Reference
RO9
Title
2 farmhouses and 130 acres land in Houghton Conquest purchased by John Lord Gowran in 1741
Date free text
1674-1741
Production date
From: 1674 To: 1741
Scope and Content
This property formed, in the 17th century, part of the estate of the Conquest family [see RO5]. During the Civil War and the Commonwealth period the family found itself in financial difficulties and its estates were heavily mortgaged. Part of the capital was paid off but the interest payments fell behind and the mortgagee took possession Following a lawsuit in Chancery in 1661-2 the mortgage was assigned to another mortgagee, apparently acting for Maurice Thompson who already held some other Conquest property on mortgage (RO5/280). The situation did not become any easier and the Conquests continued to fall behind with repayments, particularly in 1673 and the position was further complicated by a dispute over what property was intended to be included in the mortgage. Thompson entered into part of the premises but both sides freely admitted by 1695 that the property he held was not really worth the vast sum (£13,593..8) for which it was now standing security. It was finally agreed that the Conquests would ratify the Thompson's possession of part of the estate and the Conquests would continue to hold the remainder. [see Articles of Agreement RO9/2]
Following the death of John Thompson, Lord Haversham in 1710 the estate had to be divided to satisfy the sums outstanding on the marriage portions of four of his daughters. This section of the catalogue is concerned with the property allotted to Dorothea, wife of John Bickford of Wapping, Middlesex and which consisted of two farmhouses and 130 acres of land. John Bickford died at Guinea "beyond the seas" in 1720 leaving a son Charles and a daughter Mary. His widow married Mr Garrett, a London watchmaker and Charles was apprenticed to him, but died at the age of 18. Mary married Samuel Nucella "a young silk mercer at Aldgate in very good business" [RO9/8]. In 1733 Samuel raised £1,800 for business purposes by mortgage of this property and received further advances on the same security in following years. He still owed the principal sum of £2,400 in 1737 when he decided to convey the premises to the mortgagee, William Wyatt, for £3,224 thus satisfying all money due.
Wyatt appears immediately to have sought a purchaser for the property; the Archbishop of Canterbury, who later held several properties in the area, was interested - the title was examined and conveyances drawn up and then, for some reason of which no indication has survived, the sale fell through. Wyatt sold the property to John Lord Gowran for £3,785 (£561 more than he had himself paid for it) in 1741
Reference
Level of description
sub-fonds