Admin/biog history
A messuage, cottage, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade was surrendered by
Joseph Levitt of Biggleswade, whipcord maker on 18 May 1725. John Wynne of Biggleswade, currier was admitted on 22 October 1725 (Z491/3). In his will proved Prerogative Court of Canterbury 7 December 1739 John Will now described as a malster left a messuage, cottage or tenement in Shortmead Street in Biggleswade now divided into 3 dwellings, in the several occupations of Widow Hyde, John Pope and Thomas Wells to his daughter Mary (Z491/5a). On 28 February 1767 Mary and her husband Thomas Baker of St Sepulchre in the city of London, horsedealer surrendered the property to the use of Sarah Hide of Biggleswade. Sarah Hide was admitted on 5, 6 and 13 May 1767. The property was described as a messuage then or late in the several occupations of Sarah Hide, Samuel Albone and John Mole (Z491/6)
Sarah's executors surrendered the property to Richard Hall of Holme, Biggleswade, farmer on 5 and 6 May 1772 (Z491/7). He was admitted on the same days. He left customary copyhold, messuages and closes of pasture, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade, now in occupation of Robert Reynolds and Charles Barret by his will (made July 1770) to his son John Hall (Z491/8)
On 18, 19 and 21 May 1778 John Collison was admitted on the surrender of John Hall. On John's death, his son John was admitted at a court held on 16 and 19 April 1799. The property was described as consisting of several copyhold messuages in Biggleswade, late in the occupations of John Hall, Robert Reynolds, John Grigg, John Huckle and John Tyre and now of William Carter, John Mole, John Sheffield and Thomas Chamberlain - Tingey and William Pepper (Z491/11). John Collison, the son, for several years "did seek and endeavour to get his living" by buying and selling coals, corn, wine, timber, iron and other goods, wares and merchandise. He became indebted to John Crabb for £200 and was declared bankrupt. A Commission of Bankruptcy was issued on 29 June 1804. On 30 April and 1 May 1805 his assignees in Bankruptcy John Crabb of Hitchin, brewer and John Prescott Blencowe of Kings Lynn, Norfolk, merchant were admitted to the property of John Collison, being copyhold of Manor of Biggleswade. This site was described as: customary or copyhold messuages, cottages, tenements with close of pasture adjoining (1 acre) lying in Biggleswade, late in several tenures or occupations of John Hall, Robert Reynolds, John Grigg, John Huckle and John Tyre and now or late in several tenures or occupations of William Carter, John Mole. John Sheffield, Thomas Chamberlain - Tingey and William Pepper (Z491/34). All Collison's copyhold property was sold by Crabb and Blencowe to Daniel Chapman of Hitchin, merchant. He was admitted on 24, 25, 29 April 1807 (Z491/35). Chapman with his partner Joseph Margetts Pierson of Hitchin, gentleman sold all the Collison property to John Croft late of Cambridge, but now of Biggleswade, gentleman. On his admission of 20 May 1814 the property was described (Z491/17) as messuages, cottages or tenements with the close of pasture adjoining (1 acre) in Biggleswade abutting west, Shortmead Street (late in the several tenures or occupations of William Carter, John Mole, John Sheffield, Thomas Chamberlain, Widow Tingey and William Pepper and now of Richard Taylor, John Mole and Richard Currie) and a messuage or tenement late erected and built on some part of e) above (now in the occupation of William Wright and Reverend George Mossop or their undertenants). (This is the house with tithe number 485-AT and MAT5/1). On the 2 and 3 December 1811 Chapman had got the property enfranchised and therefore it ceased to be copyhold and became freehold
