24 September 2012
Ref Chapelfields leases.docx
Colin Walker
These are extracts form the various Deeds to the factory in Lord Street, Coventry which started life as the Lord street Sunday School and was converted to a factory in 1928 and further converted to flats in 2012.
Some of the less understandable abbreviations have been directly copied from the originals.
note:- afs's = afforesaid
cgw 2012
Abstract of the title of Messrs Hill, Marriott and Clarenshaw Geo William Read to land part of Chapel Fields situate at Spon End and Hearsall in the Parish of Saint John Baptist Coventry in the County of Warwick
31st October 1770
Indenture between the Mayor Bailiffs and Commonalty of the City of Coventry (Trustees of Sir Thomas White’s Charity Estate in the said city) on the one part and Thomas King the elder of the same City Gardener of the other part Witnesseth that the said Mayor Bailiffs & Commonalty in consideration of the yearly rents etc Did demise and lease set and to farm let unto the said Thomas King his executors administrators and afs’s –
All that close or pasture Ground situate lying & being at Spon End near to and in the Suburbs of the said City being parcel of the land there called Chapel Fields having other part of the same Fields in the tenure of John Hulley or his afs’s on the west and the old Chapel formerly called Mary Magdalen Chapel and the road there leading to Hearsall in the east & is bounded Hearsall in the South & by the Common road or Highway leading from the said City towards Allesley on the North which said Close of pasture ground thereby demised together with divers other lands there were theretofore in the tenure of Cleopas Ratcliff deceased late of William Skeers deceased and his assigns or undert’s & then of William Awson his assigns or undert’s (Except all Wood and Timber &c)
To Hold unto the said Thomas King his executors administrators & afs’s from the 5th day of April 1772 for the Term of 21 years at the yearly rent of £18 payable by equal half yearly installments & of £4 for every Acre & so proportionably of the said Premises which should be ploughed &c during last 5 years
Usual Covenants and Provisions for reentry if Rent in arrears or lease assigned without consent Executed by the said Thomas King & attested.
31st October 1770
Same as above to William Freeman
26th October 1790
Surveyed to contain 6 A 2 i 15 p ( 6 Acres 2 i 15 perches) (except for wood) from the 5th day of April 1793 to Joseph Gibbons for 21 years at the yearly rent of £18 payable by equal half yearly installments and also one couple of Fat Capons or 5/- (five shillings, 25 Pence) yearly to the Mayor of the said City for the time being and £4 for every acre & so proportionably that should be ploughed during the last 5 years of the said term.
1793 Surveyed at 6a 0r 21p
(6 acres 0r 21 perches) (160 perches to the acre) and reassigned for 21 years to Joseph Gibbons
29th October 1802 Assigned to James Weare of the City of Coventry, Nurseryman (except wood and timber) 21 years until 5th April 1814. Rent £66 and a couple of Fat Capons or 10/- Surveyed at 6a 2r 31p and 6a 0r 21p Executed by Basil Goode, Mayor & the Common Seal of the corporation affixed.
29th October 1833
Trustees of Sir Thomas White’s Charity and Joseph Harrow 12a 2r 34p Mentions a lease granted to James Weare on 29th October 1811 and expires on 5th April 1835.
Leased to Joseph Harris (Except Timber) from 5th April 1835 for 14 years. Rent £64 and £10 for every acre ploughed or cultivated.
