Scope and Content
Abstract of Title to Guinea and adjoining land with cottages and carpenter's shop forming Lot 6 at auction sale held on 24 Sep 1885
(I) Conveyance of 19 Feb 1858
Parties:
(i) Sir Robert John Harvey of Moushold, Norwich [Norfolk]; George Percy Elliott of Streatham [Surrey], esquire; Thomas Godfrey Sambrooke of Eaton Place [Middlesex], esquire (trustees and directors of General Reversionary and Investment Company);
(ii) Seymour Teulon of Tenchley Park, Limpsfield [Surrey], esquire;
(iii) William Dacres Adams of Lewisham [Kent], esquire;
(iv) John Spurgin MD of Guildford Street [Middlesex];
(v) Thomas Blackhall MD of 8 Queen Street, Mary Fair [Middlesex]; Henry Walmsley of Eston Lodge, Tulse Hill, Brixton [Surrey], esquire;
(vi) Harry Thornton of Turvey, esquire; Charles John Pearse of Finsbury Place [Middlesex], esquire;
(vii) Rev.Edward Henry Dawkins of Markham Clinton [Nottinghamshire]; William Honywood of Chilton Lodge [Berkshire], esquire; Henry Lake of Lincoln's Inn [Middlesex], gentleman
Reciting:
(A) Lease & Release and Marriage Settlement of 20-21 Jan 1794
(1) Godfrey Thornton, esquire;
(2) Stephen Thornton, esquire;
(3) Thomas Littledale, esquire; Mary Littledale, spinster;
(4) John Goddard, esquire;
(5) John Langston; Edward Gale Boldero;
(6) Henry Thornton and William Thornton Astell
Reciting:
- intended marriage of Stephen Thornton and Mary Littledale
Operative Part:
- (1) conveyed Manor of Mogerhanger (except allotments under the inclosure of Blunham and Northill) and land exchanged for land allotted under the inclosures to (4), subject to payment of a yearly rent charge of £400 payable to Hannah Astell for life
Habendum
- to (4) to use of (1) until the marriage, then to use of (5) for 99 years, to use of (1) for life, remainder to use of (5) upon trust to preserve contingent remainders, to use of securing for Jane, wife of (1) a jointure of £800 per annum for her life, to use of (5) for 200 years, to use of (2) for life, remainder to (5) during the life of (2) to preserve contingent uses and remainders, to use of (5) for 500 years from the death of (2), to the use of sons of (2); the 500 year term to be limited upon trust for two or more children of (2), except the eldest son to raise £5,000 as portions for such children to be divided between them
(B) Inclosure Act of 1796 for Blunham and Northill and award of 1799 allotting land to George Thornton in exchange for other lands held before inclosure
(C) Death of George Thornton in Nov 1805
(D) Death of Hannah Astell (then Hannah Pownall) in Jan 1807 determining the £400 rent charge
(E) Appointment of New Trustees of 15 May 1812 endorsed on (A)
Parties:
(1) Stephen Thornton and Mary, his wife;
(2) Edward Gale Boldero;
(3) Sir Charles Morice Pole; Thomas Langley;
Operative Part:
(1) appointed (3) as new trustees in place of (2) and John Langston, deceased for the term of 500 years
(F) Lease & Release and Marriage Settlementof 2-3 Jul 1821
Parties:
(1) Stephen Thornton;
(2) Godfrey Thornton (eldest son of (1);
(3) Susannah Dixon, spinster;
(4) Jeremiah Harman;
(5) John Whishaw;
(6) John Josiah Holford;
(7) Charles Littledale; Henry Littledale;
(8) William Phillimore; George Carr Glynn
Reciting:
- intended marriage of (2) and (3)
- following common recovery of Trinity 2 George IV
Operative Part:
- Manor of Mogerhanger settled and assured subject to a jointure for Mary Thornton
Habendum
- to use of (1) before the marriage; to use of (2) during the lives of he and (1) that (2) might receive an annual rent charge of £1,195; to use that (3) might receive a £500 annual rent charge if she survived (2); to use of (7) for 200 years to better secure the £1,195 and £500 rent charges; to use of (1) for life; to use of (8) to preserve contingent uses and remainders; to use of (2) for life; to use of (8) for life to preserve contingent uses and remainders; to use of first and other sons of (2) and (3); to use of daughters of (2) and (3) as tenants in common in tail with cross remainders; to use of (2) for ever
