House Ownership

The table below gives details about who owned and occupied the house. The sources for information vary; the records pre 1800 are mainly manor court rolls. Every time a property changed hands, even between family members, the transaction had to be recorded at the manorial court. The names of those who surrendered and those who were admitted and the entry fines they paid were written in the rolls of parchment by the clerk. An entry fine was paid to the lord of the manor and the new owner was given a written copy of the transaction, hence the term copyhold.

All records were in abbreviated medieval latin until 1752 except for a short period during the commonwealth between 1650 and 1660.Freehold property is rarely mentioned but can sometimes be found in the manor rentals. It is difficult to trace the history of a house as addresses are never given ad therefore the only way is to use the owners name or very occasionally the name of the house.

Post 1800 there are many more sources of information although actual addresses are not used until mid 20th century. One method of identifying a house in the records is by the description of the land that went with it or the annual rent paid to the lord of the manor which often didn’t change over a hundred years.

The table is arranged over five columns. The first gives the year of the record and the second is the source document sometimes with a reference number. The next two columns record the transfer of ownership and the occupier of the property. Click on the names to link to the people database. Sometimes there is no link to the database so go to the people page on the top navigation bar and simply type in the name you are searching for. The search function returns all documents where the name searched for appears in that document. Click on a name match to view the document in which that name appears. When viewing a record that contains other names, it is possible to perform a new search on that name by clicking on the name link.

The last column shows information about the property and any comments.

