The series of articles entitled "Virginia Gleanings in England" originally appeared in "The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography." The complete "Virginia Gleanings" series, assembled here in book form, comprises some eighty-five articles, the bulk of them contributed by Lothrop Withington from his post in London. The "gleanings" consist of abstracts of English wills and administrations relating to Virginia and Virginians and bear reference to heirs and issue, family members, administrators, property, bequests, places of residence, and dates of emigration, shedding light on the English origins of Virginia families of the 17th and 18th centuries, and naming some 15,000 persons in passing. These family "gleanings" are furthermore extended backwards and forwards in a remarkable series of textual annotations. The articles are reprinted here in the order in which they appeared in the Magazine and are followed by a complete index of names.

Contents.--pt. 1. Titles of books in the Virginia State Library which relate to Virginia and Virginians, the titles of those books written by Virginians, and of those printed in Virginia, but not including ... published official documents.--pt. 2. Titles of the printed official documents of the Commonwealth, 1776-1916.--pt. 3. The Acts and Journals of the General Assembly of the Colony, 1619-1776.--pt. 4. Three series of sessional documents of the House of Delegates: ... January 7-April 4, 1861 ... September 15-October 6, 1862; and .. January 7-March 31, 1863.--pt. 5. Titles of the printed documents of the Commonwealth, 1916-1925.

Robert Bell was born between 1520 and 1539 in England. He married three times and had twelve children. Descendants and relatives lived mainly in England and Virginia.