[A As to Part of the Premises]
I 28 Sep 1741. Mortgage, for £200, by John Welton (of Coventry, dyer) and his wife Jane to Nathaniel Pickering (of Coventry, gentleman [a Holy Trinity churchwarden, 1740]) of (a) a messuage with garrets over, and a warehouse, at the upper end of the entry adjoining a new building belonging to William Villers [weaver; died, 1722], lying in Smithford Street [normally shown as Fleet Street by this stage; PA494/3 relates to nearby property] (occupied by John Welton or his undertenants) near Bablake church; (b) ground with a dyehouse to the rear of a messuage near Bablake Gate (occupied by Catherine Adcock), adjoining gardens (lately cultivated by Edward Green, deceased) and abutting upon J. Welton's, Joseph Elliott's and Thomas Warden's mounds near the River Sherbourne, being 70 yards long but 10 yards square [sic] at the bottom part adjoining the river and 10 yards broad up to the garden there lately cultivated by Edward Green, altogether 0.25a.; and (c) access from (b) through Catherine Adcock's yard: covenants to levy a final concord during the following Michaelmas term for the successive uses of Nathaniel Pickering, the Weltons' appointees and J. Welton, and for redemption of £204/10/- on 28 Mar [1742].
II 1 Oct 1742. Probate Copy of the Will (3 May 1742) of John Welton who left his sisters Mary and Ann Welton 5/- each but all realty to his wife Jane.
III 21-22 May 1744. Deed to Lead to a Final Concord whereby for 5/- Thomas Barrett (of Coventry, dyer) and his wife Jane (devisee under II as formerly married to John Welton) consigned to Joseph Skears (of Coventry, buttonweaver) and Thomas Smith (of Coventry, oilman) the premises for the life of the longer liver of the Barretts and then their right heirs; Thomas Barrett covenanted that the couple should levy a final concord as of that Trinity or the following Michaelmas term.
IV Michaelmas Term, 18 George II. Final Concord wherein Thomas Smith was plaintiff and William Torrington [a St. Michael's churchwarden, 1750] with his wife Ann, and Thomas Barrett with his wife Jane, were deforciants.
V 21-22 May 1747. Lease and Release whereby, in consideration of £35 paid to Mary Pickering (of Coventry, widow of John) and 5/- to Thomas Jackson and John Holmes (of Allesley, Warwickshire, husbandmen), they conveyed to Thomas Barrett a messuage, described as near the former Fleet Street but then in Smithford Street (successively occupied by William Villers, John Welton, and then himself with - Nicholas), devised to [the dyer] John Pickering by his grandfather William Villers.
VI 12-13 Aug 1747. Marriage Settlement whereby (in consideration that Thomas Barrett was to marry Elizabeth Hough (of Coventry, spinster) and of £270 secured by her father-in-law [sic] Joseph Southall (of Coventry, maltster) as marriage-portion and for the advancement of T. Barrett's son Samuel, and of 10/-) T. Barrett entrusted Joseph Southall and William Hall (of Atherstone, Warwickshire, gentleman) with (a) I's (a) (occupied by T. Barrett, Samuel Heather, - Wright (widow) and Joseph Henley), (b) I's (b) , (c) I's (c) and (d) the rear part of a messuage near Fleet Street (successively occupied by William Villers, John Welton and then T. Barrett with the widow Nicholls)): to be held to the successive uses of T. Barrett until the marriage, the couple, J. Southall and William Hall as trustees for T. Barrett's and E. Hough's successive lives, Samuel Barrett, T. Barrett's children begotten upon his betrothed along with S. Barrett's, and T. Barrett's right heirs; if Hough die married but under thirty years of age and childless, the trustees might within twelve months raise £100 for Southall's benefit [sic] by mortgage; the couple might vary the terms of the uses; a sum was to be deducted by Southall when I's money was paid over, whereupon the term would be assigned to the trustees' nominee to attend the inheritance; Southall covenanted to pay £200 (equivalent to the mortgage sum) within eight subsequent months to the person(s) legally entitled to it. VII 25 Feb 1747. Assignment of Mortgage by Demise for 1,000 Years in Trust to Attend the Inheritance whereby, having recited: firstly, I; and secondly, payment-default: therefore (in consideration of £200 paid by Joseph Southall and 5/- by Robert Reeve (of Coventry, apothecary), both to Nathaniel Pickering) N. Pickering (on behalf of J. Southall and Thomas Barrett) consigned to Robert Reeve the premises according to VI's terms.
VIII 26 Mar 1751. Mortgage by Demise for 99 Years whereby, having recited: firstly, VI; and secondly, that Elizabeth Barrett had died under thirty years of age and childless: therefore, in consideration of £100 paid to Joseph Southall and 5/- to William Hall, they charged to Robert Reeve VI's premises for redemption of £100 plus interest on 26 Sep [1751].
B As to Other Premises
IX 5 Feb 1754. Bargain and Sale, for £10, by Joseph Gibbons (soapboiler) and his eldest son Samuel Gilbbons (stuffmerchant), both of Coventry, to Thomas Barrett of a pantry which John Welton had built, then used by Christopher Hancocke (tailor), in Fleet Street near Bablake church, adjoining a messuage occupied by the silkman Thomas Wilson, with a penalty of £20 if the conveyance be not fulfilled.
