Surtees Parishes, etc. of Co. Durham
In the London Library, Britain's oldest private subscription library, there are two volumes with the above title. They comprise a number of booklets, apparently privately printed - between 1919 and 1930 - by their author, a one-time Member of Parliament, the splendidly named Brigadier-General Sir Herbert Conyers Surtees, CB, CMG, DSO, MVO, JP, DL, FSA, etc (1858-1933). He was clearly an assiduous and accomplished scholar; as he tells us "attempting to complete Mr. Robert Surtees' History of Durham". Robert Surtees (1779–1834) had no children and his collections were dispersed after his death to pay off debts. The residue of his library was inherited by Sir Herbert, a descendant of another branch of the family. The Robert Surtees manuscripts comprise 54 volumes preserved in the library of Durham Cathedral, including his notes for the preparation of his well known "History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham" published in 4 volumes 1816-1840 by J Nicols & son (London). The "Surtees Society" was founded in Robert's honour.
The contents of Conyers Surtees booklets in the London Library are summarised below, highlighting especially those genealogical tables with at least some medieval content. (Pedigrees of families dating from 1500 or later are omitted.) The booklets also contain a wealth of architectural and topographical data.
The order of the contents in the links below follows that of the bound volumes in the London Library.
Please note the FMG does not possess copies of this work, and researchers will need to contact the London Library if they wish to view them.