Genealogy Chat

Has anyone else looked at house deeds? I recently went to the town where my grandfather's family lived and with the help of a very kind librarian I found an account published by the local history society written by the present owner of the cottage where my family lived. More to follow to allow spacing..

I thought it was a fascinating and unexpected story. The cottage had been purchased by my ancestor in 1741 and later turned into a public house. There was a fire insurance certificate with the house deeds valuing the house at £140, the contents at £50 and a stable at £40 in 1740. Joseph left the cottage to his wife Anne to live in and to be divided between William and Thomas his two sons. Thomas prospered but William was declared bancrupt in 1819 and sent to Gloucester Jail. William had to give his share to a court bailiff to be released. All this is recorded in the deeds. Ann was allowed to remain in the cottage and William's daughter remained as landlady of the pub. Eventually in 1830 Thomas became rich enough to buy back William's share of the cottage at auction and the cottage passed to his son with William's grandaughter's husband Owen as landlord. Owen later bought the cottage. The deeds also show the family receiving compensation for the right to graze two horned beasts on the common when the common was enclosed in 1824.

That sounds like a wonderful find. Kath. x