Editing Bertie Wooster (section)

===Early life===

Bertie Wooster and his friend [[Bingo Little]] were born in the same village only a few days apart. Bertie's middle name, "Wilberforce", is the doing of his father, who won money on a horse named Wilberforce in the [[Grand National]] the day before Bertie's christening and insisted on his son carrying that name.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1971], ''Much Obliged, Jeeves'', chapter 9, p. 92.</ref> The only other piece of information given about Bertie's father, aside from the fact that he had numerous relatives, is that he was a great friend of Lord Wickhammersley of [[P. G. Wodehouse locations#Twing Hall|Twing Hall]]. Bertie refers to his father as the "guv'nor", and seems to have had a friendly relationship with him.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1923], ''The Inimitable Jeeves'', chapter 13, p. 139.</ref>

When he was around seven years of age, Bertie was sometimes compelled to recite "[[The Charge of the Light Brigade (poem)|The Charge of the Light Brigade]]" for guests by his mother; she proclaimed that he recited nicely, but Bertie disagrees, and says that he and others found the experience unpleasant.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1954], ''Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit'', chapter 13, p. 123.</ref> Bertie also mentions reciting other poems as a child, including "Ben Battle" and works by [[Walter Scott]]. Like Jeeves, Bertie says that his mother thought him intelligent.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1930], ''Very Good, Jeeves'', chapter 5, p. 128. Bertie talks with Jeeves: "'Tell me, were you always like this, or did it come on suddenly?' 'Sir?' 'The brain. The grey matter. Were you an outstandingly brilliant boy?' 'My mother thought me intelligent, sir.' 'You can't go by that. My mother thought ''me'' intelligent.'"</ref> Bertie makes no other mention of his mother, though he makes a remark about motherhood after being astounded by a friend telling a blatant lie: "And this, mark you, a man who had had a good upbringing and had, no doubt, spent years at his mother's knee being taught to tell the truth."<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1930], ''Very Good, Jeeves'', chapter 4, p. 109.</ref>

When Bertie was eight years old, he took dancing lessons (alongside Corky Potter-Pirbright, sister of Bertie's friend [[Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright]]).<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1949], ''The Mating Season'', chapter 3, p. 30, chapter 9, p. 102, and chapter 10, p. 114.</ref> It is established throughout the series that Bertie is an [[orphan]] who inherited a large fortune at some point, although the exact details and timing of his parents' deaths are never made clear.