Photocopies of a letter from John Bernard Burke, Ulster Herald to John de Havilland,...

<span class="wrapper"><p>In addition to his official researches, de Havilland was also interested in the history of the family name. Amongst the papers of the Somerset Archaeological Society at the Somerset Record Office are some of his official and genealogical papers relating to the surname Haviland (ref DD/SAS/HV). Included is a copy of a draft pedigree of Darby of Leap Castle in Ireland (DD/SAS/HV61/12); his interest in this family stems from a grand-daughter of John Darby of Markly in Warbleton having married the Rev George Edward Haviland of Warbleton, a Canon of Chichester, in 1855</p> <p>For correspondence concerning the business activities of John Darby, the purchase of the Markly in Warbleton and family matters, 1789-1894, see AMS6146; for correspondence between John Darby's solicitors and James Philcox of Burwash, 1817-1820, see ACC 4919; for photocopies of the will of George Darby, 1878 and the 1931 sale particular, see AMS6148; for abstracts of the wills of members of the Hawes, Hawksworth and Darby families, 1576-1834, see AMS6149; for photocopies of a probate inventory of the contents of Markly, 1819 and a draft pedigree of the Darby family compiled in the 1960s, see AMS6320</p> <p>For a tinted south-east view of Markly by S H Grimm in 1785, see BL Add Burrell 5670 fo 72; for correspondence between Darby and Robert Peel, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, concerning the duties payable by packet boats between England and Ireland in 1815, see BL Add MS 40245 fos 105, 107</p></span>

Copies of documents purchased 12 Aug 1994 (ACC 6417)

John von Sonnentag Haviland was the son of John Haviland of Philadelphia, USA, architect and engineer, and his wife Mary Wright, the daughter of Captain W L von Sonnentag of the French Army, and sister and heiress of General George von Sonnentag, Governor of South Russia. He was born on 17 October 1826, probably in Philadelphia. He changed his name to de Havilland by Royal licence dated 21 December 1869

De Havilland alledgedly served as a soldier of fortune in Spain under Don Carlos (although given that the fighting took place in the 1830s it is difficult to see how this was possible) and in other foreign forces; he was apparently of uncommon physical strength

He entered the College of Arms and was appointed Rouge Croix in August 1866 (when he was granted a coat of arms) and York Herald in March 1872. He helped to produce the 1878 edition of Burke's General Armory

De Havilland was a professed Knight of Justice of the Order of Malta, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries from 1872 and a member of the Inner Temple

He lived at Havilland Hall in Bishops Hull and at Langford Court in Langford Budville, both in Somerset. He died on 18 September 1886 was buried at Langford Budville (College of Arms Monograph London Survey Committee 1963)