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Our 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."




Date: 2007-07-11 01:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com
Clerking was the lowest rung of the ladder for those with middle-class aspirations. The work was boring, repetitive and poorly paid. It's a commonplace of 19th century literature that the clerks had it hard.

But I'm sure, as you suggest, that many of them took pride in their skills.

Date: 2007-07-11 02:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mummm.livejournal.com
Yes sir
I see your point.

Date: 2007-07-11 02:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com
Sorry, that came across as a little school-masterly, didn't it?

Date: 2007-07-11 02:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mummm.livejournal.com
Mine comments did too. My apologies!

I love doing calligraphy but not for hours on end. I would not make a good clerk.

Date: 2007-07-11 02:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mummm.livejournal.com
*My* comments... sheesh! Twangle-fingers...

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