Thomas
Rowley's Sale of Land to Burwood Park
Meaghan Bare found a reference
in
the Surrey Archives to a land sale by Thomas Rowley to
Burwood Park, and wondered if it was our Thomas. The Surrey Archives
provided copie, and a summary follows.
Part of the collection THE
FREDERICK FAMILY OF BURWOOD PARK, WALTON ON THAMES: DEEDS AND PAPERS,
1558-1913,
held at Surrey History Centre
Land
bought from Joshua ROWLEY 183/8 [n.d.]
(1) Pedigree; Title of Thos.
Rowley to estates in Hersham 183/8/1 nd
[1769]
Firstly a little family tree
William Hatfield
Son Edward
Daughter Ann Married Erasmus
Saunders
Son
Hatfield Saunders
Daughter Eliza (or Eliz A?) married William Rowley
Son Thomas Rowley, living
in 1769
!725 land (10 Acres) passes from Edward to Erasmus and Ann
1759 Erasmus dies without descendants, and land passes to Thomas
Rowley, eldes son of his sister
(2) Offer to
purchase; Letter from Jo. Frederick to Thos. Rowley 183/8/2 3
Jan
1769
This is to Thos Rowley at Bath. Property is 6 or 7 acres including a
cottage.
Offer mentions an allowance for arrears in rent
(3) Concerning his
title; Letter from Rowley to Frederick 183/8/3 5
Jan
1769
This document not in the file
(4) On title;
Letter from Joshua Rowley [nephew of Thos.] to
Frederick 183/8/4 13 Jan 1769
Joshua Rowley has received a letter "from my uncle at Bath". His
address is just "Argyle St".
Confirming that Joshua's lawyer has checked out the pedigree of the land
(5) On rents;
Letter from J. Rowley to Frederick 183/8/5 27
Jan
1769
Confirming that there is 10 years rent in arrears on the land
(6) On admissions;
Letter from J. Rowley to Frederick 183/8/6 29
Jan
1769
Captai Rowley (Joshua)
(7) Letter from J.
Rowley to Frederick 183/8/7 12
Feb 1769
Frederick's address is Great George St Westminster, Captain Joshua
proposes waiting on him. Captain J's address is Argyle Buildings
(8) Letter on the
manor ct; J. Rowley to Frederick 183/8/8 17
Feb
1769
Similar to (7)
(9) Request for reply to Letter; Rowley to Frederick 183/8/9 nd
[c1769]
Undated
(10) Bond of
Indemnity; Rowley to Frederick 183/8/10 24
Feb
1769
Joshua Rowley indemnifying John Frederick against title problems to the
tune of £760 on behalf of
"Thomas Rowley of the city of Bath", "by virtue of a letter of
attorney in that behalf"
Land is "about ten acres". Period of indemnity is ten years
(11) Bill & receipt; Legal expenses on admission of Jo.
Frederick to
John Ashe steward of manor of Moulsey 183/8/11 24
Feb
1769
Expenses to the tune of £17/8/0
(12) Bill & receipt, legal expenses; Frederick to Lough
Carleton 183/8/12 1 May 1769
More Expenses, very confusing due to all the lawyers involved
(13) Account of purchase money
paid to Rowley 183/8/13 1769
Payment to Joshua Rowley £380, (purchase £300 + back rent for nine
years £108,
less expenses)
Conclusion
From the pedigree, this
Thomas Rowley is not the son of George Rowley,
our prime candidate. Also he seems to be too old to be the Australian
Thomas (In 1769 the Kingston
Thomas would be only 22).. Though it is interesting to see a "Captain Rowley" (Joshua)
turn up. What we do have is documentation of a clear tie between
Rowleys and Burwood Park, which seems to strengthen the case for our
Thomas coming from the Kingston area. So I think this leaves us with a
strong case our Thomas came from the Kingston/Burwood area (90%
confident), but not quite so strong a case that he was the Thomas born
in 1747 (70% confident)
Hersham is about five
miles from
Kingston on Thames, and one mile from Walton-on-thames. Burwood Park is
less than a mile from the centre of Hersham village (Surrey St
Directory)
Update from Meaghan
It seems the Bath Thomas may have been consdered a lunatic. Google
Books
Reference. He may have been in Bath trying to get treatment.
LR Comment. We don't know the date of his stay in the asylum. But the
book abstract states "with the complete text of John Monro's 1766
casebook". Could all be consistent with Joshua handling the
transaction, ten years arrears in rent, and event Joshua's reference
to unavailavility due to a sprainrd ankle. (He could be reluctant to
divulge the fact that Thomas was in an asylum.)
Update - Thomas Rowley will found by
Glenis Crocker
Dated 5 Jan 1768
. Will was proved 12
January 1775. Thomas was "late of Bath". See the discussion of this will on the Anthony Rowley page
Research Notes
Using LDS, FHO and Genes
Reunited, I have been unable to establish any connection between the
tree in Document (1) and the George Rowley family in Kingston, but I
was only looking in Surrey. Try
Bath perhaps
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Page last updated - 27 Nov 2008
16 Mar 2009 17 Jan 2011