William Berry (genealogist) facts for kids
William Berry (born November 5, 1774 – died July 2, 1851) was an English expert in family history. He was known for writing many books about families and their special symbols, called heraldry.
Contents
William Berry's Life Story
William Berry was born on November 5, 1774. His parents were William and Elizabeth Berry.
Early Career and First Books
From 1793 to 1809, William worked as a clerk. He was employed at the College of Arms. This is a special place in London that deals with family histories and coats of arms.
After leaving that job, he moved to Guernsey. This is an island located off the coast of France. While living there, he wrote a book called The History of the Island of Guernsey. It was published in 1815. Before this, in 1810, he had also published a book called Introduction to Heraldry. This book helped people learn about heraldry.
Returning to England and New Projects
Later, William Berry moved back to England. He lived in a place called Doddington Place in Kennington, south London. In 1832, he started a big project. It was called A Genealogical Peerage of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
This book was a very detailed family history. It included beautiful pictures of family coats of arms. However, not many people bought it. Only four parts were ever printed.
Another book he wrote was Genealogia Antiqua. This book was about old family trees and myths. It was published in 1816 and was more successful. A new and better version came out in 1840.
The Encyclopedia of Heraldry
William Berry's next large project was called Encyclopedia Heraldica. This was a huge dictionary of heraldry. It was released in parts between 1828 and 1840. In the end, it filled four large books.
This encyclopedia was very important for people studying heraldry. It included information from other writers. It also had lots of new and original details that William Berry found himself.
County Family Histories
Perhaps William Berry is best known for his books about families in different English counties. These books were large and expensive. They cost about 5 or 6 guineas each.
He wrote books for several counties:
- Kent (1830)
- Sussex (1830)
- Hampshire (1833)
- Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Surrey (1837)
- Essex (1839)
- Hertfordshire (1842)
The last three books were printed using a special method called lithography. This meant they looked like they were printed directly from Berry's own handwriting.
Court Case Against a Magazine
The first county book, Kent, received a very negative review. This review was published in a magazine called The Gentleman's Magazine. The magazine criticized Berry for calling himself a "registering clerk in the College of Arms" on the book's title page.
Because of this, William Berry sued the magazine's publishers. The trial happened on November 1, 1830. Even though Berry had a famous lawyer, the jury quickly decided in favor of the magazine.
Family Life and Passing Away
William Berry married Elizabeth Windsor on July 24, 1796. They were married at a church in London. Elizabeth's parents were Other Windsor and Susanna de Young.
William and Elizabeth had eight children together. They had five daughters and three sons. William Berry passed away on July 2, 1851. He was 77 years old. He died at his son's home in Brixton, just two months after his wife passed away.
