William Berners 1679 – 1712

William was born in 1679, son and heir of James Berners. He was born into a life of wealth and prosperity.

At seventeen, in 1696, William was a signatory of the Hertfordshire Association which was an instrument to pledge loyalty to the King, William III, following an attempt on his life. The Associations were designed to bring about the loyalty of those who might otherwise have supported the Jacobite movement.

By the beginning of the eighteenth century a single New River Company share provided a decent income and those who had inherited shares were often able to live off their wealth. Between 1703 and 1712, William held position as a Justice of Peace in the County of Hertfordshire and was High Sheriff in 1710.

William married Elizabeth Raworth, daughter of Robert Raworth and Martha Garneys, in 1705. He was 25 years old and Elizabeth 19. Robert Raworth was a merchant with the East India Company and had served as a director of the Bank of England. He had formidable mercantile connections. Martha Garneys was sister of John Garneys of Boyland Hall, Norfolk, and Margaret Garneys. They were heirs to the Wentworth Garneys’ fortune. The effect of this relationship would be felt in years to come.

A comprehensive marriage settlement was drawn up between the two families. The intricacies can be seen in William’s will, dated 14^th June 1712. In it he refers to his “Marriage Settlement” and the provisions laid down for any children. The importance of the “4/36^th shares in the Adventurers Moiety of the New River Water” are made clear. Three shares were to be reserved “for the life of Mary Berners”, his mother. One share was reserved for himself and excluded from the Marriage Settlement. 

Their union produced three sons: Robert (1706), William (1710) and Henry (1712). 

The support and mentoring of Samuel Robinson, his maternal uncle, may have been the catalyst for William entering into the world of politics. In 1710, both he and Samuel Robinson sought election to parliament. Samuel was elected to the constituency of Cricklade. William stood for the constituency of Hythe, though it is not clear what his connection was with the town. He was unsuccessful. William contested the result. Eventually, in January 1711, the House of Lords arbitrated the matter and found in his favour. But his time in Parliament was to be short lived. William died in 19th June 1712, after a short illness. At the time, his wife was expecting their third child, Henry. William was buried in St Andrew’s Church, Much Hadham.

What happened to the eldest son, Robert Berners, is a mystery. In some family trees he simply does not exist. In his will of 1712, William left his estate to his eldest son, Robert, but by 1719 Henry Raworth makes no mention of Robert when completing his will. However, he does refer to William and Henry. Robert was buried in Much Hadham in 1723, aged 17 years. The estate passed on to his younger brother, William, namesake of his father.

As William was only two at the time of his father’s death and Henry yet to be born, it would seem that the executors of his will would have a strong influence over the family. They were uncles John Lockey and Samuel Robinson, also his father’s brother-in-law, Henry Raworth.

Elizabeth was named guardian of their children until they reached the age of 21.  She remarried somewhere between 1716 and 1717. She is mentioned as wife of William in a Chancery case in 1716 and the wife of Charles Gostlin in 1717. This second marriage was to reap spectacular financial rewards for the young Berners boys.