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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Paternal Family Tree: Bouverie
On 19th June 1866 [his father] William Pleydell-Bouverie 5th Earl Radnor [aged 25] and [his mother] Helen Matilda Chaplin Countess Radnor [aged 20] were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 4th Earl Radnor [aged 50] and [his grandmother] Mary Augusta Frederica Grimston [aged 44].
On 8th July 1868 Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie was born to [his father] William Pleydell-Bouverie 5th Earl Radnor [aged 27] and [his mother] Helen Matilda Chaplin Countess Radnor [aged 22].
On 11th March 1889 [his grandfather] Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 4th Earl Radnor [aged 73] died. His son [his father] William [aged 47] succeeded 5th Earl Radnor, 6th Viscount Folkestone, 6th Baron Longford, 8th Baronet Bouverie of St Catherine Cree Church in London.
On 15th August 1889 [his brother-in-law] Edward George Bootle Wibraham 2nd Earl Lathom [aged 24] and [his sister] Wilma Pleydell-Bouverie Countess Lathom [aged 19] were married. She the daughter of [his father] William Pleydell-Bouverie 5th Earl Radnor [aged 48] and [his mother] Helen Matilda Chaplin Countess Radnor [aged 43]. He the son of Edward Bootle Wibraham 1st Earl Lathom [aged 51] and Alice Villiers Countess Lathom [aged 48]. They were second cousins.
On 20th January 1891 Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie [aged 22] and Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour were married. He the son of William Pleydell-Bouverie 5th Earl Radnor [aged 49] and Helen Matilda Chaplin Countess Radnor [aged 44].
In 1892 Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie [aged 23] was elected MP Wilton.
On 23rd March 1892 [his daughter] Jeane Pleydell-Bouverie was born to Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [aged 23] and [his wife] Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour.
On 16th May 1894 [his daughter] Katherine Pleydell-Bouverie was born to Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [aged 25] and [his wife] Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour.
On 18th December 1895 [his son] William Pleydell-Bouverie 7th Earl of Radnor was born to Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [aged 27] and [his wife] Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour.
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.
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On 27th June 1897 [his daughter] Elizabeth Pleydell-Bouverie was born to Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [aged 28] and [his wife] Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour.
On 19th November 1898 Edward Bootle Wibraham 1st Earl Lathom [aged 60] died. His son [his brother-in-law] Edward [aged 34] succeeded 2nd Earl Lathom, 3rd Baron Skelmersdale in Lancashhire. [his sister] Wilma Pleydell-Bouverie Countess Lathom [aged 29] by marriage Countess Lathom.
On 10th September 1899 [his son] Captain Edward Pleydell-Bouverie was born to Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [aged 31] and [his wife] Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour. He married after 30th March 1929 Alice Pearl Crake Baroness Montagu.
On 3rd June 1900 [his father] William Pleydell-Bouverie 5th Earl Radnor [aged 58] died. His son Jacob [aged 31] succeeded 6th Earl Radnor, 7th Viscount Folkestone, 7th Baron Longford, 9th Baronet Bouverie of St Catherine Cree Church in London.
On 6th April 1902 [his son] Major Bartholomew Pleydell-Bouverie was born to Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [aged 33] and [his wife] Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour.
On 26th June 1903 [his daughter] Margaret Pleydell-Bouverie was born to Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [aged 34] and [his wife] Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour.
On 26th March 1905 [his son] Anthony Pleydell-Bouverie was born to Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [aged 36] and [his wife] Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour.
On 2nd January 1908 [his daughter] Helen Pleydell-Bouverie was born to Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [aged 39] and [his wife] Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour. She married 22nd July 1931 her half fifth cousin once removed David John Smith, son of Frederick Smith 2nd Viscount Hambleden and Esther Georgiana Caroline Gore Viscountess Hambleden.
On 19th October 1909 [his son] Peter Pleydell-Bouverie was born to Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [aged 41] and [his wife] Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour.
After 30th March 1929 Captain Edward Pleydell-Bouverie [aged 29] and Alice Pearl Crake Baroness Montagu [aged 34] were married. He the son of Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [aged 60] and Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour.
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.
On 11th September 1929 [his mother] Helen Matilda Chaplin Countess Radnor [aged 83] died.
On 26th June 1930 Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [aged 61] died. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral [Map]. His son William [aged 34] succeeded 7th Earl Radnor, 8th Viscount Folkestone, 8th Baron Longford, 10th Baronet Bouverie of St Catherine Cree Church in London.
After 26th June 1930. Monument at Salisbury Cathedral [Map] to Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor [deceased].
On 5th January 1946 [his former wife] Julian Eleanor Adelaide Balfour died.
Kings Wessex: Great x 26 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 21 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 27 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 22 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 26 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 13 Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Kings Scotland: Great x 25 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 32 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 16 Grand Son of Charles "Beloved Mad" VI King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 30 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Jacob Bouverie 1st Viscount Folkestone
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Pleydell-Bouverie 1st Earl Radnor
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Clarke
Great x 2 Grandfather: Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 2nd Earl Radnor
Great x 4 Grandfather: Mark Stuart Pleydell
Great x 3 Grandmother: Harriet Pleydell
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Pleydell-Bouverie 3rd Earl Radnor 20 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Anthony Duncombe 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Anthony Duncombe 1st Baron Feversham
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Duncombe Countess Radnor 19 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Hales 3rd Baronet 17 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Hales Baroness Feversham Downton 18 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
GrandFather: Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 4th Earl Radnor 21 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Paulet St John 1st Baronet 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry St John-Mildmay 2nd Baronet 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Paulet St John-Mildmay 3rd Baronet
Great x 4 Grandfather: Abraham Tucker of Betchworth Castle
Great x 3 Grandmother: Dorothy Maria Tucker Lady St John Mildmay
Great x 1 Grandmother: Judith St John-Mildmay Countess Radnor
Great x 3 Grandfather: Carew Milday of Shawford House in Hampshire 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Jane Mildmay Lady St-John Mildmay
Father: William Pleydell-Bouverie 5th Earl Radnor 22 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Grimston 1st Viscount Grimston
Great x 3 Grandfather: James Grimston 2nd Viscount Grimston
Great x 2 Grandfather: James Grimston 3rd Viscount Grimston
Great x 1 Grandfather: James Walter Grimston 1st Earl Verulam 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward Walter
Great x 2 Grandmother: Harriet Walter Viscountess Grimston
GrandMother: Mary Augusta Frederica Grimston
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Jenkinson 2nd Baronet
Great x 3 Grandfather: Colonel Charles Jenkinson
Great x 2 Grandfather: Charles Jenkinson 1st Earl Liverpool
Great x 1 Grandmother: Charlotte Jenkinson Countess Verulam
Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie 6th Earl Radnor 13 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Chaplin 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Chaplin of Blankney
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Chaplin 16 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Andrew Archer 14 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Diana Archer 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Dashwood 
Great x 1 Grandfather: Charles Chaplin 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Cecil 6th Earl Exeter 
7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandfather: Brownlow Cecil 8th Earl Exeter 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Brownlow Countess Exeter 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Cecil 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
GrandFather: Reverend Henry Chaplin 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Taylor of Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Taylor
Mother: Helen Matilda Chaplin Countess Radnor 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 2 Grandfather: Alexander Ellice
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Ellice of Invergarry
GrandMother: Caroline Horatia Ellice