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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On 4th January 1878 Augustus John was born to Edwin William John and Augusta Smith [aged 30] at Tenby, Pembrokeshire on the Esplanade, now known as The Belgrave Hotel.
In 1884 [his mother] Augusta Smith [aged 36] died.
1902. George Charles Beresford [aged 37]. Portrait of Augustus John [aged 23].
Around 1906. Augustus John [aged 27]. Portrait of Ottoline Violet Anne Cavendish-Bentinck aka Lady Ottoline Morrell.
Ottoline Violet Anne Cavendish-Bentinck: On 16th June 1873 Ottoline Violet Anne Cavendish-Bentinck Lieutenant-General Arthur Cavendish Bentinck and Augusta Mary Elizabeth Browne 1st Baroness Bolsover On 21st April 1938 she died.
Between 1915 and 1919 Gerald Leslie Brockhurst [aged 24] and his wife Anaïs Melisande Folin lived in Ireland where they were friends with Augustus John [aged 36] and his circle.
1917, reworked 1922. Augustus John [aged 38]. Portrait of Margherita Dorothy van Raalte Baroness Howard de Walden [aged 27]. Augustus John was first invited to Chirk Castle [Map] in 1912 to paint Margherita's portrait. Although she attended many sittings, the end result was in her words 'a horrible picture which, after a while, he simply painted over'.
Margherita Dorothy van Raalte Baroness Howard de Walden: In 1890 she was born. In 1912 Thomas Scott-Ellis 8th Baron Howard de Walden 4th Baron Seaford and she were married. She by marriage Baroness Howard de Walden, Baroness Seaford of Seaford in Sussex. In 1974 she died.
1919. Augustus John [aged 40]. Portrait of Luisa Adele Rosa Maria Amman Marchesa Casati [aged 37].
1919. Augustus John [aged 40]. Portrait of Luisa Adele Rosa Maria Amman Marchesa Casati [aged 37].
Around 1925. Augustus John [aged 46]. Portrait of Edgar Vincent 1st Viscount D'Abernon [aged 67].
1930. Augustus John [aged 51]. Portrait of Dorothea Louise Ashley-Cooper Viscountess Head [aged 22].
Dorothea Louise Ashley-Cooper Viscountess Head: On 29th April 1907 she was born to Anthony Ashley-Cooper 9th Earl of Shaftesbury and Constance Grosvenor Countess of Shaftesbury. On 23rd July 1935 Antony Head 1st Viscount Head and she were married. She the daughter of Anthony Ashley-Cooper 9th Earl of Shaftesbury and Constance Grosvenor Countess of Shaftesbury. In 1960 Antony Head 1st Viscount Head was created 1st Viscount Head of Throope in Wiltshire. She by marriage Viscountess Head of Throope in Wiltshire. In 1987 Dorothea Louise Ashley-Cooper Viscountess Head died.
Around 1930. Augustus John [aged 51]. Portrait of Bapsybanoo Pavry Marchioness of Winchester [aged 28].
Bapsybanoo Pavry Marchioness of Winchester: In 1902 she was born. In 1952 Henry Paulet 16th Marquess of Winchester and she were married. She by marriage Marchioness Winchester. The difference in their ages was 39 years. He the son of John Paulet 14th Marquess Winchester and Mary Robinson Montagu Marchioness Winchester. On 6th September 1995 she died.
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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Around 1930. Augustus John [aged 51]. Portrait of Mary Sibell Ashley-Cooper Baroness Alington [aged 27].
In 1931 Mortimer Wheeler [aged 40] and Mabel aka Mabel Wright [aged 23] were married. She was at the time the mistress of the painter Augustus John [aged 52].
Before 18th September 1937 Lois Sturt [aged 37] had relationships with Reginald Herbert 15th Earl Pembroke 12th Earl Montgomery [aged 57], Prince George Windsor 1st Duke Kent [aged 34], Alfred Duff Cooper 1st Viscount Norwich [aged 47] and Augustus John [aged 59].
1942. Augustus John [aged 63]. Portrait of Luisa Adele Rosa Maria Amman Marchesa Casati [aged 60].
1942. Augustus John [aged 63]. Portrait of Princess Elizabeth Bibesco nee Asquith [aged 44].
Princess Elizabeth Bibesco nee Asquith: On 26th February 1897 she was born to Herbert Henry Asquith 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith and Emma Margaret "Margot" Tennant. On 7th April 1945 Princess Elizabeth Bibesco nee Asquith died.
On 30th July 1954 Anthony Vivian 5th Baron Vivian [aged 48] was shot in the abdomen by Mavis Wheeler [aged 46], the former wife of both Sir Mortimer Wheeler [aged 63] and Horace de Vere Cole, and the mistress of the painter Augustus John [aged 76]. She was subsequently jailed for six months.
On 31st October 1961 Augustus John [aged 83] died.