HN10/367/Carr2

Draft statutory declaration 'We Thomas Carr of the Sugar Loaf Hotel, Dunstable, Beds, licensed victualler and Helen Esther Carr his wife do solemnly declare: (1) We are of the respective ages of 66 & 60 and in the year 1903 agreed to purchase Mr Eaton's interest in the Sugar Loaf for the sum of £2770 and it was agreed that £1800 should remain on loan. We borrowed £300 of Mr White, Mr Eaton's agent but found a guarantee for the amount. The remainder of the money, £670, a friend found for us. After the completion of the purchase all the money we had was £13. The price we paid for the business was far too much and we soon found this out as the whole of the furniture, fixtures &c were not worth more than £500. (2) In or about the year 1910 we found ourselves in difficulties and could not have proceeded without a loan, as the interest on the £2100, the rent of the Hotel, the increased taxation and the working expenses exceeded the takings from the hotel, and we approached Mr White and he agreed to lend us the sum of £200 on our giving a bill of sale over the whole of our furniture for securing the £200 and the old debt of £2100. (3) We still owe the whole of the £2300 and besides this we owe a half years rent, the licence duty for which we are being pressed, £350 to the brewers and about £250 to other creditors and beyond the furniture we have nothing herewith to pay. If we were pressed for the money there would be no alternative but to file a petition in bankruptcy. The furniture and effects would not realise more than £600 or £700. (4) The present lease of the Sugar Loaf terminates on lady day 1913 and we have applied to our landlords for a new lease of 21 years but they have refused to grant a lease for a longer term than 7 years and then only upon more onerous terms. (5) We have no property beyond what is included in the bill of sale and are not entitled to any interest in reversion and neither have we any friends who are likely to leave us any money. In fact we have no prospects whatever. (6) We have nine children - seven girls and two boys. Five of our daughters are married and the remaining two are at home helping in the business. None of our children have any money at all. The husband of one of our daughters became guarantee for the said sum of £300 but he has not yet paid this amount and although he has been approached he refuses to help any further. He is not the person who has arranged to find the £700 offered if accepted and the brewers to whom we owe the £350 refused to lend the money. One of our sons is in Canada married and has a family but with little or no prospects and our other son is only 20 years of age earning £80 a year in the Phoenix Fire Office. Witnessed by W.H. Smith.

11 Nov 1912

From: 1912 To: 1912

item

Carr, Helen Esther,
White,
Eaton,
Smith, W.H.,
Phoenix Fire Office

victualler, BANKRUPTCY, non-agricultural leases