Visitation of London 1568 1869 Harleian Society 1st Publication Provenance
 
Title & Bibliographic Details
Title: The Visitation of London in the Year 1568
Taken By: Robert Cooke
Editors: Joseph Jackson Howard and George John Armytage
Publisher: The Harleian Society, London
Date: 1869
Printer: Taylor and Co., Little Queen Street, Lincoln’s Inn Fields
This volume was issued as Volume I of the Publications of The Harleian Society, established in 1869.
Importantly, the preliminary resolution printed within the book confirms that this was formally chosen as “The First Publication of the Society”, making this the inaugural published volume of the The Harleian Society. That fact gives the work considerable bibliographical importance within the fields of genealogy, heraldry, and antiquarian scholarship.
 
Historical & Bibliographic Context
This important heraldic and genealogical work reproduces the 1568 Visitation of London conducted by Robert Cooke, one of the senior heraldic officers of Tudor England.
The text derives from a Harleian manuscript preserved within the British Museum and incorporates later heraldic augmentations associated with William Camden and Nicholas Charles, both highly respected heraldic scholars.
Heraldic visitations were official surveys undertaken by the heralds to record and regulate coats of arms and pedigrees among the English gentry. These works remain foundational primary sources for historians, genealogists, heraldic researchers, and collectors of Tudor historical material.
As the very first publication of the Harleian Society, this volume occupies an especially significant place in the development of Victorian genealogical scholarship. 
 
About the Editors
Joseph Jackson Howard was a genealogist and antiquary best known for founding Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica.
George John Armytage was a genealogist and editor best known for publishing heraldic visitation records.
 
Binding & Exterior Description
Bound in red cloth with gilt lettering to the spine.
The binding is robust and structurally sound with light age-related wear including:
light fading patches 
light rubbing to edges 
a few small marks 
light scratches to the spine 
This copy has been professionally rebound for the Society of Genealogists, as confirmed by the bookplate to the front pastedown stating:
“This book has been rebound through the generosity of Marc Fitch Esquire.”
This provenance is particularly notable: Marc Fitch (Marcus Felix Brudenell Fitch, 1908–1994) Marc Fitch (1908–1994) was an English historian, antiquary, bibliophile, and philanthropist associated with major historical and genealogical institutions. He established the Marc Fitch Fund, which supported important historical publications and archival projects throughout Britain.
The association with Marc Fitch and the Society of Genealogists materially enhances the historical and research interest of this copy and gives it strong institutional provenance.
 
Interior Condition
Pages are tanned but generally neat throughout with light foxing mainly to page edges and the title page. There are occasional small marks, light foxing spots, and a few very small edge tears not affecting text.
All viii + 118 pages are present and secure.
There are a few very light gutter cracks between pages, likely predating the rebinding.
This copy contains particularly interesting institutional and research annotations including:
Society of Genealogists ownership plates to both pastedowns 
red circular Society of Genealogists ink stamps 
“Duplicate for Loan” pencil notation 
“Computer Catalogue” ink stamps 
manuscript references and genealogical annotations throughout 
The numerical annotations likely relate to twentieth-century Society of Genealogists catalogue indexing.
Several annotations appear scholarly and genealogically useful, adding supplementary dates and identifications to family entries.
A pocket remains attached to the rear pastedown, likely originally intended to hold archival or loan material.
 
Contents & Research Importance
The volume consists primarily of heraldic pedigrees and genealogical descents of London families recorded during the Tudor visitation of 1568.
Entries include details on coats of arms, family trees, marriages, descents, and heraldic notes, making the work an essential reference source.
 
Physical Details
Pages: viii + 118
Dimensions: Approximately 26 cm x 18.6 cm x 1.9 cm
Weight: Approximately 502 g
 
Rarity & Collector Notes
This work is best described as scarce and institutionally significant.
While Harleian Society volumes do appear occasionally on the specialist antiquarian market, copies of the Society’s inaugural publication are notably less common, particularly examples carrying meaningful institutional provenance.
The association with the Society of Genealogists and Marc Fitch materially increases desirability beyond a standard reading copy.
 
Provenance
This copy carries strong institutional provenance from the Society of Genealogists.
Notable features include Society of Genealogists ownership plates, institutional stamps, archival annotations, and rebinding funded by Marc Fitch.
This provenance significantly strengthens the historical interest and research value of the volume.