Executed by Joseph Harris Mentions an Act of parliament under which these closes were sold and the entry:-
Parish: Saint John Baptist
Name of parcels: Chapel Fields
Situation: Hearsall
Tennant: Joseph Harris
Quantities: 12a 2r 34p
Rent: £64.0.0
4th December 1846
William Russell esquire Accountant Gent --- William Henry Hill Joseph Clarenshaw & James Marriot the Purchasers had paid into the Bank of England the sum of £3751
6th January 1847
That Joseph Loden (trustee named in said act) died on or about the 24th day of August 1846
Abraham Herbert Cleophas Ratcliff and D S Waters as such trustees as aforesaid & as well on behalf of themselves as their trustee W Earl of Craven & pursuant to the trusts & powers vested in them by the said Act had contracted and agreed with William Hill James Marriott and Joseph Clarenshaw for the sale of the Lands & herediments thereinafter meant and intended to be thereby released & conveyed being part of the lands described in the schedule --- except a small piece of land reserved for an opening & containing 550 square yards or thereabouts – for the sum of £3751
All the several closes or parcels of land --- 12a 2r 34p ---- and the same lands are also described in & upon the plan drawn & contained in the margin of those presents & are intended to be laid out & used partly in Lots for the site of Dwelling houses buildings & partly for streets roads & ways for the convenience use & enjoyment thereof ---- except a small piece of land -- containing 1706 square yards and lately the property of Ralph Byne Jarvis -- having been lately purchased by WH Hill James Marriott and Joseph Clarenshaw to be laid out as numbers 2 and 3 Oxford Terrace ---.
( Probably Russel Terrace and now 33,35 Allesley Old Road. cgw 2012)
There is a term which appears to divide the whole into three equal parts, one to each of the purchasers but it is very unclear but it was executed and attested by all parties.
--- should and would make one of the said streets intended to be called Craven Street 422 foot wide having a carriage way of the width of 30 feet & by footpaths on each side thereof of the width of 6 feet each respectively and should and would make each of the other streets marked out and named on the said plan Duke Street Lord Street Mount Street 36 feet wide having a carriage way of the width of 24 feet & footpaths on each side thereof of the width of 6 feet and should and would pave all the said foot paths with Marston Square Stone with proper dressed curb stones on one side of the said footpaths --– and divide and set out in lots --- and set back the said dwelling houses 12 feet from the said foot paths -- houses with an Iron palisade fence thereto against the street upon dwarf walls with iron or stone coping & iron gates and standards – and not erect more than one dwelling house on the said sites – and that into each of the said intended new streets to be made as aforesaid a barrel drain of 18 inches clear in the diameter & place and put down a culvert in the said Old Turnpike Road – from the extreme point or west corner of the lands – and down to the south side of Spon Bridge – to be not less than 4 feet high and 2’6” wide -- to be 8 ft below the said road --drains to every dwelling house – to have stench pipes --- floor to be at least one foot above the crown of the road --- houses on Allesley old road to have shutters inside and not outside – Executed by all parties & attested.
11 Feb 1852
Indenture between William Henry Hill James Marriott & Joseph Clarenshaw of the first part William Read of the City of Coventry Watch manufacturer of the second part and Henry Lea of the same City Gentleman of the third part Witnesseth that in consideration of £535 by the said William Read to the said William Henry Hill James Marriott & Joseph Clarenshaw paid at the execution thereof the receipt whereof they did thereby acknowledge they William Henry Hill James Marriott & Joseph Clarenshaw did each of them grant bargain sell alien release convey & confirm unto the said William Read his heirs and afs’s (wife Alia) ---- lots 23 and 24 lord Street. Executed by all parties and attested.
