Books on Hertfordshire

History of Hertfordshire by John Edwin Cussans The book was published in parts: Volume 1: Hundred of Braughing - 1870 Hundred of Edwinstree - 1872 Hundred of Odsey - 1873 Volume 2: Hundred of Hitchin - 1874 Hundred of Hertford - 1876 Hundred of Broadwater - 1878 Volume 3: Hundred of Dacorum - 1879 Hundred of Cassio - 1881 It was reprinted in 1972 in three volumes.

The bulky book was obviously designed to appeal to those who liked to see the names of their ancestors in print and in addition to the histories of the more important houses, and the parish churches, it contains details of a large number of memorial inscriptions from inside churches, and in some cases the more impressive memorials in the churchyard. The following is one of the more extensive examples recording an inscription in St Andrew's, Hertford.

Mr Matthew Campbell, many years a resident of this town, departed this life 6th November, 1833, aged 81 years. Mrs Elizabeth Campbell, wife of Mr Matthew Campbell, departed this life 14th May, 1829, aged 61. Elizabeth, daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth Campbell, died 5th November, 1793, aged 2 years and 4 months: also John Campbell, died 3rd September, 1795, aged 9 weeks. James Campbell died 2nd June, 1802, aged 5 years; also Alexander Campbell, died February, 1808, aged 18 months. Capt. Matthew Campbell, of the H. E. I. Co.'s Horse Artillery, son of Matthew and Elizabeth Campbell, who died on his passage from Madras 4th December, 1821, aged 29. Ann, eldest daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth Campbell, departed this life 30th April, 1833, aged 43 years.

For more information on the above family see Campbell

Hatfield Tradesmen's Tokens

The book also contains lists of names, such as the Rectors of Wallington 1307-1870

Water End Farm, Sandridge, birth place of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough.

For further examples of information from the book see

The Manor of Ponsbourne, Hatfield

GORSUCH, Walkern, early 17th century

Waterford

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A Professional Hertfordshire Tramp
John Edwin Cussans
Historian of Hertfordshire

Edited by Audrey Deacon & Peter Walne

Hertfordshire Record Society

Published 1987 (ISBN 0 9510728 2X)

HALS has J. E. Cussans own grangerised copy of his History of Hertfordshire. It contains many original documents such as title feeds, will, sales catalogues, turnpike tickets, press cuttings, etc., on interleaved pages in the correct logical place, In addition it contains many handwritten notes - and this volume reprints a selection of these, together with supporting notes. Many give his personal observations about people.

For example, under Abbots Langley the book records the memorial inscription to John Dixon of Cecil Lodge, who died on 28th September, 1819, aged 56, and his wife, Susanna, who died 21 February, 1820, aged 46. The added note reads:

Mr Dixon and his wife were playing whist against Dr Harness and his wife ... On looking at his hand Mr Dixon said to his partner, "We must win the game my dear, for I have twelve trumps in my own hand". "And I have the other", she said. At that moment the Archangel Gabriel played his trump, and won the game; for Dixon dropped his cards, and fell back in his chair, dead.

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