Scope and Content
i) William Cooper, late of Shefford, now of Winchfield, Hampshire, farmer
William Ingram Franklin, Mark Lane, London, merchant
James Horne, Ely, Cambridgeshire, winemerchant
ii) Alfred Richardson, Biggleswade, common brewer
reciting demise of 26 March [1623]
a) Henry Godfrey, Potton, gentleman (son and executor of Robert Godfrey of Biggin, Huntingdonshire, yeoman, deceased)
b) Robert Ball, Potton, yeoman
consideration - £215 paid by b) to a)
a) demised to b)
- messuage used as 2 tenements in Potton
North: Adam and Evah [sic] inn, of Lawrence Geery
South: Henry Wallis, in tenure of George Searle and others
West: Horselow Street
East: Market Place
in occupations of Ralph Draper, Richard Emery, and Thomas Aynesworth. it once belonged to Peter Mayes and was surrendered by him to John Burgoyne, esquire, and was demised by him to Robert Godfrey, father of a), for term of 5000 years. Above property to be held by b) for term of 4800 years subject to payment of 2s ..6d payable at Michaelmas and the Annunciation
reciting also assignment of 27 November 1833
1) Susanna Baker
2) Thomas Strickland
- undermentioned property as firstly described
assigned to 2) for remainder of above term
reciting also assignment of 29 January 1863
A) Robert Freeland and wife Annie
B) John Stone and wife Drusilla
C) Joseph Edden and wife Elizabeth
D) Emma Jones
E) Sarah Ludlow
F) James Rogerson and wife Caroline
G) said Thomas Strickland
- property herein secondly described (being remaining part of premises comprised in above lease or demise) were assigned to G) for remainder of said term
reciting also will of 15 April 1871 of Thomas Strickland by which he appointed his sons-in-law, i), to be executors and trustees, and he devised all his freehold and leasehold estates to them in trust for sale
Thomas Strickland died on 29 July 1872. Will proved 26 February 1873 in Principal Probate Registry
Case was instituted in Chancery on 28 February 1873
I) Thomas Strickland Cooper
Emma Cooper, spinster
Annie Elizabeth Cooper, spinster
Arthur Henry Cooper
John James Cooper
Ralph Munn Cooper
plaintiffs (infants, T S Cooper being their next friend)
II) William Cooper
William Ingram Franklin and wife Emma
James Horne and wife Ann
Mary Strickland, spinster
Charles Strickland
Ann Strickland, widow
defendants (for the administration of the estate of Thomas Strickland, deceased)
by decree of 3 June 1874 made in said suit, it was ordered that testator’s real estate still remaining unsold should be sold with the approbation of the Judge
in pursuance of said order part of said real estate was sold by auction on 15 September 1876 in several lots and undermentioned property formed Lot 1
At said sale ii) was highest bidder for Lot 1 at £7400 and paid a deposit of £740
remainder of sum, £6660 and interest of £238..14s..11d paid on 18 August 1877
For purpose of stamp duty the value of the premises was considered to be £4250
now i) assigns to ii), firstly
- messuage in Sun Street, Potton, with land, yard and garden belonging
- brewery and plant erected thereon, counting house, store rooms, sheds, barns, chaise house
lately in occupation of Thomas Strickland deceased, then i), now ii)
- Two Brewers, Horselow Street, Potton, now in occupation of Thomas Parkins
North (part): late Thomas Strickland, now George Judge
(part): Charles Edwards
(part): property secondly described
East: Sun Street
South: Sun Inn yard
West (part): Horselow Street
(part): George Judge
[marked in margin ‘sold to Mr J B S Holen’]
formerly described;
messuage in Potton Market Place containing entrance hall, staircase, 2 front parlours, large kitchen, back kitchen, 3 large pantries with ale and wine cellar under, 3 large and 3 small bedchambers, with closets and 3 attics, a pair of large entrance gates, an extensive yard, pump of good water, a barn. 50 ft in length, with a garden 80 ft square, enclosed with a brick wall
- messuage at West end of said premises fronting Horselow Street, with yard and garden belonging, late in occupation of Joseph Bland
all which 2 messuages or tenements are bounded
East: Market Place
South: William Bigg
West: Horselow Street
North: ‘The Sun’
and by assignment of 22 November 1802 between William Bigg, Potton, barber and grocer, and George Sampson, Hatley St George, Cambridgeshire, gentleman, described as containing:
a parlour, closet, hall, shop distilling room, 3 garrets
- all the range of buildings on South side of yard next the Sun Public House yard, consisting of a shed, shop, stable, woodhouse, and little barn. The Great barn being on North side of said yard, next the yard of Matthew Rugeley, esquire, with garden adjoining
- cottage adjoining to said garden being near Horselow Street, and well and pump standing in above mentioned yard
- same yard as then divided from yard of William Bigg
said premises in occupations of John Dennis junior, Matthew Rugeley and John Sharman and were lately purchased by William Bigg, with remainder of premises in his occupation, from Ann Harrison
now i) assigns to ii), secondly
- messuage or shop at Potton, in occupations of Richard Richardson, George Croot and Thomas Strickland
North: Charles Edwards
South, West and East (part): Thomas Strickland
East (remaining part): Market Place
formerly described:
North: former Adam and Eve, later a private house, in occupation of Mrs Susan Livett
South: formerly Henry Wallis, then Mr Samuel Wells, in occupation of George Searle, afterwards a public house called the Sun, formetly in occupation of John Dennis, then Thomas Cook
West: Horselow Street
East: Market Place
formerly in occupation of Ralph Draper, Richard Emery and Thomas Eynesworth, then George Rugeley and Mary, Thomas Lee and --– Sharman, late of John Dennis junior, William Bigg, Matthew Rugeley, esquire and John Sharman
to be held by ii) for residue of term of 4800 years
signed: i)
witnesses: Thomas William Sumpster, Hartley Wintney, grocer and baker; William Haskin, commercial traveller, Ely, Cambridgeshire; Dave Birt, solicitor, Southwark 14 Jan 1879