(G) Death of Susannah Thornton without issue before execution of (F)
(H) Appointment of New Trustees of 26 Jan 1831 (indorsed on (A)
Parties:
(1) Stephen Thornton and Mary, his wife;
(2) Thomas Somers Cocks and William Mackworth Praed (executors of Sir Charles Morice Pole who had survived Thomas Langley);
(3) William Stuart; Henry Littledale
Operative Part:
- (1) appointed (3) as new trustees of settlement in (A) in place of (2)
(I) Lease & Release by way of Marriage Settlement of 25-26 Jan 1831
Parties:
(1) Mary Thornton;
(2) Godfrey Thornton;
(3) Sophia Pearse, spinster;
(4) Stephen Edward Thornton and George Smith Thornton, merchants; John Pearse the younger; Brice Pearse the younger
Reciting:
- intended marriage of (2) and (3)
Operative Part:
- Manor of Mogerhanger settled and assured subject to jointure of (1) for term of 500 years
Habendum
- to use that (3), if she survived (2), would receive an annual rent charge of £500 per annum; to use of (4) for 1,000 years
(J) Death of Sophia Thornton, without issue, before execution of (I)
(K) Lease & Release by way of Mortgage of 28-29 Jul 1835
Parties:
(1) Godfrey Thornton;
(2) Samuel Dick
Operative Part:
- (1) mortgaged remainder of Mogerhanger Manor, expectant of possession on the death of Stephen Thornton, to (2) for £5,000 subject to jointure of £800 for his wife and term of 500 years
(L) Indenture of 12 Dec 1836
Parties:
(1) Godfrey Thornton;
(2) Charles Thomas Holcombe;
(3) Edward Richardson
Operative Part:
- (1) granted annuity of £120 for 99 years or the longest lived of Ellen Rearden, Margaret Rearden, Charles Thomas Holcombe and Edward Richardson to (2) chargeable on Manor of Mogerhanger for £1,500;
- (1) charged Manor of Mogerhanger to (3) for 1,000 years from the death of Stephen Thornton upon trust to secure the £120 annuity
(M) Warrant of Attorney of Godfrey Thornton and judgement against him in King's Bench on 21 Dec 1836 at the suit of Charles Thomas Holcombe further securing the £120 annuity
(N) Mortgage by Lease & Release of 23-24 Jul 1840
Parties:
(1) Godfrey Thornton;
(2) John Richards; Sir Gore Ouseley; Charles Barry Baldwin, directors and trustees of General Reversionary and Investment Company
Operative Part:
- (1) mortgaged Mogerhanger Manor to (2) for £35,050
(O) Transfer of Mortgage of 24 Jul 1840
Parties:
(1) Charles Thomas Holcombe;
(2) John Phillips Beavan (sole executor of Edward Richardson);
(3) Godfrey Thornton;
(4) John Richards; Sir Gore Ouseley; Charles Barry Baldwin, directors and trustees of General Reversionary and Investment Company
(5) Thomas Peregrine Courtenay;
(6) Sir James McGrigor
Operative Part:
- (2), by direction of (1) and (3) and nomination of (4) assigned remainder of Mogerhanger Manor expectant on the death of Stephen Thornton vested in Edward Richardson to (5) for residue of term of 1,000 years
(P) Payment of the £35,050 in (N) was further secured by Warrant of Attorney of Godfrey Thornton and judgement of 29 Jul 1840 against him in Queen's Bench at suit of John Richards, Sir Gore Ouseley and Charles Barry Baldwin for sum of £70,000 plus costs
(Q) Further Advance of 12 Mar 1841 and endorsed on (O)
Parties:
(1) Godfrey Thornton;
(2) John Richards; Sir Gore Ouseley; Charles Barry Baldwin, directors and trustees of General Reversionary and Investment Company;
(3) Sir James McGrigor;
(4) Thomas Peregrine Courtenay
Operative Part:
- (1) charged Mogerhanger Manor with payment to (2) of £2,700
