An enormous amount of information is contained on this CD. It gives listings of all sorts relating to Peerage and Upper Class. The main part of the book which consists of over 1600 pages (out of the 1680 pages in total), is an alphabetical listing of the “Peers of the Realm, Titled, Gentry, Higher Officials and Principal Landowners”.
The Preface gives a little bit more details as follows. The object of this work is to include in one general alphabetical list all those who have any definite position arising either:
1. From Hereditary Rank--Peers (with all their children)m, and Baronets.
2. From any recognised Title of Order conferred upon them by the Sovereign--Privy Councillors, Knights and Companions of the various British Orders, and Knights Bachelor.
3. From their positions as members of Parliament.
4. From any of the higher grades of the diplomatic, legal, military, naval, colonial, or civil services of the State--Ambassadors, Judges, Generals, Admirals, Surgeon-Generals, Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets, all Bishops, Deans and Archdeacons (but only of England and Wales), and Governors of Colonies. 5. And Deputy-Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace for the Counties of England and Wales, King’s Counsel, Presidents and Vice-Presidents of Learned Societies.
6. And the Principal Landowners being also occupiers of one of the chief county seats of the United Kingdom.
The distinguishing feature of the book is that, from the alphabetical arrangement, any one can at once ascertain from its pages whether there be any person bearing a particular title, and if, so, to what family he belongs, and his address.
As the book embraces so many classes, the space for each entry in it must be as brief as possible; we are thus precluded from giving more than the most important services of each person whose name may be found in its pages.
Example of several entries:
Abercromby, sir George William, 8 bart. (1636), eld. s. of 7 bart. (d. 1895); b. 1886; chief of the clan Abercromby (Heir, bro. Robt. A., b. 1895): 2 lt. 3 battn. (mil.) Gordon highrs. from 1904: Forglen House, Turriff, Aberdeenshire.
Fagan, lt.-gen. Christopher Sullivan Feltrim, R.M.L.I., F.R.G.S., s. of late lt.-col. G.H. Fagan, Bengal engnrs.; b. 1845; m. 1890, Alice, dau. of late Thos. Green, of Badby, Northants; emplyd. in civil service of govt. of Japan 1870-6, lt.-gen. 1902 R.M.L.I.
High quality canned images of the whole of the original book. It is searchable (to a degree), and is able to printed and enlarged if required.
Contents:
Notice
Preface
Abbreviations
General Table of Precedence
Relative Rank in Army and Navy
Precedence Among Ladies
Table of Precedence of Colonial Officers
College of Arms
Lyon Office, Scotland
Office of Arms, Ireland
Forms of Epistolary Addresses
The King and Royal Family
Indian Empire
Commonwealth of Australia
Dominion of Canada
Colonies
House of Peers
Clubs
Foreign Ministers and Consuls in London, and British Ministers Abroad
Minister
Alterations and Corrections
General List of Names
