The Sun
This is a transcription of a set of 17 individual deeds relating to The Sun public house, Effingham Street, Ramsgate.
(1) 1641, grant of Buildings and land
Grant of house buildings and Land, From Nicholas Spencer to his son William Spencer & (future daughter in law) Mary Goodson. 27-December-1641. (Note: the property is granted as an entail) . Transcription
(2) 1704, Sale of a 1/16 share in five houses
Sale of a 1/16 share in five houses in Ramsgate, From George Long & Margaret Long to Silvester Spencer & William Spencer. 6-April-1704. Transcription
(3) 1743, Deed to levy a fine.
This deed cosnsits of various people including William Spencer (see below) settling and declaring the uses of their property and for barring dower rights and entails..9-May-1743. Transcription
(4) 1757, Probate copy of the Will of William Spencer
Will of William Spencer dated 21 March 1757, probate granted 18 June 1757. Transcription
(5-7) 1783, Sale of a Messuage or Tenement in ramsgate
Sale of property in Ramsgate from: William White, Henry White
and Spencer White to William Lilleford &
George Kennard. These three documents relate to a property
that
Sarah White (nee
Spencer) inherited from her father William Spencer in the will
mentioned above. Sarah White (then widow) died
intestate
and because of this her property was treated as an inheritance under
the custom of Gavelkind that was still used at that time in
the county of Kent. The property passed to her three sons:
Henry White, Spencer White and William White.
At the time of this sale, her children were the following ages:
- William White - 24 years (approx)
- Henry White - 18 years
- Spencer White - 17 years
Hence at the time of this sale, Henry and Spencer were boith 'infants', however they had acquired the property under the customary inheritence of Gavelkind - and heirs in Gavelkind were allowed to sell land and property that they had inherited as from the age of 15 years. However, to do this they needed to sell their land by 'Feoffment'.
Hence we see that William sells his share of the property by the method of lease and release that was commonly used at that time - whereas Henry and William sell their shares by Feoffment. Selling land by Feoffment required a 'livery of sessian' which involved a public ceremory (at or near the land in question) during which the land was 'handed over' from the vendor to the purchaser. Lease and release was generally the preferred method of selling land, as this kept the business transaction private, whereas the 'livery of sessian' required you to contact your business in the view of your neighbours and was considered by some at that time to be somewhat 'vulgar'.
(5) Feoffment
Feoffment of two third parts of a Messuage and premises in Ramsgate; Henry White & Spencer White to William Lilleford & George Kennard; 23-September-1783. Transcription
(6) Lease
Lease for a year, for 1/3 share of a property in Ramsgate, William White to William Lilleford & Goerge Kennard; 23-September-1783. Transcription
(7) Release
Release of a third part of a Messuage and premises in Ramsgate; William White to William Lilleford & Goerge Kennard; 24-September-1783. Transcription
(8-11) 1786, Sale of two messuages in Brick Street.
Sale of two messuages in Brick Street, Ramsgate. James and Christian Taylor to John Abbott The sale is by lease and release and backed up by a fine.
(8) Lease for a year
Lease for a year, Mr James Taylor tto Mr John Abbott, 7-Aug-1786. Transcription
(9) and (10) Fine
Final Concord between: John Abbott (plaintiff) & James Taylor and Christian his wife (deforciants); [My calculation of the date is: the week of 2 July 1786]. Transcription
(11) Release
Release of two Messuages and premises in Ramsgate, Mr James
Taylor to Mr John Abbott, 8-Aug-1786. Transcription
Note: the description of the property in a fine is nornally quite vague and the price mentioned is often unrelated to the sale price of the property.
(12-13) 1786, Sale of the 'Sun' (public House)
Sale of the 'Sun'. William Lillford & George Kennard to John Abbott - by lease and release.
(12) Lease for a year
Lease for a year, Mr William Lilleford & Mr George Kennard to Mr John Abbott. 11-October-1786. Transcription
(13) Release
Release of a Messuage and Premises in Ramsgate. Mr William Lilleford & Mr George Kennard to Mr John Abbott. 12-October-1786. Transcription
(14) 1813, Deed to Levy and Declare the uses of a Fine
John Abbot had [part of ?] his property in trust already, but his trustee had died, and John's wife has now become entitled to her dower rights. John Abbot wants to sell his property, and therefore John and his wife Mary are now removing the dower rights and appointing James Abbott as his new trustee.
John Abbot owns a substantial amount of property and this document may be interesting because of property that he describes elsewhere, in in addition to the pub in Ramsgate.
Deed to Levy and Declare the uses of a Fine, John Abbott Esq & [Wife ?] to Mr James Abbott. 24-September-1813. Attested Copy. Transcription
(15-16) 1813, Sale of the 'Sun' and other premises in Effingham Street, ramsgate
Sale of the 'Sun' and other premises in Effingham Street, John Abbott to William Tomson - by lease and release. William Neve Daniel, Surgeon of Ramsgate, is acting as a trustee for William Tomson to avoid dower rights being created.
(15) Lease
Lease for one year, John Abbott Esq. ro Mr. William Tomson, 10-November-1813. [photo] and Transcription
(16) Release
Release of a Messuage or public house called the Sun and other premises in Effingham Place, Ramsgate, John Abbott Esq. to Mr. William Tomson. 11-November-1813. [photo] and Transcription
(17) 1859, Abstract of title for the 'Sun'.
Abstract of Title to a Messuage Tenement or Public House known by the name or Sign of the Sun in Effingham Place Ramsgate in the Isle of Thanet; Martin L. & Ch[arle]s. Daniel Ramsgate. 1859. Transcription
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Michael Child of Michael's Bookshop, Ramsgate for allowing me to transcribe the original deeds. The photographs (above) are deep links into http://www.michaelsbookshop.com/