Thomas Rowley's Sale of Land to Burwood Park

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Les Rowley


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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