Admin/biog history
Pavenham Manors.
There were originally three manors in Pavenham. By the 18th century, the manors owned by the Odell Asltons were known as the manor of Pavenham and a moiety of the manor of Gloucester Fee [X29/15, 17, BS1161]. The Pavenham branch of the Alstons owned the manors of Bury, Hall and Gloucester Fee [F179-80, 226, AL1-13]. The appearance of an additional manor is difficult to explain; in 1649 Edward Vaux conveyed to John Alston, then of Hinwick Hall, Podington, the manor of Pavenham als. Cheynes, Brays Manor in Pavenham, a capital mansion house or manor house called the Berrystead, 7 closes, 21 acres of meadow and 39 acres of arable occupied with the Berrystead, together with cottages and lands in Pavenham, Oakley, Milton Ernest, Stevington, Odell, Clapham, Felmersham and Radwell [GA1648].
The manor of Gloucester Fee can be identified with certainty with the manor of Brays, since a survey of the estate
c.1766 (L26/657) refers to "two manors and a moiety of a manor." This must have been Gloucester Fee since the Odell
Alstons claimed the other moiety of Gloucester Fee. The Bury manor, from its name, would probably have been
originally part of the principal manor of Pavenham; while the Odell Alstons claimed the title "Manor of Pavenham"
for their moiety of Pavenham I, the Pavenham Alstons presumably dropped the earlier name Cheynes manor in favour of
Bury manor for their half, The Burystead als Pavenham Bury was probably the ancient manor house of Pavenham I. The
most probable explanation of the appearance of Hall manor is that it was an offshoot of Cheynes manor. Hall Close
and Little Hall Close persisted into the 19th century as field names, and before the enclosure, Hall Lane led to
these fields from the main street. There may also have been some connection with the messuage called Gill Green
which occupies a prominent position in 18th century conveyances.
William Alston of Pavenham (see pedigree) died on 23rd April, 1736; he bequeathed his estate to his wife Ann for
life, it was to be sold after her death, and the proceeds divided between Mary of the Revd. John Lord, and Frances,
wife of Nehemiah Brandreth, the two sisters of William Alston. Ann Alston died in September 1741. (F 179) In 1745
both moieties were conveyed to John Franklyn, "formerly master of HMS Solebay, now St. Martin in the Field, gent."
(F226). On the death of John Franklyn (1748) the estate passed to his brother Joseph, d. 1762, whose widow, Joan
Franklyn, d.1767, devised it to trustees to sell (AL6). In March, 1768, the estate was conveyed to Richard Sutton.
The ''Particular of Burry Estate at Pavenham'' (L26/657) was probably made prior to this sale; in 1766 it was valued
at £6,500 (L26/673). Richard Sutton sold it to Thomas Clark in 1778 (AL6), and its subsequent history can be traced
through the documents in this collection, and the sale cataloques of 1909 -10 (X251/4, X65/70, SH229/21) and of
1919 (X67/ 413).
Pavenham Bury.
The 'Particular' of 1766 describes the Bury as 'a large capital stone modern built messuage or mansion house, four
square, five stories high, five rooms on a floor most of them wainscotted; lofty ceilings, commodious vaults or
cellars, leaded at top with a balcony and a prospect that commands the country ... in good and substantial repair,
the late owner thereof having lately laid out £2,000 and upwards in repairing and beautifying the same, laying out
the gardens and making fish ponds etc. all of which are done in 'a very elegant manner.' Nearby was 'a large
stonebuilt dovehouse, four square,near the house,' also stables and brewhouse, and 'large, commodious seats in the
church for the mansion house and tenants.' For recreation there was an acre of spinney with walks cut in it, a
warren and an island called the Holms 'in which are wood walks and arbours very pleasant as well as profitable for
lovers of fishing', together with 'liberty of hunting, hawking, fowling and other sports for many miles round, and
the manors are full of game.'The estate included a farm (? Gill Green), together with closes and arable containing
240 acres, cottages, and 'the Swan Inn, a new built house'. The whole was valued at £220 p.a. The 1894 Beds.
directory states that the house was built in the time of william and Mary. Slide no. 519 (1837) show a square -
built house with a high - pitched 'Dutch' roof, and it would appear to be substantially the same as the house shown
on William Gordon's map (1736), though Harvey states that it was one of the Franklyns who 'altered the old mansion
into the Dutch style.' In 1842 T.A. Green spent 'several thousand pounds' according to the 1849 sale catalogue
(X98/144) in transforming the house into an Elizabethan - style mansion, keeping the basic shape, but removing the
high - pitched roof and building on bay windows. An engraving by Rudge which appears on the 1851 sale catalogue
shows the building substantially as it has remained to the present time. He also spent a large sum on laying out the
grounds. Harvey says that the alterations were completed by Richard Harvey who erected the lodge on the Bedford road
in the same style.
