Notes made by Alfred Berkeley on the family bible.

The book was issued in 1714 and is reputed to have belonged to an ancestor named Rowland Berkeley of Biggin Hall near Oundle and to his son Rowland of Benefield, near Oundle & thereafter to his son Rowland being my father, on whos death my mother took possesion & eventualy the book came to me viz. Alfred Berkeley (the youngest child, born 5 March 1854).

Father was the eldest son of the last generations of Berkeleys to occupy the old family house at Benefield. Born 1798, he died at B??????? near St. Aubyn's nr. St. Helier's in Jersey, 3 May 1861. He is buried at the old parish church of St. Peters (near St. Aubyns).

Mother was born at Huntingdon, & a daughter of the 'Country celebrated' Dr. Jonah Wilson (whos wife was Annie Dean) & named Anne Mary (Wilson). She died 6th March 1865. Their marriage was at St. Andrews church, Holborn London (I believe, March 1839 - both were born in March).

Mother is buried at Cheshunt cemetary where brother Rowland is buried, same grave.

Re: The Berkeley Family of Benefield, near Oundle Northants. Extract of entries made by my father and mother in their family bible. NB. One or two of the early leaves are missing, so the items from their marriage (& forebears) & entry for the first childs birth are from facts in the knowledge of the children & handed down to me in due course of time - the period facts which omission was supplied by the eldest child, Mary Elizabeth, who remembered her grand parents (& two aunts, and a son Miles) of those ????????? by whom of her own parents she was informed of these unrecorded facts, when old enough to appreciate the information- & the Miles quoted above who was the youngest brother to my father, was the uncle who personaly gave me the outlines of the family history within his own knowledge, and I visited him at Benefield, for many years between 1860 and his death (around 1880).

The whole text is signed "Alfred Berkeley 18th June 1931" and is marked "A.B. retain this copy."

Rowland Berkeley of Biggin to his son Rowland 
Rowland Berkeley of Benefield to his son Rowland 
& Rowland to his son Rowland 

Children (of Rowland son of Rowland of Benefield) 

Mary Elizabeth: Born 9th May 1840 in the parish of St. Michaels Stamford 
Lincolnshire & baptised there. Godmothers - Miss Berkeley of Benefield Northants 
& Mrs. Wilson of Huntingdon. Godfather the Revd. T.C.Wilson vicar of Kirkby 
Fleetham Yorks. 

Margaret Annie: Born Feb 19th 1842 at Huntingdon. baptised at the All Saints 
Church. Miss Wilson of London and Mrs. Margett (Huntingdon) Godmothers. Her 
father - Godfather. 

Rowland Wilson: born 9th Sept 1843 at Huntingdon. Baptised at the All saints 
church. C.P.Berkeley Esq. of Oundle & Mr. Berkeley of Benefield - Godpapas - 
Mrs. Berkeley of Oundle Godmama. 

Maurice Henry: Born 25th Dec 1845 in the All Saints parish Huntingdon. 
Baptised at Addison Road Chapel Kensington 2nd. June 1847. The Revds. M.J. & 
G.C,. Berkeley Godpapas; Miss Berkeley of Blackheath, Godmama.

Marian Emma: Born 8th July 1848 in St Mary Abbots parish Kensington & 
baptised there. Mrs. Richard Orton of March Cambridgeshire & Mrs. J.C.Wilson of 
Kirkby Malzeard Yorkshire Godmothers & Alfred Jollife Beloc of Brompton 
Godfather.

Emily Frances: Born 31st March 1851 at 9 Thornhill Bridge Place Calendonian 
Road Islington, & baptised at Trinity church, Cloudesly Square, Islington May 
11th 1853: Emily Eva Berkeley of Hatford & Miss Green of Padington, Godmothers & 
Robert Horne Popham Godfather.

Thomas Miles: Born 20 Brooklyn Street, Islington & baptised privately, 
having died 36 hours after birth. May the dear one dwell in the 'Angels happy 
home'.

Alfred: Born 5th March 1854 in the parish of St. Leonards Streatham Surrey & 
there baptised. James Richards of Bill Quay Gateshead Durham & Alfred Joliffe 
Beloc of Birkenhead, Godfathers and Mrs. A.J.Beloc Godmother.