(R) Payment of the £2,700 in (Q) was further secured by Warrant of Attorney of Godfrey Thornton and judgement of 16 Mar 1841 against him in Queen's Bench at suit of John Richards, Sir Gore Ouseley and Charles Barry Baldwin for sum of £5,400 plus costs
(S) Further Advance of 11 Mar 1842 and endorsed on (O)
Parties:
(1) Godfrey Thornton;
(2) John Richards; Sir Gore Ouseley; Charles Barry Baldwin, directors and trustees of General Reversionary and Investment Company;
(3) Sir James McGrigor;
(4) Thomas Peregrine Courtenay
Operative Part:
- (1) charged Mogerhanger Manor with payment to (2) of £2,650
(T) (R) Payment of the £2,700 in (S) was further secured by Warrant of Attorney of Godfrey Thornton and judgement of 14 Mar 1842 against him in Queen's Bench at suit of John Richards, Sir Gore Ouseley and Charles Barry Baldwin for sum of £5,300 plus costs
(U) Further Advance of 24 Jun 1842 and endorsed on (O)
Parties:
(1) Godfrey Thornton;
(2) John Richards; Sir Gore Ouseley; Charles Barry Baldwin, directors and trustees of General Reversionary and Investment Company;
(3) Sir James McGrigor;
(4) Thomas Peregrine Courtenay
Operative Part:
- (1) charged Mogerhanger Manor with payment to (2) of £4,530
(V) Payment of the £4,530 in (U) was further secured by Warrant of Attorney of Godfrey Thornton and judgement of 20 Jul 1843 against him in Queen's Bench at suit of John Richards, Sir Gore Ouseley and Charles Barry Baldwin for sum of £9,060 plus costs
(W) Indenture of 23 Sep 1842
Parties:
(1) Godfrey Thornton;
(2) John Richards; Sir Gore Ouseley; Charles Barry Baldwin, directors and trustees of General Reversionary and Investment Company;
(3) William Dacres Adams; William Wybrow
Operative Part:
- (1) granted an annuity of £58 charged on Mogerhanger Manor to (2) for 99 years or longest lived of Charlotte Richards, Princess Mary of Cambridge, George Frank Stanton Smith and Elizabeth Wilhelmina Dehany for £700;
- (1) charged Manor of Mogerhanger to (3) for 1,000 years from the death of Stephen Thornton upon trust to secure the £58 annuity;
(X) Payment of the £58 annuity in (W) was further secured by Warrant of Attorney of Godfrey Thornton and judgement of 24 Sep 1842 against him in Queen's Bench at suit of John Richards, Sir Gore Ouseley and Charles Barry Baldwin for sum of £1,400 plus costs
(Y) Death of Sir Gore Ouseley on 18 Nov 1844
(Z) Indenture of 23 Mar 1844
Parties:
(1) Godfrey Thornton;
(2) Ann Goldby, spinster;
(3) Henry Morgan Vane
Operative Part:
- (1) granted an annuity of £80 charged on Mogerhanger Manor to (2) for £999 for 99 years or the longest life of Ann Goldby, Princess Mary of Cambridge, Ferdinand Coles, Margaret Turnbull and Frederick William Goldby;
- (1) charged Manor of Mogerhanger to (3) for 1,000 years from the death of Stephen Thornton upon trust to secure the £80 annuity;
(AA) Payment of the £80 annuity in (Z) was further secured by Warrant of Attorney of Godfrey Thornton and judgement of 28 Mar 1844 against him in Queen's Bench at suit of Ann Goldby for sum of £2,000 plus costs
(AB) Transfer of Annuity of 28 Mar 1845
Parties:
(1) Ann Goldby;
(2) Henry Morgan Vane;
(3) Godfrey Thornton;
(4) John Richards; Sir James McGrigor; Sir Archer Denman Croft (as trustees of general reversionary & Investment Company);
(5) John Spurgin
Operative Part:
- the £80 annuity was transferred by (1) to (4) for £1,020 for remainder of term of 99 years
(AC) Further Advance of 29 Apr 1845 and endorsed on (O)
Parties:
(1) Godfrey Thornton;
(2) John Richards; Sir Archer Denman Croft; Charles Barry Baldwin, directors and trustees of General Reversionary and Investment Company;
(3) Sir James McGrigor
Operative Part:
- (1) charged Mogerhanger Manor with payment to (2) of £46,191 in lieu of the several sums of £39,050, £2,700 and £2,650
