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Author Topic: "Proprietor of Houses and Land"  (Read 8613 times)

Offline Keith Sherwood

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"Proprietor of Houses and Land"
« on: Monday 17 July 06 14:52 BST (UK) »
Hi, Everyone,
A recent Rootschat thread threw up a family member who described himself in the 1851 Census as a "Proprietor of Houses and Land".
Would this have been similar to an Estate Agent today, and would it have given him the licence to regard himself as a "gentleman" on his daughter's subsequent marriage certificate...?
Very best wishes,
keith

Offline Necromancer

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Re: "Proprietor of Houses and Land"
« Reply #1 on: Monday 17 July 06 14:57 BST (UK) »
An actual owner of Houses and Land - probably rented out to make his income - I'd think that yes he could have used 'Gentleman' - a term often used to mean 'of Independant Means ...' - ie not a worker  ...
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline suttontrust

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Re: "Proprietor of Houses and Land"
« Reply #2 on: Monday 17 July 06 14:58 BST (UK) »
Not an estate agent - as a proprietor he owned the houses and land.  It could have meant anything from landed gentry with a few thousand acres to (more likely) a small-time property speculator.  He was a gentleman if he drew his income from property rather than his own labour.
Godden in East Sussex, mainly Hastings area.
Richards in Lea, Gloucestershire, then London.
Williamson in Leith, Vickers in Nottingham.
Webb in Bildeston and Colchester.
Wesbroom in Kirby le Soken.
Ellington in Harwich.
Park, Palmer, Segar and Peartree in Kersey.

Offline Keith Sherwood

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Re: "Proprietor of Houses and Land"
« Reply #3 on: Monday 17 July 06 15:17 BST (UK) »
Hi, Necromancer and Suttontrust,
This looks quite promising then - trying to convince myself that a Joseph HART in Abergavenny was indeed the father of the bride (a Vernon Mary Ann HART) in an 1846 marriage in London.
He must have done very well for himself (by fair means or foul!), as in the 1841 Census he calls himself Clk (- I presume this means "Clerk") Coal Wharf...
Very best wishes,
keith
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