George Edward (Adams) Cokayne FSA (1825 - 1911)

Born 29 Apr 1825 in 64 Russell Sq., Bloomsbury, London, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 6 Aug 1911 at age 86 in Exeter House, Roehampton, London, England

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Biography

George (Adams) Cokayne FSA is Notable.

Research notes

Clarenceux King of Arms and celebrated genealogist.

A member of a family that was mostly in banking.

Author of Complete Peerage, 1st edn, under the initials "G. E. C." Despite Cokayne's official position, this was not an official publication; in fact Cokayne financed most of it himself. Nor does he seem to have relied much on the College's records.

While he seems to have kept his opinions to himself, we might infer that his attitude to the College was ambivalent, since he remained a friend of JH Round, a frequent and vociferous critic of the College. Heralds were essentially franchised freelancers - Cokayne's office (classed as a dignity) came with the personal right to collect fees on his own account for new grants of arms etc, but the salaries paid by the College were nominal.

Also the author of Complete Baronetage (never completed).

His real name was Adams, but (like many heralds, whose background rarely matched that of their clients) he thought it needed improvement. He was descended from Cockaynes on his mother's side, and affected one of the medieval spellings.

His sister was married to his wife's brother. His nephew, by blood, the Hon Vicary Gibbs, MP, was therefore also his wife's nephew, by blood. (Gibbs was Cokayne's literary heir and first editor of the 2nd edition of Complete Peerage.)

This "M.I." appeared in Complete Peerage, 2nd edition, Volume 2:

• ThePeerage.com.
• The Complete Peerage, 2nd edn, Vol 14 contains a chapter on the history of the work.

• "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9CP-YY9 : 29 August 2015), George E Cokayne, Putney, London, Middlesex, England; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Putney subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. (Image on Ancestry - pay)

• Burke, Sir Bernard, Ulster King of Arms: Royal Descents (1858), Pedigree XXVI, Cullen. Shows Cokayne's descent from Edward III (the "Hon Mary-Anne Adams" being his widowed mother).

Works

• Wikipedia: The_Complete_Peerage.
• Other his boke. (Index)
• More books.
• Article by Cokayne about the Viscounts Cullen, his ancestors.
• Cokayne Family book, Vol. 1. (Vol. 3, by Cokayne about his own branch, if ever printed, may be the same as the above article.)

• Not his boke. Also now at LDS

Sources

• birth: London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: p82/geo1/005
• death:
  • England death Q3 1911 Wandsworth Vol1d p831 86y
  • Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England: "COKAYNE George Edward of Exter House Roehampton Surrey clarenceux kings of arms died 6 August 1911 Probate London 1 September [1911] to Francis Stewart Cokaynes stockbroker and Brien Ibrican Cokayne merchant. Effects £76436 4s 2d Resworn £79004 6s 7d."
  • Find A Grave: Memorial #147665290
• marriage:
  • England marriage Q4 1856 Bedminster Vol5c p1358
  • Somerset Heritage Service; Taunton, Somerset, England; Somerset Parish Records, 1538-1914; Reference Number: D\P\wrax/2/1/7

• In Memoriam The Complete Peerage
• Wikipedia: George Edward Cokayne