(AD) Payment of the £46,191 in (AC) was further secured by Warrant of Attorney of Godfrey Thornton and judgement of 2 May 1845 against him in Queen's Bench at suit of John Richards, Sir Archer Denman Croft; and Charles Barry Baldwin for sum of £13,000 plus costs
(AE) Mary Thornton, née Littledale, died on 23 May 1846 and Stephen Thornton died 26 Aug 1850 and was buried at Blunham
(AF) Transfer of Trustees of 15 Feb 1851
Parties:
(1) John Richards; Charles Barry Baldwin; Sir James McGrigor; Sir Archer Denman Croft;
(2) Sir James McGrigor; Sir Archer Denman Croft;
(3) Sir James McGrigor;
(4) John Phillips Beavan;
(5) Sir Robert John Harvey; George Percy Elliott; Thomas Godfrey Sambrooke;
(6) Lieutenant General Sir John Wilson; William Dacres Adams;
(7) Sir John Wilson
Operative Part:
- (5) were new trustees and directors of General Reversionary & Investment Company
(AG) Indenture of 26 Feb 1851
Parties:
(1) Godfrey Thornton;
(2) John Richards, Charles Barry Baldwin, Sir James McGrigor, Sir Archer Denman Croft as trustees and directors of General Reversionary & Investment Company;
(3) Sir John Wilson;
(4) William Dacres Adams; William Wybrow
Operative Part:
- (1) covenanted with (2), (3) and (4) to pay £53,275/10/- to (2) on or before 26 Feb 1852 in satisfaction of the several loans of £46,191, £2,700, £2,650, £714 (price of the £58 annuity) and £1,020 (price of the £80 annuity) and that the Manor of Mogerhanger should not be redeemed until the sum was paid
(AH) Mortgage of 26 May 1851
Parties:
(1) William Stuart; Henry Littledale;
(2) Sir John Wilson; Sir Lewis Grant; Charles Thomas Holcombe
Reciting:
- Stephen and Mary Thornton has had issue besides Godfrey Thornton;
- the £5,000 raisable for the remaining children as in (A) was now to be raised following the deaths of Stephen Thornton and Hannah Pownall;
- (1) had determined to raise £5,000 by mortgaging Mogerhanger Manor
Operative Part:
- (1), as trustees of (A), borrowed £5,000 from (2) and assigned Mogerhanger Manor to (2) for 500 years
(AI) Death of Sir John Wilson in Jun 1856 and was buried at Kensall Green Cemetery; death of Sir Lewis Grant died in Jan 1852 and was buried in Kensall Green Cemetery
(AJ) Indenture of 30 Apr 1845
Parties:
(1) Godfrey Thornton;
(2) William Wybrow;
(3) Thomas Paterson Anderson
Operative Part:
- (1) granted an annuity of £96 charged on Mogerhanger Manor to (2) for £1,200 for 100 years or the longest life of Queen Victoria, Mary Ann Richards, Caroline Spurgin and George Baldwin;
- (1) charged Manor of Mogerhanger to (3) for 1,500 years from the death of Stephen Thornton upon trust to secure the £96 annuity;
(AK) Payment of the £96 annuity in (W) was further secured by Warrant of Attorney of Godfrey Thornton and judgement of 2 May 1845 against him in Queen's Bench at suit of William Wybrow for sum of £2,400 plus costs
(AL) Death of William Wybrow on 1 Aug 1856 and his will of 22 Jun 1855 proved, with codicil, in PCC on 15 Aug 1856 and bequeathing all personal estate to use of Caroline Matilda Murray, widow, Rev.Henry Wybrow and Alfred Brown as executors and trustees
(AM) Transfer of Annuity of 6 Mar 1857
Parties:
(1) Caroline Matilda Murray; Henry Wybrow; Alfred Brown;
(2) Thomas Paterson Anderson;
(3) Sir Robert John Harvey, George Percy Elliott and Thomas George Sambrooke as trustees and directors of General Reversionary & Investment Company;
(4) Thomas Blackhall; Henry Walmsley
Operative Part:
- (3) paid £1,150 to (1);
- (1) assigned £96 annuity and judgement for £2,400 made against Godfrey Thornton to (3);
- (2) assigned and (1) assigned and confirmed Mogerhanger Manor to (4) for 1,500 years
(AN) Will of Godfrey Thornton of 28 Feb 1857 appointing Harry Thornton and Charles James Pearse as executors and trustees and bequeathing all his personal estate to them in trust for conversion into money
