Abstract of Title
Below is an Abstract of Title, an abbreviated form of original documents concerning Percy Terrace
The first few sections are about the entire west side of Percy Terrace which was a parcel of land known as Green Bat Close. Henry Hudspith and George Armstrong are local builders. Hudspith lives in Percy Street and Armstrong in Prudhoe Street. They purchase land and build 6 houses which are the Old Manse and 10-14 Percy Terrace. The land north of 10 appears to belong to George Nesbitt. Most of the houses are rented out to tenants rather than owned. The page numbers below relate to the original document which is in 2 different handwritings. At the bottom I’ve appended a press cutting of 1861 which seems to be the sale of Armstrong and Hudspith’s builders yard and the 1851 and 1861 census data about them.
14 Feb 1727 – The Indenture of release between Barbara Forster, Joseph Forster & Benjamin Cook, George Watson & John Smart, Thomas Watson the younger created Green Bat Close.
(p, 5)26 April 1820 – Indentures of lease & release between Ralph Smith, Thomas Riddele and John Gilson, Ralph Annett, George Nesbitt & Thomas Bell.
12 & 13 July 1823 – Indentures of Lease & Release. The release between Geo. Nesbitt, Wm Davison & Wm Teasdale & the Creditors of the Geo. Nesbitt.
12 March 1829 – Indenture between James John Thompson, Wm. Lord Kensington & John Ingram Lockhart, John Earl of Lisburn & Earnest Augustus Lord Vaughan, Lady Mallett Vaughan, John Lambert & Thomas Buston of Buston in County of Northmberland, Esq. since deceased? became vested in Thomas Buston . . . .
12 March 1829 – Green Bat Close – conveyed to John Lambert
3 & 4 August 1829 – Indentures before recited executed by G. G. Mounsey , A. Lambert, H. Hudspith & G. Armstrong & attested . . .
13 May 1830 and made between Hugh Duke of Northumberland and the John ? for the production of the Title Deeds relating to the first mentioned half of Green Bat Close and also the several Deeds & writings in the Schedule thereunder written specified
(p.2) 12 May 1849 – Lambert died and left the land to G. G. Mornsey (Mounsey?) and Anthony Lambert
Henry Hudspith & Geo. Armstrong purchased the parcel of building ground for £310
Green Bat Close is bounded by a piece of building ground lately contracted to be sold to Mr. Geo. Nesbitt on or towards the North, by the piece of land marked out as a street and intended to be called Belle Vue Terrace on or towards the South, by Hope Lane on or towards the East, by the Mews or back Lane on or towards the West & measuring from East to West at the North End . . . . 67 ft. & at the South end 93 feet or thereabouts & from North to South at the East side 161 ft or thereabouts & at the West side 182 ft or thereabouts & containing in the whole of 1440 sq. yards or thereabouts . .
(p. 3) Covenants by Henry Hudspith & Geo. Armstrong that they would upon the piece of ground . . . . erect & build substantial stone dwelling houses & fronting Hope lane & fronting Belle Vue Terrace the fronts & chimney tops should be scappled of hewn ashlar work & covered with blue slates & the houses should not be less than 2 stories in height. . . . they would permit drains or sewers to be made when required in through the piece of ground for the purpose of carrying off water or . . . for the comfort & accommodation of the owners & occupiers of such houses as may at any time hereafter be erected or any part of the field called the Green Bat Close. Such drains or sewers to be made at the expense of the parties requiring the same.
18 January 1851. Abstract of Title relating to certain messuages situate in Hope Lane in the Parish of Alnwick in the County of Northumberland belonging to Mr. George Armstrong. (Wilson & Middlemas)
28th January 1853 – Indenture between Henry Hudspith & George Armstrong & Elizabeth Jobson of Allerburn Cottage near Alnwick in . . . widow . . .
Henry Hudspith & Geoorge Armstrong had requested Elizabeth Jobson to lend them the sum of £600 which Elizabeth Jobson agreed to do upon having the repayment with interest secured as therein after mentioned.
It is witnessed that in consideration(?) of the sum of £600 sterling to Henry Hudspith & George Armstrong paid by Eliz. Jobson. Henry Hudspith & George Armstrong did grant release & confirm unto E. Jobson and her heirs:
All those 3 Dwelling houses lately erected and built and all that piece of building ground situate in Hope House Lane in the Parish of Alnwick in the County of Northumberland & which the premises(?) were in the occupations of James (p. 6) Heatley the younger, Robert Swanson, Miss Allen (as tenants) and Henry Hudspith & George Armstrong. Bounded by premises belong to George Nesbitt on or towards the North, (land belonging to) by A. Lambert & G. G. Mounsey & intended to form a new street on or towards the south, by the Public St. called Hope Lane or Hope House Lane on or towards the East, & by Back Lane on or towards the West or . . .
(p.7) Since the date of the last abstracted Deed Messrs Armstrong & Hudspith have built 3 other houses making 6 houses altogether built upon the land mentioned in the first recited deed and these houses are now in the occupation of Robt. Busby, Robt. Coulson, David Donaldson, James Heatley the younger, David Jones & Alice Forst as tenants.
