Berney baronets

The Berney Baronetcy, of Parkehall in Redham in the County of Norfolk, is a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 5 May 1620 for Richard Berney, Sheriff of Norfolk in 1622. The sixth Baronet was Sheriff of Norwich in 1762.^[1] The Berney family claim Norse descent, and is known to have been settled at Berney near Walsingham in Norfolk at the time of the Norman conquest.

The 7th Baronet, Sir John Berney, married Lady Henrietta Neville, daughter of George Neville, 1st Earl of Abergavenny in 1779.^[2][3]

The 8th Baronet, Sir Hanson Berney, oversaw the renovation and extension of the family seat, Barton (Bendish) Hall. Designed by James & Turner of Norwich, the existing east wing was renovated and the south-west double wing was added in 1865. Sir Hanson also established the village pub known today as “The Berney Arms".^[4]

Connection with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Jane Dorothy Elizabeth Berney (1878–1964), daughter of Sir Henry Hanson Berney, the 9th Baronet, married solicitor Henry Dubs Middleton of Leeds in 1907. Middleton was also the chairman of the Leeds General Infirmary Hospital from 1928 to 1932 and, in that role, played host to Princess Mary.^{[5][6][7][8][9]}

Middleton went to Charterhouse and graduated from University College, Oxford. He was later a partner in the family law firm, Messrs. Middleton and Sons. He died in June 1933. The 107th Edition of Burke's Peerage records that Henry Dubs Middleton was the son of solicitor Arthur Middleton. Arthur was the brother of solicitor John William Middleton, of Fairfield, Far Headingley, who was the great great grandfather of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.^{[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]}

Both Jane Middleton's father, Sir Henry Hanson Berney, as well as her father-in-law, Arthur Middleton, died in 1907. It was reported that Sir Henry, "of Barton Bendish, Norfolk; Burncrook, Moffat, Dumfries; and of Lawn, Hythe ", left an estate valued at £65,495 gross. Arthur Middleton left his entire estate, valued at £57,603 gross, to Jessie Marie, who was both his wife and the mother-in-law of Jane Middleton, née Berney.^[18]

The Berney Baronetcy passed to Sir Henry's grandson, Thomas Reedham Berney, son of Captain T. H. Berney, 2nd West Yorkshires, who died in the Boer War.^[19]

Berney Baronets, of Parkehall (1620)

• Sir Richard Berney, 1st Baronet (died 1668)
• Sir Thomas Berney, 2nd Baronet (died 1693)
• Sir Richard Berney, 3rd Baronet (died 1706)
• Sir Richard Berney, 4th Baronet (1688–1710)
• Sir Thomas Berney, 5th Baronet (died 1742)
• Sir Hanson Berney, 6th Baronet (died 1778)
• Sir John Berney, 7th Baronet (1757–1825)
• Sir Hanson Berney, 8th Baronet (1780–1870)
• Sir Henry Hanson Berney, 9th Baronet (1843–1907)
• Sir Thomas Reedham Berney, 10th Baronet (1893–1975)
• Sir Julian Reedham Stuart Berney, 11th Baronet (born 1952)

The heir apparent to the baronetcy is William Reedham John Berney (born 1980), eldest son of the 11th Baronet.

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.