(AO) Death of Godfrey Thornton on 8 Mar 1857 and proof of his will in PCC on 28 Mar 1857
(AP) Decree in Chancery in suit where Henry Pearse and others were plaintiffs and Harry Thornton and Charles James Pearse were defendants, ordering that the trusts of Godfrey Thornton's will should be performed and that the defendants should be at liberty to concur in any sale of his estates by General Reversionary & Investment Company
(AQ) Transfer of Trusteeship of 18 Feb 1858
Parties:
(1) Sir James McGrigor;
(2) Sir Robert John Harvey, George Percy Elliott and Thomas George Sambrooke as trustees and directors of General Reversionary & Investment Company;
(3) Seymour Teulon
Operative Part:
- (1) was replaced by (3) as trustee of General Reversionary & Investment Company
Operative Part:
- (vii) paid £48,921/2/- to (i);
- (i) released and conveyed (a) to (vii);
- (ii), at request and by direction of (i), granted released and conveyed (a) to (vii);
- (iii), (iv) and (v) (as trustees of various terms of years) at request and by direction of (i) assigned and surrendered (a) to (vii);
- (vi) granted and conveyed (a) to (vii)
Property:
(a) Manor of Moggerhanger sold by public auction at The Auction Mart, Bartholomew Lane, London on 4 Aug 1857.
Habendum
- to (vii) absolutely discharged from the annuities of £120, £58, £80 and £96
Covenant
- that indenture of 18 Nov 1836 (not abstracted above) between (1) "several persons"; (2)John Richards, Sir Gore Ouseley and Thomas Peregrine Courtenay; (3) Randell Edward Plunkett, Sir Robert Harry Inglis and Sir James McGrigor and also (AF) should remain in custody of (i) but that (vii) should have right to production of them
Extract of Schedule in Original Deed: [with included site layout plan]
- no.130: Guinea Public House and close - 8a 1r 4p grass in occupation of Ann Fisher;
- no. 130a: three cottages and gardens in fivetenements - 0a 1r 19p in occupation of John Simms, Thomas Stanford, J.Summerfield, D.Ashwell and W.Bywater
(II) Deed Poll of 19 Feb 1858 indorsed on (I) by Edward Henry Dawkins, William Honywood and Henry Lake
Reciting:
- will of Dame Isabella Bell Cooper of 18 Mar 1847 devising, bequeathing and appointing all plantation and estate in Jamaica called Duckinfield Hall, all plantations and real estate on Jamaica and Grenada to Edward Henry Dawkins and John Lake, gentleman (since deceased) as trustees to settle them to use of her daughter Elizabeth Dawkins, wife of Edward Henry Dawkins then to be settled and assured on testatrix's grandson Edward Henry Frederick Dawkins as tenant for life, remainder to his sons or, failing male issue, to William Honywood as tenant for life, remainder to his sons or, failing male issue, to testatrix's grandson Philip Frederick Honywood as tenant for life, remainder to his sons or, failing male issue, to daughters of Edward Henry Dawkins, remsinders to daughters successively of William Honywood , then Philip Frederick Honywood;
- will further stipulated that the tenant for life of the estates might appoint a jointure not exceeding £500 to any woman they might marry and charge portions for younger children in a sum not exceeding £8,000;
- will further bequeathed to her executors a leasehold mansion in Portland Place with stables, coachhouses, offices etc. upon trust for sale;
- will further bequeathed £30,000 to her trustees to invest in land to settle for the same purposes as her West Indies estates;
- will further devised and bequeathed the residue of all real and personal estate to the trustees in trust for conversion into money to be applied in the same way as her West Indies estates;
