By 1881 the Harrison family was occupying Ladymoor Gate Farm and a 1906 indenture between multiple parties sets out the following time line of actions and refers to a series of indentures dating from 1872:
1872
Richard Harrison, a farmer from Crowborough, effectively mortgaged the property for £1,600 (at 4% interest per annum) to William Tatton a silk manufacturer from Leek on 28th March 1872. Although I have not (yet) found concrete evidence, the extent of the mortaged property is likely to have been the 46 acres mentioned on the 1881 census. (View 1906 Deed of Conveyance - see 1st Recital)
In Q1 1875 Richard Harrison married Ann Sherratt, daughter of Josiah. The families were near neighbours and farmers in Crowborough (1871 census information). Ann had a younger brother Thomas.
1884
On 25th March 1884 by an indenture Richard Harrison, Sarah Tatton (widow and heir of William, who had died on 10th December 1881), Adelaide and Ann Tatton (daughters of William) and William Challenor agreed that:
- on or about 21st March 1876 Richard Harrison repaid William Tatton £450 of the principle sum (and original indenture endorsed accoringly) and that
- by an indenture dated 21st March1879 Richard Harrison had sold part of the property to Thomas Sherratt for which Thomas paid £950, paid over to William Tatton against the £1,600 mortgage debt and that thus part of the property was conveyed to Thomas Sherratt, and
- that when William died only £180 of the principle remained owing and that all interest was paid to date
The parties then agreed further transactions effectively extending Richard's mortgage to £930 (the £180 plus a further £750 extended by the sisters) with William Challenor as trustee.
The sale to Thomas Sheratt is interesting. Richard Harrison's wife was Ann Sherrat. In 1871, before their marriage in 1875, they lived very close to each other at Crowborough. Ann had a brother Thomas who would have been 21 in 1879, so maybe Richard sold some of his land to his brother in law. (View 1906 Deed of Conveyance - see 2nd Recital )
1891
The Harrison family was still in residence but the size of the holding was reported on 1891 census as 30 acres. This presumably means that approximately 16 acres was sold to Thomas Sherratt in 1879.
1901
By 1901 the Durbar (Durber/Doorbar) family was resident but the farm still belonged to Richard Harrison subject to the re-arranged mortgage of 1884. So why did Richard move out.
It may be because his wife, Ann, died (about 1896) and he married again in 1899. His second wife was Harriet Whiston from Lask Edge, twenty years his junior. In 1901 they were living at Heath Farm, still in the parish of Horton, with his children Elizabeth 19 and Dorothy 11, but also younger children Joseph 9, Victoria 8 and Eva 5.
1905
Richard Harrison died on 4th September 1905. His will dated 12th July 1902 and proved in Lichfield District Registry on 11th December 1905 appointed Herbert Clews, farmer and James John Ashton, school teacher both of Horton as his executors. (View 1906 Deed of Conveyance - see Recital 4 and 5)
1906
On 5th July 1906 Herbert Clews and James Ashton offered Ladymoor Gate for sale by auction at the Plough Inn, Endon and it was purchased by James Goodwin for £1,230.
James Goodwin agreed to sell to George Mellor for £1,255. The property was still subject to the £930 motgage to Adelaide Tatton (Ann having died and Adelaide being her sole heir), all interest payments due having been made.
On 1st October 1906 a further indenture was signed by all the parties acknowledging that as a result of the sale George Mellor had paid:
- £930 to Adelaide Tatton (at the request of the executors selling the propery and James Goodwin (who appears to have been acting as some sort of agent for George Mellor)
- £300 to the exectutors
- £25 to James Goodwin
(a total of £1,255 in all) and that the the "freehold messuage or dwelling house outbuildings lands and heriditaments situate at Crowborought in the parishes of Horton and Endon in the County of Stafford comprising in the whole thirty acres and three roods or thereabouts known as Ladymoor Gate Farm now in the occupation of William Doorbar" had been conveyed to George Mellor in fee simple free and from all principle and interest secured by the previous indentures. (View 1906 Deed of Conveyance)
So by October 1906 Ladymoor Gate now comprising only 30 acres was owned by George Mellor and occupied by the Durbar family.
