X440

Deeds of the Foster Trust Estates in Biggleswade deposited by Boodle, Hatfield & Co. Solicitors, 53 Davies Street, W1, Received through the British Records Association

This collection comprises the deeds of the Foster Trust Estates in Biggleswade which were put up for sale in 1918. The Fosters were at one time considerable landowners in the area, owning amongst other things the Bleak Hall Estate in Biggleswade [see S.H. 208] & the Sandy Place Estate; however, the deeds in this collection are mainly of the Lower Holmeside Estate in Biggleswade. The survey of landowners made in 1873 shows that John Nathaniel Foster received a rental from his estates of over £1,000 per annum. Some family papers dating from the 18th century are included in the collection and show the Fosters as a yeoman family established in Hertfordshire. The earliest Foster purchase in Biggleswade which is represented in this collection was in 1780 when Richard Foster, of the Town of Cambridge, merchant, purchased premises in St. Andrews (/24) which seems to have remained the family's principal residence and business premises until 1868 when it was sold to Charles Powers & the family moved to Sandy Place which had been purchased in 1867- [CCE 824] Richard Foster did not settle in Biggleswade but his son John, merchant was established there from the late 1780s at first in partnership as merchants and brewers with his brother William but later alone as the partnership was dissolved in 1798 (/717) and the brewery at St. Neots was taken over by William. John played a prominent part in the life of Biggleswade Baptist Church from his admission in 1788 until he died in 1847 [see History of Biggleswade Baptist Church, chapter IV], Several additions were made to the estate by John in his life-time, the most important of these being the Rudd purchase made in 1801. On John's death the property was divided between his sons John Nathaniel & Blyth; in 1851 John Nathaniel purchased considerable freehold property from his brother. He may have been the more dominant of the two brothers, despite being the younger; it certainly seems, from the following letter written by Blyth to John Nathaniel that this could be the case: "...I cannot account for my entertaining so contrary an opinion to yours, but as your memorandum made at the time appears so decisive as to your intention I will be satisfied to let it be so settled." [/447]. On Blyth's death without issue in 1871 John Nathaniel inherited his copyhold estate, under their father's will. [/521]. From the middle of the 19th century the family began to sell off parts of the Lower Holmeside estate, chiefly for building purposes & in this they were doubtless partly influenced by the proximity of the property to the recently opened railway station. It appears, however, that the demand was not so great as anticipated - little of the building land between Station Road and Hitchin Street put up for sale in 1868 & intended to form Western Road, Dolphin Crescent & Saffron Road was sold. After the death of John Nathaniel in 1891 more sales took place and the collection contains information about the sale of building land in this area of the town towards the end of the century. Although at first in business as a merchant [A.D. 3094] he seems to have retired sometime in the late 1850s and thereafter is described as "esquire". As mentioned above, in 1868 he moved away from Biggleswade to Sandy Place. It appears that he was not universally liked in the town although a personal grievance seems to have been at the heart of a disagreement with a Biggleswade solicitor, Horace Isaac Barker, over a right of way, in the course of which Barker wrote: "I beg to remind you that for years past valuable appointments, one after another, have been conferred upon a Tory Agent with the sanction of yourself and other gentlemen representing the Liberal Interest, without giving other professional men even a chance of competition. To myself and very many others... these appointments.. .have appearance not only inexplicable but unjust." The family's Baptist connections seemingly became less strong towards the end of the century. Although in 1873 John Nathaniel was re-elected a trustee of Biggleswade Baptist Church (/769) in the same year he purchased the advowson of Wootton parish church and in 1880 the Reverend Albert John Foster, then Rector of Farndish, was instituted vicar. (He was the author of several topographical works and local historical romances). On the death of John Nathaniel the estate was inherited by Edward John Foster but he only enjoyed it for a short period for he himself died in 1895 and under his will the property passed to trustees who were to sell it at their discretion. A couple of very small sales were made in the early years of the century but it was not until May 1918 that the estate was put on the market. Although no copy of the sale catalogue has survived in this collection, there is a copy of the plan (/644) and also a receipt for £10,813 dated 28 November 1918 which presumably was the amount realised by the sale and invested by the trustees.

fonds

Boodle, Hatfield & Co.,
Foster

Biggleswade Holmeside, ESTATES (LANDED), BIGGLESWADE, DEEDS