- codicil to will of Isabella Bell Cooper of 19 Nov 1850 directing that her West Indies estates should be limited to Edward Henry Dawkins for his life between the life estate limited to Elizabeth Dawkins and that limited to Edward Henry Frederick Dawkins;
- codicil to will of Isabella Bell Cooper of 20 Feb 1854 appointing Henry Lake as trustee and executor in place of John Lake, deceased;
- codicil to will of Isabella Bell Cooper of 20 Oct 1854 not affecting recited land;
- death of Isabella Bell Cooper on 27 Jan 1855 and proof of her will on 27 Feb 1855 in PCC;
- the Portland Place mansion had since been sold;
- lands in Mogerhanger were purchased in (I) by Edward Henry Dawkins, William Honywood and Henry Lake on behalf of Sir Henry Allen Johnson, Colonel Henry Dawkins and Clinton George Augustus Dawkins and that £14,546/2/6 of the purchase money was paid by Johnson, Dawkins and Dawkins out of their money and conveyed by indenture of 19 Feb 1858 between (1) Edward Henry Dawkins, William Honywood and Henry Lake; (2) Edward Henry Dawkins and Elizabeth, his wife; (3) Sir Henry Allen Johnson, Henry Dawkins and Clinton George Augustus Dawkins subject to payment of yearly corn rent of £132/12/4;
- Mogerhanger Manor was purchased by Edward Henry Dawkins, William Honywood and Henry Lake as trustees of the will of Dame Isabella Bell Cooper for £34,374/19/6 (residue of £48,921/2/6) partly out of the sale monies of Portland Place and partly out of £30,000 bequeathed in the will
(III) Mortgage of 3 Nov 1875
Parties:
(i) Edward Henry Frederick Dawkins;
(ii) George Lake of Bushey House, Bushey [Hertfordshire], esquire
Reciting:
- will of Dame Isabella Bell Cooper and conveyance of 19 Feb 1858
Operative Part:
- (i) borrowed £900 from (ii) at 6% interest (to fall to 5% on punctual payment) secured on Manor of Mogerhanger and all lands in Northill, Blunham and Great Barford in schedule and on policy on life of Edward Henry Frederick Dawkins for £1,000 by London & Provincial Law Assurance Society
Schedule included Guinea and land comprising 8a 1r 4p and three cottages and gardens in five tenements comprising 0a 1r 19p
(IV) Further advance of £500 at 6% interest from George Lake to Edward Henry Frederick Dawkins of 20 Sep 1880
(V) Further advance of £1,500 at 6% interest from George Lake to Edward Henry Frederick Dawkins of 20 Mar 1884
(VI) Conveyance of 23 Sep 1885
Parties:
(i) Edward Henry Frederick Dawkins;
(ii) Edward Charles Honywood Dawkins of Morhanger House, esquire;
(iii) William Honywood;
(iv) B.G.Lake;
(v) George Lake;
(vi) George Edward Lake of Lincoln's Inn, Solicitor of Supreme Court
Reciting:
- will and codicils of Dame Isabella Bell Cooper;
- (I);
- (II);
- portion of hereditaments in (I) and (II) had been sold to Bedford & Cambridge Railway Company and conveyed on 8 Aug 1862;
- Edward Henry Dawkins died on 18 May 1859 and Henry Lake died on 3 Apr 1863;
- no settlement of lands of Dame Isabella Bell Cooper had ever been made;
- (III); (IV) and (V);
- (i) had not exercised any power of jointure or portion for younger children;
- (ii), as first son of (i), became 21 on 20 Apr 1881;
- mortgages of £900, £500 and £1,500 were still due to George Lake
Operative Part:
- (i) confirmed, (ii), with consent of (i), granted and conveyed and (iii) granted and conveyed and (v) released, surrendered and conveyed (a) to (vi)
Property:
(a) Manor of Moggerhanger less land sold to Bedford & Cambridge Railway Company
Habendum:
- to (vi) subject to charges and incumbrances to use of trusts (i) and (ii) should, with consent of (iv), appoint, to use that (iii) and (iv) should have powers limited in proviso
Proviso (amongst others)
- it should be lawful for (iii) and (iv) as trustees, at request of (i) and (ii) to grant easements and privileges and to sell