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Peter Le Neve
Peter Le Neve-Norroy King of Arms.jpg
Born (1661-01-21)21 January 1661
Died 24 September 1729(1729-09-24) (aged 68)
Nationality English
Occupation Herald, antiquary

Peter Le Neve (born January 21, 1661 – died September 24, 1729) was an English expert in history and family trees. He was known for his work as a Herald and an Antiquary. He was also a very important member of two famous groups: the Society of Antiquaries of London and the Royal Society.

Who Was Peter Le Neve?

Peter Le Neve was born in England in 1661. He grew up to be a person who loved history, especially old documents and family histories. He spent his life studying and collecting information about the past.

His Important Roles

Peter Le Neve held several important jobs during his life. These jobs were all about history, family trees, and official records.

What is a Herald?

A herald is like an official expert on coats of arms, family histories, and ceremonies. They work for the government or a royal family. Heralds help keep track of noble families and their symbols.

  • In 1690, Peter Le Neve became a Rouge Dragon Pursuivant. This was an entry-level job for a herald.
  • Later, in 1704, he was promoted to Norroy King of Arms. This was a much higher and more important position. A King of Arms is one of the chief heralds.
  • From 1707 to 1721, he also served as Richmond Herald of Arms in Ordinary. All these roles were part of the College of Arms, which is the official body in England that deals with heraldry.

What is an Antiquary?

An antiquary is someone who studies old things, like ancient objects, buildings, or historical records. They are like history detectives, trying to understand how people lived in the past. Peter Le Neve was very good at this. He loved to collect old books and papers.

Joining Important Societies

Peter Le Neve was also a member of two very important groups that focused on knowledge and history.

The Society of Antiquaries

This group is for people who love to study history and old things. Peter Le Neve was not only a member, but he was also the very first President of the Society of Antiquaries of London. This shows how respected he was in the world of history.

The Royal Society

The Royal Society is one of the oldest and most famous groups for science in the world. Being a "Fellow" (a member) of the Royal Society means you are recognized as a top expert in your field. Peter Le Neve was a Fellow, which shows his wide range of knowledge, even though his main focus was history.

His Special Book Collection

Peter Le Neve had a huge collection of books and old papers. After he passed away, some of his collection went to other famous libraries. One special book from his collection ended up in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. This book contained parts of an old Latin story about the Trojan War. This story was very important because many writers in the Middle Ages used it to learn about the Trojan War.

His Family

Peter Le Neve was the son of Francis Neve, who was a draper (someone who sold cloth) in London. His mother was Avice Wright. Peter also had a brother named Oliver Le Neve.

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