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Hi
Below is a section from a Chester will of 1739 for Robert Winterbottom Senior. It appears from the will that Robert Senior has some type of financial interest in a leasehold at Knarr in Saddleworth whereby he has reserved a financial right. Saddleworth was in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

In the will, Robert Senior charges his son, Robert Junior, to pay an annuity to his mother:

‘Also I Give to my Dear and Loving Wife the Sum of Three Pounds and ten Shillings by the Year, which I Reserved out of, (or from) the tenement or Living at Knar which Said Sum of three Pounds and ten Shillings I Will that my Son Robert Winterbottom pay her During the time of her Life.’

His son, Robert Junior, was living at Knarr at the time the will was written.

Knarr was an estate owned by the Lord of the Manor. I know from Manorial Court Rolls that the Lord seemed to favour three-lifeleases, but I don’t know how long these leases were granted for.

I know that Robert Senior lived at Knarr in 1722 when his youngest son was born but purchased a freehold and move residence sometime before he wrote his will in 1739. I don’t know where his older children were born as there are no baptism records for them.

Robert Senior’s daughter was living at Knarr in 1724 when she married.
Robert Junior was living at Knarr in 1734 when he married.
Robert Senior’s youngest son was living at Knarr in 1744 when he married.

Also, according to Manorial Court Rolls, Robert Junior was granted a three-lifelease at Knarr in 1750.

I’m wondering, did Robert Senior have a three-lifelease earlier on with Robert Junior being the second or third life?

If Robert Senior was the first life, he would have paid the original fine, or lump sum payment, for the lease. Would he have the right to reserve money from the fine?

Oh! another interesting thing about the will is that Robert Senior doesn’t mention where his wife is to live as a widow. Yet he has two freeholds and one leasehold. I’m thinking if Mary was the second life on the lease at Knarr, he wouldn’t need to stipulate were she was going to live.

Robert Junior died at Knarr in 1782. But his son, John, was the leaseholder of Knarr in 1770.

I cannot find information about how life-leaseholds worked, apart from this but it doesn’t cover rights reserved out of property:

Clay, Christopher. Lifeleasehold in the Western Counties of England 1650—1750. The Agricultural History Review, Vol. 29, No. 2, 1981.

I would really appreciate your thoughts on this.

Warm Regards
Karen

Hi
I'm am looking for the burial register for Alice Platt who died 19 March 1844 and was buried at the Holy Trinity Dobcross.

The record should be on Ancestry.com in the record set for the years 1813 to 1849 but the records finish at 1843 so there are quite a few pages missing.

It might be on findmypast

Alice was the great grandmother of Henry Platt who established Platt Bros & Co Ltd so it would be nice to have her record.

If someone could check findmypast for me, I would be very grateful.

Cheers
Karen

Hi
I think the word is cow? However it doesn't look like a c compared to other letters c in the will.

The word appears twice within a line text. Firstly as as an insert within the main body of the will.
Secondly it is repeated as an insert at the side margin of the will.

The text on the side margin reads: 'The words enterlined before the second line of sealing (That is) Granting her some roome to dwell in during her life within the said houseing and a cow gate in summer'

I've attached examples of the letter b and letter c for comparison.

Don't know what a cow gate is but have seen it in wills before.

Cheers
Karen

Hi, would appreciate your thoughts on this death and burial.

The death certificate reads: 27 Jan 1864, Mary Pitchforth, Cowcliffe Fixby, Age 10 Weeks, Daughter of Joseph Pitchforth Wool Sorter, Informant: Joseph Pitchforth, Cowcliffe Fixby present at death.

The Woodhouse Christ Church, (Huddersfield) burial register reads: 31 Jan 1864, Mary, Daughter of Sarah Ann Pitchforth of Cowcliffe, Age 10 Weeks.

Now the conundrum is, I am absolutely certain Sarah Ann Pitchforth is the daughter of Joseph Pitchforth, wool sorter of Cowcliffe Fixby.

The Fixby side of Cowcliffe was very small, only about 20 houses, and I know the family's who lived there well and do not know of another Sarah Ann Pitchforth in the Cowcliffe are.

Have searched the registers and census for another Sarah Ann Pitchforth in the Cowcliffe area without results.

Perhaps because Joseph was the informant, it was assumed that he was the father.

Is this possible?

Can't come up with another explanation.

Cheers Karen