date source owner/buyer occupier comment
1642 Tax to  relieve British army in Ireland George Mann    living in Pirton
1644 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS Matthew Ansell transferred ownership to William Ansell Elizabeth Ansell Cottage.   Elizabeth is Matthew’s widow and William is his son and heir
1649 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS William Ansell transferred ownership to George Mann Messuage. The Land Of Joseph Ansell On West, Edward Tapsheire On East
1663 Hearth Tax/ National Archives George Man    George  Man 1 hearth
1663 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS George Mann   new cottager
1670 Rental/ HALS George Mann
1677 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS George Mann transferred ownership to Mary Mann messuage Near The House Of Joseph Ansell 3 roods
1683 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS Mary Mann transferred ownership to Mary Mann Mary Mann Messuage.  Near The House Of Joseph Ansell 3 roods till the marryage of Anne Grudgefield, kinswoman & George Hobbs, after Mary’s death house to go to George & Anne and their heirs.
1697 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS George Hobbs George Hobbs Messuage. Near The House Of Joseph Ansell with 3 roods of ground George Hobbs suffers a recovery
1710 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS George Hobbs transferred ownership to Robert Primate George Hobbs Cottage.   George Hobbs lost the house because the conditions of the surrender were broken
1713 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS Robert Primate transferred ownership to Francis Primate Anne Hobbs Cottage.   Anne is George Hobbs widow. Francis Primate is Robert Primates eldest son
1715 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS Francis Primate transferred ownership to George Hobbs George Hobbs Cottage.
1763 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS George Hobbs transferred ownership to John Hobbs Samuel Cox Cottage.
1763 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS John Hobbs transferred ownership to Francis Crouch Samuel Cox Cottage.   conditional surrender
1789 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS John Hobbs transferred ownership to Henry Ward William Squire Cottage.
1790 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS John Hobbs transferred ownership to Henry Ward William Squire Cottage.   John Hobbs senior is a shopkeeper and he leaves to his eldest son.
1807 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS Henry Ward transferred ownership to George Arnold Hailey William Squire Cottage.
1809 Doddingselles Manor Court book/HALS George Arnold Hailey transferred ownership to William Cherry William Squire Cottage.
1811 Pre enclosure plan/Hofton William Cherry William Cherry Cottage.
1818 Enclosure award/HALS William Cherry house and garden  35 perch
1834 Hertfordshire Quarter Sessions/HALS William Cherry   09 Dec 1834 conviction; Poaching; defendant
1834 Hertfordshire Petty Sessions/HALS William Cherry   9 Dec 1834 summary conviction; Poaching; defendant
1837 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land Near Burge End
1838 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land Near Burge End
1838 Hertfordshire Quarter Sessions/HALS William Cherry   27 Mar 1838 conviction; Assault; defendant
1838 Hertfordshire Petty Sessions/HALS William Cherry   27 Mar 1838 summary conviction; Assault; defendant
1839 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land Near Burge End
1840 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land Near Burge End
1841 Census 1841 Edward Cherry  Near Burge End  Edward  Cherry – Bricklayer age 50
1841 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land Near Burge End
1841 Census 1841 John Pearce  Burge End  John  Pearce – Agricultural labourer age 70
1842 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land Near Burge End
1844 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land  Near Burge End
1845 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land  Near Burge End
1846 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land  Near Burge End
1847 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land  Near Burge End
1849 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land  Near Burge End
1850 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land  Near Burge End
1851 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land  Near Burge End
1851 Census 1851 William Cherry    William  Cherry – Ag Lab age 78
1851 Census 1851 William Pearce    William  Pearce – Ag Lab age 38
1852 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land  Near Burge End
1853 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land  Near Burge End
1854 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land  Near Burge End
1855 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land  Near Burge End
1857 Register of electors/HALS Edward Cherry house and land  Near Burge End
1861 Census 1861 Charlotte Pearce    Charlotte  Pearce – Plaiter age 54
1861 Census 1861 David Cherry    David  Cherry – Shepherd age 40
1863 Rates/HALS William Cherry cottage   rateable val. £5 0s 0d
1871 Census 1871 David Cherry    David  Cherry – Ag lab (shepherd) age 60
1871 Census 1871 Charlotte Pearce    Charlotte  Pearce – Strawplaiter age 66
1877 Sanitation report/HALS John Walker Charles Pearce 1/2cottages   1/2cottages with Garden. Well in field, drainage-None. 2 inmates sharing 1 living room, 1 sleeping room and shared privy/2
1877 Sanitation report/HALS John Walker James Cherry 1/2cottages   1/2cottages with do. Well in field, drainage-None. 1 inmate sharing 1 living room, 1 sleeping room and shared privy/2
1879 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe    Elizabeth  Handscombe born 18/4/1872 enrolled 1879
1881 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Down Town.  Albert Handscombe born 21/5/1878 enrolled 4/4/1881
1881 Census 1881 George Hanscombe    George  Hanscombe – Agricultural labourer age 38
1883 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe    Arthur  Handscombe enrolled 1883
1884 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Near Burge End  Frisby Handscombe born 4/7/1880 enrolled 5/5/1884
1886 School admission register/HALS George Hanscombe  Pirton  Albert  Hanscombe born 21/5/1878 enrolled 1886
1886 School admission register/HALS George Hanscombe  Down Town.  Charles Hanscombe born  1884 enrolled  1886/87
1888 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Pirton field work age exemption Frisby  Handscombe born 4/7/1880 enrolled 1888 Last school – Pirton Infants,
1888 School admission register/HALS George Hanscombe  Pirton age exemption straw plait Annie  Hanscombe born 21/9/1880 enrolled 1888 Last school – Pirton Infants,
1889 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Down Town.  Jane Handscombe born 7/12/1886 enrolled  1889/90
1890 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Down Town.  Freddy Handscombe born 18/4/1888 enrolled  1890/91
1891 Census 1891 George Hanscombe  Near Burge End.  George  Hanscombe – Traction Engine Driver age 48
1892 School admission register/HALS George Handcombe  Near Burge End.  Charles  Handcombe born 13/5/1884 enrolled 1892
1893 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe Rose Cottage Down Town.  Emma Handscombe born /4/1890 enrolled  1893/94
1894 School admission register/HALS George Hanscombe  Pirton.  Jane  Hanscombe born 7/12/1886 enrolled 1894
1894 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Down Town.  Sidney Handscombe born  1892 enrolled  1894/95
1896 School admission register/HALS George Hanscombe  Pirton.  Freddy  Hanscombe born 18/4/1888 enrolled 1896
1896 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Down Town.  Frank Handscombe born  1893 enrolled  1896/97
1899 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Pirton.  Emma  Handscombe born 21/4/1890 enrolled 1899
1900 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Near Burge End.  Sidney  Handscombe born 2/5/1892 enrolled 1900
1900 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Pirton.  Joseph Handscombe born 16/6/1896 enrolled 23/4/1900
1901 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Near Burge End.  Frank  Handscombe born 19/12/1893 enrolled 1901
1901 Census 1901 George Handscombe  Near Burge End  George  Handscombe – Engine driver age 57
1903 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Pirton.  Hedley Handscombe born 19/1/1900 enrolled 16/3/1903
1904 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Pirton.  Joseph  Handscombe born 16/6/1896 enrolled 1904
1908 School admission register/HALS George Handscombe  Pirton. record showed birth day as 1, month as 19 Hedley  Handscombe born 19/1/1900 enrolled 1908 Last school – Pirton Infants,
1909 Register of electors/HALS George Handscombe  dwelling house Near Burge End
1910 Register of electors/HALS George Handscombe  dwelling house Near Burge End
1910 Rates/HALS Charles Waller George Handscombe Cottage. Near Burge End 28 perch gross val. £5 0s rateable val. £3 15s
1911 Census 1911 George Handscombe  Near Burge End 5 rooms 7 in household George  Handscombe Farm Labourer – age 68
1911 Census 1911 Martha Handscombe  Near Burge End 5 rooms 7 in household Martha  Handscombe  – age 51
1911 Census 1911 Emma Handscombe  Near Burge End 5 rooms 7 in household Emma  Handscombe  – age 21
1909 Register of electors/HALS Charles Waller  house Near Burge End
1910 Register of electors/HALS Charles Waller  house Near Burge End
1911 Census 1911 Sidney Handscombe  Near Burge End 5 rooms 7 in household Sidney  Handscombe Farm Labourer – age 19
1911 Census 1911 Frank Handscombe  Near Burge End 5 rooms 7 in household Frank  Handscombe Farm Labourer – age 17
1911 Register of electors/HALS Charles Waller  house Near Burge End
1912 Register of electors/HALS Charles Waller  house Near Burge End
1911 Census 1911 Joseph Handscombe  Near Burge End 5 rooms 7 in household Joseph  Handscombe Farm Labourer – age 14
1911 Census 1911 Hedley Handscombe  Near Burge End 5 rooms 7 in household Hedley  Handscombe School – age 11
1912 Register of electors/HALS George Handscombe  dwelling house Near Burge End
1935 Original rates/Hofton F M Taylor Leonard Dawson cottage and premises   gross val. 9 rateable val. 5
1939 National Registration Identity Cards/National Archives Leonard Dawson  Shillington Rd married   DOB 23/11/1902 crane driver Age 37
1939 National Registration Identity Cards/National Archives Hilda Dawson  Shillington Rd married   DOB 14/6/1906 Unpaid domestic duties Age 33
1939 National Registration Identity Cards/National Archives Rita Dawson  Shillington Rd single  at school Age 16

 

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