Leasehold Title
Jul. 10th, 2007 08:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloOur solicitor has sent us a lot of old papers relating to our house. Among them is the original leasehold title. It's dated 1909 (a year earlier than I'd been told) but looks like it could be medieval- a big, folded parchment with wax seals, covered in scratchy writing with fancy capitals. I wouldn't say it was a beautiful object, but the penmanship is something to wonder at.
This is what they kept clerks for, isn't it- Bob Cratchit, Dick Swiveller, Uriah Heep? That's what they did all day on their high stools at their high desks- they turned out documents like this.
How awful.
I'm told the information is stored electronically these days and the original papers have nothing but curiosity value.
I have tried reading them but my mind wandered.
The first lesee of the house was Mrs Annie Blunn, wife of John Blunn, contractor
who sold it in 1925 to Samuel Buckley, cotton doubler
who sold it in 1943 to Thomas Sargent, aircraft inspector.
Then there's a gap (I may have the missing information somewhere but I'd have to turn the house upside down to find it)
Until 1986- when I came into the picture and became possessed of "all that plot of land situate in Belgrave Road Oldham aforesaid containing in the whole one hundred and eighty eight and one ninth superficial square yards or thereabouts...AND ALSO ALL THAT messuage or dwellinghouse and premises numbered *** Belgrave Road Oldham aforesaid erected upon the said plot of land or upon some part thereof TOGETHER with the appurtenances."
This is what they kept clerks for, isn't it- Bob Cratchit, Dick Swiveller, Uriah Heep? That's what they did all day on their high stools at their high desks- they turned out documents like this.
How awful.
I'm told the information is stored electronically these days and the original papers have nothing but curiosity value.
I have tried reading them but my mind wandered.
The first lesee of the house was Mrs Annie Blunn, wife of John Blunn, contractor
who sold it in 1925 to Samuel Buckley, cotton doubler
who sold it in 1943 to Thomas Sargent, aircraft inspector.
Then there's a gap (I may have the missing information somewhere but I'd have to turn the house upside down to find it)
Until 1986- when I came into the picture and became possessed of "all that plot of land situate in Belgrave Road Oldham aforesaid containing in the whole one hundred and eighty eight and one ninth superficial square yards or thereabouts...AND ALSO ALL THAT messuage or dwellinghouse and premises numbered *** Belgrave Road Oldham aforesaid erected upon the said plot of land or upon some part thereof TOGETHER with the appurtenances."
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no subject
Date: 2007-07-10 12:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-10 12:23 pm (UTC)You will...
Date: 2007-07-10 01:29 pm (UTC)Re: You will...
Date: 2007-07-10 02:00 pm (UTC)But we'll be keeping it safe.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-10 03:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-10 03:59 pm (UTC)But it must have been gruesome having to produce these documents day after day.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-10 05:59 pm (UTC)I am glad I was not the person required to produce it, but as a piece of legal history, that's fantastic.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-11 08:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-10 07:52 pm (UTC)I know you think it would be tedious and gruesome writing out those documents all day long but you do need to remember that there are people who do actually enjoy that kind of work. I know a lot of calligraphers who love *tedious*. The medieval monks were amazing ARTISTS and I truly don't think they minded doing the work!
My Great-Great-Great Grandfather had beautiful handwriting. Even in his normal ledgers (for his medical practice) are pieces of art.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-11 01:10 pm (UTC)But I'm sure, as you suggest, that many of them took pride in their skills.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-11 02:05 pm (UTC)I see your point.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-11 02:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-11 02:25 pm (UTC)I love doing calligraphy but not for hours on end. I would not make a good clerk.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-11 02:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-11 02:23 pm (UTC)i handle deeds regularly, as i'm a real estate appraiser. none of them are this pretty.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-11 02:53 pm (UTC)