Renting property/land in1800's

[jettejjane]

From the Billingshurst Land Tax Records 1780-1832 i have discovered my Great x 3 Grandfather Edward Redman rented South Lands and Trunnels  from 1802-1819 for the sum of £3.15s. 4d. From 1780-1801 this was rented by his first wife's family (the Brockhursts) . Prior to this in 1787-1780 I believe  he rented Woodlands for 16s 4d.

Its difficult to explain but I hope you see what I am getting at. Was this a lot of money? What sort of person could afford to pay that amount of money. He must have  farmed the land and in  1820 he was able to emigrate to US with second wife and 7 children.  I wonder how much that cost?   Can I assume he was reasonable well off?

Finally I have discovered through google a Southlands Farm a Grade 11 listed building could this be what he rented or just the land, not sure about Trunnels. 

[artifis]

According to the National Archives' currency converter the £13 15s 4d would have the 2017 purchasing power of £166.01 and would have paid for either 4 stone of wool or 25 days skilled tradesman's wages.

The 16s 4d would have had the 2017 purchasing power of £62.69 and would have paid for 5 days skilled tradesman's wages.

Gives you some idea of the rental costs of those properties.  National Archives also has info on the standard of living in various centuries which would give some background to the above.

[jettejjane]

According to the National Archives' currency converter the £13 15s 4d would have the 2017 purchasing power of £166.01 and would have paid for either 4 stone of wool or 25 days skilled tradesman's wages.

The 16s 4d would have had the 2017 purchasing power of £62.69 and would have paid for 5 days skilled tradesman's wages.

Gives you some idea of the rental costs of those properties.  National Archives also has info on the standard of living in various centuries which would give some background to the above.

.

Thanks. I did google and found a few sites but came away none the wiser. I suppose to afford that rent and support a wife and 7 or more children and possibly pay wages he must have been making a reasonable amount of money. . Which led me to my next thought , I wonder what he did before he took over the land from first wife’s family and how he could afford the rent. This is the frustrating part of research we can find when ancestors were born and where the lived from 1841 every 10 years  but not how they lived,  can only guess.

I did find a site that said the fare to US was £5 for adults and sometimes half price for children depending on age and no charge sometimes for the very young.

[artifis]

Have you checked to see if either of his first wife's parents left a will, if they did they might have left his wife some money/stock etc. that helped them get set up when they took over the rental?

[jettejjane]

Have you checked to see if either of his first wife's parents left a will, if they did they might have left his wife some money/stock etc. that helped them get set up when they took over the rental?

I tried quickly on SFHG whilst looking for something else. Where else can I find old wills?
You may recall I  been looking for second wife Jane Greenfield for years to no avail. BUT when Edward and Jane left for US IN 1820 Southlands was taken over by one Jesse Greenfield from 1819-1831 and he was there on 1841 census. I feel sure he is her brother (she named one of her children Jesse) but can’t make the connection.

I take one step forward and 6 steps back.