Henry Venn, the subject of the following pages, was born at Clapham, of which parish his father was rector, on February 10, 1796. The genealogy of his family on the male side was a matter in which he always felt much interest, as had been the case with his father before him, and about which they both made many and careful inquiries whenever they could find time and opportunity for the purpose. This interest he retained indeed to the close of his life, though pressure of other work prevented him, after a comparatively early period, from devoting more than an occasional fragment of time to such investigations.

A tradition had long prevailed in the family that his ancestors had been clergymen of the Church of England in an uninterrupted line since the time of the Reformation. This has been several times stated in print. Of the first link in this chain, however, no documentary proof could be obtained, in spite of researches (repeated occasionally at various intervals, both by Henry Venn and his father before him) in Doctors Commons, the Matriculation and Admission Books at Oxford, the Registry of Wills at Exeter, and elsewhere, and many parish registers in various Devonshire villages. What is definitely known, however, shows a clerical line, which is almost certainly unique in its way, and a brief account which, therefore, can hardly be unacceptable to those who have any interest in the fortunes and characteristics of the Church of England.