In 1818 John Croft sold just the site to Willder Daniel of Biggleswade, gentleman for £1300. On 24 May 1818 the residue of 1000 years to attend the inheritance, created as mortgages, were assigned to Willder Daniel. The property was described as being a piece of land being scite or ground upon which several messuages or cottages heretofore stood with close of pasture or land adjoining (1 acre) in Biggleswade, abutting west on Shortmead Street. The property was formerly in the tenures of William Carter, John Mole, John Sheffield, Thomas Chamberlain, Widow Tingey and William Pepper; afterwards of John Mole, John Sheffield and Richard Currie and now or late of Willder Daniel. Adjoining this messuage was one formerly in the tenure of - Chamberlaine, afterwards of Joseph Horne, and then of Richard Taylor, now or late in the tenure or occupation of William Wright, postmaster. (This was tithe Number 486; MAT and AT5/1). To the north of the site of the cottages lay a messuage, tenement and outbuildings (late in the tenure or occupation of William Wright and Reverend George Mossop or their undertenants (This is Tithe Number 485; MAT and AT5/1). Z491/15
Willder Daniel decided to break up the property into three sections. The house formerly - Chamberlaines, he sold to Thomas Dalton. Thomas Dalton junior owned the property at the time of the Tithe Map and Award No 486 MAT and AT 5/1. Another section on which he had recently built 3 houses he sold to William Larkins (Z491/21). These cottages lay to the south of the property sold to Thomas Dalton and are marked on the tithe map. The residue still confusedly described as a piece of land, being scite or ground upon which several messuages or cottages, heretofore formerly stood with the close of pasture adjoining, fronting west on Shortmead Street (formerly in the tenures or occupations of William Carter, John Mole, John Sheffield, Thomas Chamberlain, the Widow Tingey and William Pepper, afterwards of Richard Taylor). John Mole, and Richard Currie, late of Willder Daniel and now or late of John Lancaster, was sol to John Lancaster of Biggleswade, gentleman
John Lancaster used the house, formerly in the occupation of William Wright and George Mossop as an Academy or School. The sale catalogue of 26 November 1824 indicates that the boundaries of the Academy and its gardens were N. Cowfair Buildings, E. Chapel Field, S. J Malden's premises, W. Shortmead Street on a 75 foot 6 inch frontage (Z491/24)
On 14 and 15 December 1824 (Z491/30a and /30b) the messuage or tenement, formerly in the occupation of William Wright and George Mossop, their undertenants or assigns and a newly erected building, adjoining the messuage, now used as a schoolroom upon the site of which building formerly stood several cottages, heretofore in the occupation of William Carter, John Mole, John Sheffield, Thomas Chamberlaine, Widow Tingey and William Pepper and the close of pasture adjoining containing 1 acre, was sold to William Larkins of Biggleswade, draper by John Lancaster for £900 (This is Tithe Number 485)
In 1825 William Larkins got John Malden to prepare plans and specifications for building two houses and a shop in Shortmead Street
By 1838 at the time of the Tithe Award and Map (MAT and AT 5/1) the property was still owned by William Larkins.
On 20 June 1870 (Z491/37) William Larkins died having left a will of
9 November 1868. By a 3rd codicil he left a moiety of 2 freehold houses
and premises in Shortmead Street, Biggleswade (one late in the occupation of William Larkins, now of John Luck and the other late in the occupation of James Pope, now of William White) and in two other freehold house and premises, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade
By 1875 Sarah Larkins Perkins had formal control over at least one of the messuages, although the formal division between her and the person left the other moiety, Mary White, had not been formalised by a deed
Sarah Larkins Perkins died 19 January 1885. By her will dated 19 January 1885 and proved at Principal Probate Registry 18 March 1885, she left a freehold messuage or dwellinghouse, occupied by William Chambers and a freehold messuage or dwellinghouse and shop adjoining, in occupation of Francis Page, pawnbroker, to William Perkins of Biggleswade. On his death on 17 February 1889 he shared the property between his two daughters, Helen and Emma
The earlier deed relate to the sites of three cottages and a coal yard with wharfs on the west side of Shortmead Street and a messuage divided into two, somewhere in Shortmead Street (not specified). The exact site of these properties can not be determined without more evidence from later deeds.