Complete Peerage, 3rd Edition Updates

[S. S.]

Update 1 (20 December 2023)

I have decided to compile and publish some information on my current re-write of the Complete Peerage. This thread is to serve as updates to the re-write as time goes on. I believe I previously published a sample of the peerages under the letter A some months ago, to which I received some feedback. I have already been in contact with some of you all to that effect from time to time on various topics. In time, I will also publish list of queries that perhaps some of the group members will find both enlightening and useful to answer.

The Complete Peerage, 2nd edition, was written between 1910 and 1959 by successor editors beginning with the Hon Vicary Gibbs MP, George Edward Cokayne’s nephew, who was the sole writer of the 1st edition between 1887 and 1898. The 2nd edition was published in 13 volumes, with volume 14 of addenda and corrigenda being published in 1998 as volume 14. Since then, no one has undertaken a systemic biographical dictionary of the peerage. Armed with modern technology, a wealth of past periodicals, books and guides, I feel impassioned to rewrite the entirety of the work. Perhaps also with the aid of others in future for such a titanic task.

The 2nd edition of the work, while being very well written, suffers from several problems. Firstly, it suffers from several errors and inconsistencies, which mars the reading experience. Secondly, the work is terribly out of date and needs to be updated badly. Thirdly, the work often excluded interesting trivia and information that would otherwise aid the reader in their perusal.

 My 3rd edition attempts to solve this by (1) adopting a unified plan and standard set of abbreviations and comprehensive bibliography for ease of reading; (2) updating the work to the present day and continuously updating it as required; and (3) including much more footnotes/notes than ever before to compliment the work and interest the reader.

I started the project in January 2022 and will be re-writing from A to Z.

By end of 2022, I completed all peerages under the letter A (comprising more than 240 entries). By the start of 2023, I began with all peerages under the letter B and I am almost finished writing them all. All the peerages under the letter C will begin at the start of 2024. At this rate, it will take a slow decade or so to finish the first drafts of all entries A through Z. 

I plan on publishing all the information on a website in the future, as a book format is unfeasible and too unwieldly to publish.

S.S.

[Robert Jewell]

You are a mighty person of valor to attempt such a thing.

[bx...@yahoo.com]

Thank you, S.S., for your hard work on this project.  It is a worthy endeavor and you are to be commended for even attempting it.

I know how time consuming it was for me to do the research that just concentrated on ducal connections.  I can't even imagine the work involved in your project.

All of us will be interested to see the finished product.

Brooke

[S. S.]

The draft copies of the entries can now be accessed in chunks (A through Broxmouth): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/181TRlGh1LlorKgCq-GTBUXUPxjcmI3VF?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/181TRlGh1LlorKgCq-GTBUXUPxjcmI3VF?usp=sharing

They are obviously still works in progress, so expect errors, omissions and unfinished business. I will be correcting and finalizing them at a (I hope much later but soon to come) later date. If you observe closely, I too had to develop my abbreviations and writing style as time went on. All in good time to be corrected.

S.S.

[colinp]

To repeat what I have said before, I am in awe at what you have done, even more so now we can see all the  drafts of what you have done so far.

Would you welcome comments now or would you prefer to receive them when you have carried out your corrections - no point in telling you things you are already aware of 

Do the different highlighting colours have any particular significance?

[S. S.]

The following is a link to the submission form for additions and corrections: https://forms.gle/LVDTvN3fcV7KTWyi9

https://forms.gle/LVDTvN3fcV7KTWyi9

Please submit anything of interest through this link. It is also available for viewing under the Google Drive folder.

Colin, I would prefer to receive corrections/additions now. As I continue with the rest of the work, I can work on those corrections in the meantime or let them accumulate to be worked on at a later date. 

As for the highlight colors, Yellow is for anything I need to double check or examine closely (usually dates of births etc); Blue is for sections that are missing or incomplete so I know to look back on; Purple is for cross-references with appendices (which will go in the work last similar to how they were given in the 2nd edition of the work). They are more so for my own review purposes than for the reader. 

S.S.

[S. S.]

Here is also a list of the corrections and additions from here on out, so that entries are not double-corrected and everyone can see what is being corrected: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nqEzm7V-wBRAgvEd3ddOtRtjGmr8NF011ULqAKxvC5s/edit?usp=sharing

S.S.

[S. S.]

Update 2, 30 December 2023

I am happy to announce that the letter B for the Complete Peerage re-write has been finished as of today.

The pdf file of the draft entries has been uploaded to the Google Drive folder (see above for the links). 

2024 will ring in the start of entries under letter C. Happy new year in advance to all!

S.S.

[S. S.]

Update 3, 28 February 2024
As of today, I have completed all entries under C1 (Cable to Cardwell). Unfortunately, work on C2 (Carew to Castlereagh) has been a bit slow due to my medical studies. I will upload the draft files for both of these soon enough in March (hopefully). 

S.S.

[Jesse Honey]

Fantastic work S.S., this is an absolutely incredible effort.

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[Richard R]

It is a fantastic effort and I don't underestimate the time you give to this. All the more remarkable as it appears you're studying medicine at the same time! I hope also you get a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction out of it, given it's a subject you clearly love.

[S. S.]

Update 4, 18 March 2024

Today I completed all entries under C2 (Carew to Castlereagh). C1 (Cable to Cardwell) has also been finished as it was left out last month. However, there remain a few entries I left out (mostly life peers that I write separately to the hereditary peerages). I will be posting both draft entry pdfs to the Google Drive by the end of March most likely.

S.S.

[S. S.]

Update 5, 9 April 2024

C3 (Castlerosse to Chetwode) is presently underway. I am currently writing the entry on Chandos. This phase of the work should be finished by the end of this month. I suspect all entries under the letter C to be completed somewhere by the end of this year or in the first quarter of 2025. After this, the entries of D, E and F are relatively short. 

S.S.

[S. S.]

Update 6, 29 April 2024
Work is currently slowly progressing and is at CHERWELL alphabetically. C3 (Castlerosse to Chetwode) should be completed sometime by upcoming mid May. 

S.S.

[S. S.]

Update 7, 19 May 2024
C3 (Castlerosse to Chetwode) has been completed yesterday. C4 (Chetwynd to Clermont) has now begun. 

S.S.

[S. S.]

Update 8, 11 June 2024
The work is now at CLANDEBOYE alphabetically. 

S.S.