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.
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On 13th January 1843 William Purdie Treloar 1st Baronet was born.
In 1869 William Purdie Treloar 1st Baronet (age 25) and Annie Blake were married.
On 21st December 1881 William Purdie Treloar 1st Baronet (age 38) became a Common Councilman for Farringdon Without.
In 1892 William Purdie Treloar 1st Baronet (age 48) was elected Alderman of Farringdon Without.
In 1899 William Purdie Treloar 1st Baronet (age 55) was elected Sheriff of London.
On 29th March 1900 William Purdie Treloar 1st Baronet (age 57) was knighted by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (age 80) at Windsor Castle [Map].
On 9th November 1906 William Purdie Treloar 1st Baronet (age 63) was elected Lord Mayor of London.
On 8th May 1907 William Purdie Treloar 1st Baronet (age 64) had the honour of leading the Furry Dance at Helston, Cornwall. On the same day he was given the Freedom of the Borough of Helston and then Freedom of the Borough of Truro.
The London Gazette 28040. Whitehall, July 15, 1907.
The King (age 65) has been pleased to direct the preparation of Warrants, under His Majesty's Royal Sign Manual, authorizing Letters Patent to be passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, conferring the dignity of a Baronet of the said United Kingdom upon each of the undermentioned Gentlemen, and the heirs male of their respective bodies lawfully begotten:—
Sir Charles Scotter (age 72), of Surbiton, in the county of Surrey, Knight.
The Right Honourable Sir William Purdie Treloar (age 64), of Grange Mount, in the parish of All Saints, Upper Norwood, in the borough of Croydon, Knight, Lord Mayor of the City of London.
Sir William Henry Holland (age 57), of Queen's Gate, in the Royal borough of Kensington, Knight.
John Emmott Barlow, of Bradwall Hall, in the parish of Sandbach, in the county of Chester, Esquire.
William Benjamin Bowring, of Beechwood, in the parish of Grassendale, in the county palatine of Lancaster, Esquire.
John Alexander Dewar, of the city of Perth, Esquire.
Francis Edwards, of Knighton, in the county of Radnor, Esquire.
Ivor John Caradoc Herbert, of Llanarth and Treowen, in the county of Moumouth, Esquire, Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Colonel in the Army.
Francis Douglas Blake (age 51), of Tillmouth Park, in the parish of Cornhill, in the county of Northumberland, Esquire, Lieutenant-Colonel and Honorary Colonel commanding the Northumberland Royal Garrison Artillery (Militia).
Walter Scott, of Beauclere, in the parish of Bywell St. Andrews, in the county of Northumberland, Esquire.
Frederic Samuel Philipson Philipson-Stow, of Cape Town, in the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, and of Blackdown House, in the parish of Lodsworth, in the county of Sussex, Esquire.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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6th September 1923 William Purdie Treloar 1st Baronet (age 80) died. Baronet Treloar of Grange Mount in All Saints, Upper Norwood in Croydon extinct.