12 March 1860
Indenture William Read Coventry Watch manufacturer Henry Case Coventry Watch manufacturer Refer to 11 Feb 1852 All about drains. Signees:-
William Read
Henry Case
Henry James Street
13 March 1860
Lease of land in Lord Street for 14 years. Rent £4 from 26th March 1860 Lots 23 and 24 Lord Street Also dated 2nd October 1863
Signatories:-
Henry Case
George William Goodchild
Josiah Richardson
John Aston Clare
3rd October 1863
Frances William Franklin paid Henry Case £106 10/- for School Room and offices
Henry Case watch manufacturer
Frances William Franklin (Bachelor)
Lots 23 and 24 Lord Street
1 May 1872
William Lynes of Coventry Joseph Yardley of Coventry Refers to indenture of 1 Jan 1862 between William Read and William Lynes Joseph Yardley paid £57 12/- for lots 21 and 22 Lord Street William paid Joseph £57 12/- for transfer of ownership
15th September 1873
Joseph Yardley watch case maker of Coventry sold lots 21 and 22 Lord Street for £70 to Francis William Franklin ribbon manufacturer of Coventry
13 July 1874
Conveyance and Settlement of the Lord Street Sunday Schools in the City of Coventry
Francis William Franklin William Franklin and others
426 square yard lots 23 and 24 Lord Street
432 square yards lots 21 and 22 Lord Street
Setting up the trust
Rules of the trust
Signatories:-
Francis William Franklin
George Carey Franklin
Stephen Shakespeare Dolby
Thomas Bushill
John Butterworth
John Newsome
John Hine
William Pulley
William Lecke Robinson
Thomas Smith
1 December 1890
Between:- Frances William Franklin of Coventry ribbon manufacturer
John Hine of Coventry bank manager
William Pulley of Coventry Gentleman
William Lecke Robinson esquire of Coventry of the first part and
John Butterworth of the City of Birmingham draper
Thomas Smith of Coventry of the second part and
Thomas William Bushill of Coventry wholesale stationer
Adam Burgess of Coventry watch manufacturer
John Morton of Coventry coal merchant
John Norwood of Coventry builder
William Lewis Bloxham of Coventry grocer
Thomas Gardner watch manufacturer
Edward Thomas Pearson of Coventry chartered accountant of the third part
Whereas by an indenture of conveyance and settlement dated 13 July 1894 and made between Francis William Franklin of the first part George Carey Franklin of the second part and William Franklin the said Francis William Franklin Stephen Shakespeare Dolbey Thomas Bushill the said John Butterworth John Newsome and the said John Hine William Pulley William Lecke Robinson and Thomas Smith of the third part ---
two pieces of land called Chapel Fields – lots 23 and 24 Lord Street ---lots 21 and 22 Lord Street ---
at all times thereafter permit and suffer the said schools and premises thereby conveyed to be and remain appropriated and used as a place of Religious Instruction for the preaching and teaching of the Gospel according to the views commonly held by Evangelical Protestant Dissenters – appoint replacement trustees who are Evangelical Protestant Dissenters - rules of trustee appointments.
Signed and sealed by:- Francis William Franklin
John Hines
William Pulley
W L Robinson
John Butterworth
Thomas Smith
Thomas Bushill
Adam Burgess
John Morton
John Norwood
Lewis Bloxham
Thomas Gardner
Edward Thomas Pearson
Witnesses
Henry Butterworth Draper 195 Park Road Birmingham
Thomas Michel Smith Watch balance manufacturer 91 Little Park Street For Adam Burgess clerk to messrs Browetts solicitors
John Haymes clerk to messrs Browetts
Cha Hobley clerk to messrs Browetts
8 May 1928
Order made under the Charitable Trusts act 1853 to 1925 in the matter of Lord Street Sunday Schools in the County Borough of Coventry founded by Deed of 13th July 1874
1. The trustees may sell the hereditaments for £2100
2. The expense shall be paid from the sale. Remainder to objects of the trust Schedule Land containing 858 square yards or thereabouts situate West side of Lord street together with the buildings erected thereon known as Lord Street Sunday Schools.
Abstract Mander Hadley 1928
Trustees
14th August 1892 Adam Burgess died
8th June 1895 Thomas Gardner died
14th January 1900 John Morton died
16th June 1901 William Leckie Robinson died
April 1903 William Hewie Bloxam died
9th January 1907 Thomas William Bushill died at Dublin
13th February 1915 William Pulley died
19th February 1916 Frances William Franklin died
21st January 1920 John Worwood Died
11 March 1921 John Hine died
8 June 1927 Edward Thomas Pierson died
18th August 1928 Opinion
The last surviving trustees are the proper persons to convey. Search of the land registry dated 28th September 1928 returned nil entries
28th September 1928
Sidney Pierson and Ernest Pierson conveyance to Charles W Walker for £2100 426 square yards formerly property of James Baker and 432 square yards formerly property of Joseph Yardley
Footnote. The deeds of 1770 and 1802 exclude the use of wood on the land. This use had been part of medieval common rights and had been removed by force of the enclosures. The landlords had thereby deprived the common people of a very ancient and valuable right and practice. cgw 2012.
The barrel drain mentioned on 6th January 1847 can still be seen beside the Spon Gate bridge. cgw 2012.
Colin Walker 2012