Francis Green and Thomas Abbott Green
The pedigree of the Green family, coal and timber merchants, Bedford, and the wills, family settlements and main
series of deeds connected with their property in Bedford, Felmerham, Pavenham and Stevington will be found
an another collection (X98). John Higgins of Turvey Abbey sketched Pavenham Bury in 1837 (slide519), and added a
note that though Francis Green purchased the Pavenham estate, he still lived at Bedford, and Pavenham Bury was the
residence of his nephew Thomas Abbot Green. Of Francis Green, 'the writer has the pleasure to record, that after an
acquaintance of near sixty, and an intimate and valued friendship for upwards of 44 years, nothing has caused the
smallest interuption to it for a moment. It may be said also with truth that few places have been more improved in
the comfort and conduct of the inhabitants than the village of Pavenham since it has become his property, by his
liberal attention to their welfare and improvement, and by his finding constant employment for its labourers.' Three
times mayor of Bedford, he was also a J.P. and Deputy Lieutenant, and held the office of Sheriff in 1836. He died in
September, 1840, and bequeathed the Pavenham estate to Thomas Abbott Green. In 1841 he put in hand a scheme for
repairing the church, and presented the church with an organ costing £50. According to C.D. Lindell, this organ was
'a sort of glorified musical box, with two or three cylinders, which played if the handle was turned, a certain
number of hymns and chants. Mr. Samuel Gostick was for many years 'organist', and he received 30s a year
for'playing' it ... I have been told that from time to time, when the singing had gone well, Mr. Green would
compliment Mr. Gostick on his performance and invite him to partake of liquid refreshment in the Bury.' He also
wainscotted the church with oak woodwork. C.D. Linnell states that 'for this purpose he bought up all the carved oak
chests he could in the neighbourhood (his agent being the late Mr. George Gregge), and it is said that some of the
carving came from the old Temple Church in London when it was repaired or pulled down. Though many assert that this
was quite impossible, traditions of this sort are almost invariably correct... he made the church one of the most
attractive places of worship in the county.' T.H. Green also purchased Felmersham House and rebuilt it. The Grange,
which became his seat, is described by the Beds,. Directory for 1854 as being 'a very handsome building in the
modern style of architecture.' (see Felmersham section of catalogue) The Pavenham Estate was put up for sale in 1849
and purchased by Richard Harvey, of St. Day, Cornwall. C.D. Linnell says that Harvey was forced to sell it again in
1851 when it was bought by Joseph Tucker.
Joseph Tucker
The family is first mentioned in the deeds in connection with Bourton, Berks., though their origin there is obscure
(see letter from Berkshire County Archivist to Assistant Archivist at Bedfordshire County Record Office dated 5th July 1971 [copy available in paper catalogue]), and Joseph and his brother Henry, together with their brother - in - law John
Baker evidently had thriving businesses in the silk trade. Henry had Bourton House built for him, and it seems that
John Baker also settled there since they were jointly responsible for charitable works and benefactions in the area.
According to his obituary in the Bedfordshire Times. Joseph was able to retire from business at the age of 50, and
proceded to buy Pavenham Bury and the estate, extending his purchases in the neighbouring parish of Felmersham, and
also buying an estate in Kempston. He began life as an office boy, according to Dr. Linnell, and become extremely
wealthy. He seems to have played the role of the benevolent squire in Pavenham, and his activities as a fanatical
advocate of teetotalism are well described in the obituary. His efforts may have been less effective than he
imagined, since it is said that the labourers on the Home Farm took their beer to the fields in tea Pots! Another
very full account of his methods of ruling the village will be found in the Beds. Times 5 Sept., 1863. He continued
the work of T.A. Green in improving the cottage, built the National School, and opened a reading and coffee room.
Further details will be found in Old - Time Pavenham and Pavenham and its Church by C.D. Linnell.
The only son son of Mary and W.B. Alexander, Joseph Tucker Burton Alexander, was, according to Dr. Linnell, spoilt.
He spent time at Cambridge, then went France, married a Frenchwoman, and immediately on coming into the estate in
1904, began to mortgage it heavily. By 1909 there was £39,000 owing on various mortgages (X251/9), which forced the
sale of the estate (X251/4, X65/70). The Bury itself was sold in 1919 (X67/413),
together with the Home Farm. It is said that he was very keen on cars, and was last heard of applying to Lord Luke
for a testimonial as chauffeur. (Dr. Linnell)