 From: The London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company. Photograph of Philip Richard Morris (age 38).
1882 or 1883. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of John White Alexander (age 25).
Around 1883. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Paul César Helleu (age 23).
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Around 1883. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of John Jackson (age 79).
John Jackson: In 1804 he was born to George Jackson and Mary Howard of Bengal. On 17th January 1837 he and Maria "Mia" Theodosia Pattle were married at Calcutta, India. In 1887 he died.
1889-1891. Philip Richard Morris A.R.A., ca.1889-1891. Photograph of Philip Richard Morris (age 52). From the Book "Members And Associates Of The Royal Academy Of Arts 1891 Photographed In Their Studios" By Ralph W. Robinson Of Redhill - [London] 1892.
1891Unknown Photographer. Photograph of John Townshend 6th Marquess Townshend (age 24) in 'The Marchioness Townshend of Raynham, It Was – And it Wasn’t'.
1891. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Consuelo Yznaga Duchess Manchester (age 38).
1893. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire (age 20).
1894. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Romaine Brooks aka Goddard (age 19).
Between 1900 and 1905. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough (age 22).
Around 1900. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Henry Cyril "Toppy" Paget 5th Marquess Anglesey (age 24).
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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Around 1900. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Henry Cyril "Toppy" Paget 5th Marquess Anglesey (age 24).
After 1900. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Henry Cyril "Toppy" Paget 5th Marquess Anglesey (age 24).
1901. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Evelyn Grace Foster Marchioness Downshire.
1903. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Ernest William Beckett 2nd Baron Grimthorpe (age 46).
3rd November 1909. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Mary "May" Morris (age 47).
1910. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Maud Windsor Queen Consort Norway (age 40).
Around 1910. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough (age 32).
1911. Unknown Photographer. Albert Edward John Spencer 7th Earl Spencer (age 18) on his horse "Maybury" in front of Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map].
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
1915. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Desmond Fitzgerald (age 26).
Before 13th May 1915. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Clement Freeman-Mitford (age 38).
His death occurred in heroic circumstances, during an attack made by the 10th Hussars that also resulted in the deaths of the CO Lt-Col Shearman and Captain Gerald Stewart. Clem, as he was called by his fellow officers, lived at Batsford Park, Moreton-in-Marsh.
1916. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Evelyn Grace Foster Marchioness Downshire.
1922. Harris & Ewing, Inc.. Photograph of Simon Elwes (age 19) leaving the White House after completing sketches of President Harding.
1924. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Howard Carter (age 49).
Around 1925. Rita Martin. Photograph of Mimi Crawford (age 27).
Around 1925. Lenare. Photograph of Mimi Crawford (age 27).
1927. Sasha aka Alexander Stewart. Photograph of Mimi Crawford (age 29).
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
24th June 1927. Sasha aka Alexander Stewart. Photograph of Mimi Crawford (age 29).
Around 1930. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Cecil Beaton (age 25) and his sisters Barbara "Baba" Beaton (age 17) and Nancy Beaton (age 20) arriving at an Eton.
Nancy Beaton: On 30th September 1909 she was born to Ernest Beaton and Esther "Etty" Sisson. In January 1933 Hugh Houston Smiley 3rd Baronet and she were married. The eight bridesmaids included the bride's sister Barbara "Baba" Beaton, Margaret Whigham, Lady Bridget Poulett, and Lady Anne Wellesley On 6th June 1999 Nancy Beaton died.
1938. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of debutante Sarah Norton (age 17).
January 1938. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Thelma Morgan Viscountess Furness (age 33), Dorothé Mabel Lewis (age 38), a month before she died, and Patrick Plunket 7th Baron Plunket (age 14).
Dorothé Mabel Lewis: In 1900 she was born illegitimately to Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart 7th Marquess of Londonderry and Fanny Ward aka Buchanan. On 24th February 1938 Terence Plunket 6th Baron Plunket and Dorothé Mabel Lewis died in a plane crash. They were bound for the Hearst ranch at San Simeon, now known as Hearst Castle. In the coastal fog surrounding the airstrip on the ranch, the pilot overshot the field by nearly a mile and a half. One wing struck the ground, causing the plane to burst into flames and crash. James Lawrence was the only survivor, having been thrown clear of the plane. He suffered burns and a broken ankle. Her son Patrick succeeded 7th Baron Plunket of Newtown in County Cork.
Patrick Plunket 7th Baron Plunket: On 8th September 1923 he was born to Terence Plunket 6th Baron Plunket and Dorothé Mabel Lewis. On 19th December 1961 David Armstrong-Jones 2nd Earl of Snowdon was baptised in the Music Room, Buckingham Palace. His godparents were Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Elizabeth Cavendish, Patrick Plunket 7th Baron Plunket, Rupert Charles Montacute Neville and Bishop Simon Phipps. On 28th May 1975 Patrick Plunket 7th Baron Plunket died. His brother Robin succeeded 8th Baron Plunket of Newtown in County Cork.
Around 1942. Unknown Photographer. Navy file photo of Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (age 26) from JFK Presidential Library & Museum.
Joseph Patrick Kennedy: On 25th July 1915 he was born to Joseph Patrick Kennedy and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald. On 12th August 1944 Joseph Patrick Kennedy was killed at Blythburgh, Suffolk when his plane exploded over the English Channel during a top-secret mission.