4th January 1859 – They pay off E. Jobson by borrowing £700 from Margaret Hewgill.
(p.8) Hudspith and Armstrong grant and release to M. Hewgill:
All those 6 dwelling houses (3 of which had been erected & built by Hudspith and Armstrong since the date & execution of the . . . recited upon the building ground therein comprised & they granted. . .) And all those several pieces of land held and enjoyed with the same dwelling houses situate in Hope House Lane in Alnwick & then in the several tenures or occupations of Robt. Busby, . . Course (Robt. Coulson), David Donaldson, James Heatley the younger, Dave Jones & Alice Forth as tenants & theretofore known as being in the occupation of James Heatley the younger & of Robt. Swanson & Miss Allan as tenants & of Henry Hudspith & George Armstrong.
13 March 1861 – Indenture between M. Hewgill & Mary Dawson of Alnwick, spinster & Catherine Sarah Dawson, spinster. They paid Margaret Hewgill the £700
28 June 1861 – Indenture between Hudspith & Armstrong and Wm. Spours of Alnwick, Gentleman. Since 13 Jan. 1851 Hudspith & Armstrong had erected 6 dwelling houses at their own expense.
1st schedule Robt. Busby, tenant of dwelling house, buildings and garden. And the same for Robert Coulson, tenant which were adjoining each other and were situated in Hope House Lane in Alnwick and bounded by the buildings in the 2nd schedule on or towards the North, by a piece of land leading to Belle Vue on or towards the South, by Hope Lane on or towards the east, and by the mews or Back Lane on or towrds the west, together with an undivided half part of the Gable or partition wall which separates the dwelling house & garden then in the occupation of Coulson from the dwellinghouse & garden in the occupation of the Rev. David Donaldson.
(p.14)
2nd schedule Dwellinghouse & garden belonging (to them?) in the occupation of Rev. D. Donaldson as tenant and also the dwelling house & garden belonging (to them?) and in the occupation of Grey as tenant, and also the dwelling house & garden belonging (to them?) in occupation of David Jones as tenant, and also the dwellinghouse & garden belonging (to them?) in the occupation of Joseph Archer, tenant which were adjoining each other and were situated in Hope House Lane in Alnwick & bounded by a garden & yard formerly belonging to George Nesbitt on or towards the North, by the buildings in the 1st schedule on or towards the South, by Hope Lane on or towards the East, by the mews or Back Lane on or towards the West, together with an undivided half part of the the partition wall which separates the dwelling house & garden then in the occupation of Rev. D. Donaldson from the dwelling house & garden in the occupation of Coulson.
21 May 1862 Indenture between Mary Dawson & C. S. Dawson and G. Armstrong.
10th April 1861 G. Armstrong paid M. Dawson & C. S. Dawson £400 in part satisfaction of the debt of £700.
30 June 1862(?) (new handwriting, p.1)
Indenture between G. Armstrong & H. Hudspith who bought the premises for £535. G. Armstrong conveyed to H. Hudspith 2 dwelling houses & gardens in the occupation of Rev. D. Donaldson & Robert Grey – as tenants which adjoined each other in Hope House Lane and bounded by a ? garden and yard formerly belonging to G. Armstrong but then about to be conveyed to John Robson on or towards the north, by a ? garden & yard belonging to Hudspith and then in the occupation of Coulson on or towards the South, by Hope House Lane on or towards the East, and by the mews or back lane on or towards the West, together with the undivided half of the gable wall which separated the premises then in occupation of R. Grey from the premises then about to be conveyed by G. Armstrong to J. Robson and then in the occupation of David Hedley Jones as tenant.
(p.2)
31 June 1862 – Indenture between Hudspith and John Mattison of Alnwick, Grocer.
Asked Mattison to lend him £500 for which he conveys to Mattison 2 dwelling houses from the indenture of 30 June 1862 and those premises described in the first Schedule of the Indenturre of 28 June 1861.
(p.4)
21 August 1866 Indenture between J. Mattison and H. Hudspith reciting the above Indenture of 30 June 1862. The sum of £500 had not been paid but that Hudspith was desirous of doing so on having a reconveyance of premises. All interest of the same having been paid.
It is witnessed that in consideration of the sum of £500 paid by Hudspith to J. Mattison on or before the . . . J. Mattison did quit the claim on Hudspith.
Receipt for £500 endorsed signed by J. Mattison.
From census records of 1851:
Henry Hudspith, 35, lives in Percy Street with his wife, Margaret, 30 and their son, John Leonard, 3. Occupation stone mason employing 44 men and 2 apprentices.
George Armstrong, 40, lives in Prudhoe St. with his wife, Ann, 45, sons, William, 15, George Busby, 13, Matthew, 9, Robert Peel, 3 and daughters, Ann, 11, Margaret, 7, Constantia, 1. Occupation stone mason employing 44 men and 2 apprentices.
1861
Hudspith, builder employing 4 men lives in Percy Terrace with wife and son and they have a domestic servant.
Armstong lives at 10 Prudhoe St., builder & contractor employing 18 men & 2 apprentices. His son Matthew is a stone mason.
<