X 25 Oct 1754. Probate Copy of the Will (14 May 1754) of Thomas Barrett who left his Fleet Street house to his son Samuel but appointed Samuel Crutchlowe [draper], Thomas Bennett [apothecary] and John Courtney [a chamberlain, 1753] as guardians as well as as executors.
XI 23 May 1754. Codicil whereby Thomas Barrett appointed his brother-in-law Joseph Skears an executor and guardian.
XII 11-12 Oct 1757. Lease and Release whereby, in consideration of £50 from [William] "Hasterlo" (of Fillongley, Warwickshire, yeoman) and 5/- from Thomas Peck (of Coventry, glazier and plumber), so as to assure a moiety of the premises Joshua Thompson (of Coventry, dyer) and his wife Mary entrusted Thomas Peck with a half-share in the messuage with dyehouse, etc. near St. John's church (occupied by the dyer Thomas Villers), to be held successively on behalf of William Hasterlo for one thousand years, the Thompson's appointees and themselves, with redemption of £51/5/- by the couple to W. Hasterlo on 12 Apr 1758; the Thompsons covenanted to levy a final concord as of the previous Trinity or following Michaelmas term.
XIII 7-8 Dec 1759. Lease and Release whereby, having recited: firstly, XII; secondly, that Joshua Thompson (husband of the late Mary, a sister and coheir of the late Samuel Barrett) possessed the moiety subject to the thousand- and ninety-nine year terms; thirdly, that William Hasterlo and Joshua Thompson had agreed that John Halford junior (of Coventry, stuffmaker) should buy the share (subject to the ninety-nine year term) for £200; and fourthly, that the £50 principal was due: therefore, in consideration of £150 paid to each of them, W. Hasterlo and J. Thompson conveyed the premises to John Halford junior subject to the ninety-nine year term whose half of £100 he should pay off with interest.
XIV 11 Feb 1760. Deed to Lead to a Final Concord, with Assignment of Mortgages by Demise for 1,000 Years and 99 Years in Trust to Attend the Inheritance, whereby, having recited that John Halford and his wife Martha [II] [junior] (she being a sister of the late Samuel Barrett) was entitled to one moiety, John Halford to the other as its purchaser under XIII (subject to the thousand- and ninety-nine year terms), for £100 paid by Abigail and Martha [I] Halford senior (of Coventry, spinsters) to Robert Reeve to discharge the ninety-nine year term's principal, John Halford and Martha [II] Halford [junior] covenanted to levy a final concord with Abigail Halford for XII's messuage, etc. (to be described as one messuage and two gardens) so that both spinsters might enjoy a £7/10/- rentcharge annually for the life of the longer liver, they being entitled to distrain if the money fall twenty days behindhand and re-entry if it fall forty - subject to which, the premises were to be to the successive uses of J. and Martha [II] Halford's appointee, J. Halford for life, M. [II] Halford for life and J. Halford's heirs: in consideration of £100 paid by the spinsters and 5/- by Henry Garratt (of Coventry, silkman), R. Reeve consigned to Henry Garratt the thousand-year term.
XV Hilary Term, 33 George II. Final Concord wherein Abigail Halford (spinster) was plaintiff and John Halford with his wife Martha [II] junior were deforciants for one messuage and two gardens in Coventry.
XVI 8 Jan 1773. Copy of the Will of John Halford (late of Coventry, dyer; then of Pinley, St. Michael's parish, Coventry county, farmer) which appointed Henry Garratt and John Mander (of Coventry, silkman) his executors and guardians of his children Mary and Martha [III]; all went to the executors for sale.
XVII 10 Apr 1775. Irrelevant codicil.
XVIII 23-24 Jun 1775. Lease and Release with Assignment of Mortgages by Demise for 1,000 and 99 Years in Trust to Attend the Inheritance whereby, having recited: firstly, XIV; secondly, that Abigail and Martha [I] Halford had died; thirdly, that by Martha [II] Halford's death during his lifetime John Halford had become seised of the premises; fourthly, that J. Halford did not alter his will [relevantly]; and fifthly, that Henry Garratt and John Mander had proved that will; therefore, in consideration of £270 paid by William [I] Grant (of Coventry, dyer) and 10/- by his trustee Reverend Benjamin Toms (clerk; vicar of St. Michael's, Coventry), Henry Garratt and John Mander conveyed the premises to them, as for 5/- did H. Garratt to Reverend Joseph Heacock (of Coventry, clerk [in Holy Orders]) the terms.
C As to Other Premises
XIX 26-27 Jul 1778. Lease and Release whereby, having recited: firstly, that one-third of the hereditaments belonged to Mary Howe (of Coventry, widow) as a daughter of Thomas Villers (of Coventry, dyer, deceased), one-third to Edward Wilkes (of Birmingham, Warwickshire, cheesefactor) with his wife Hannah (another Villers daughter) and one-third to William [I] Grant with his wife Sarah (as the third Villers daughter); and secondly, that William [I] Grant had agreed to buy the other two-thirds at £63 per third: therefore (in consideration of £63 paid by Edward Villers (of Coventry, ironmonger) to each of Mary Howe and the Wilkeses and of 5/- apiece by him to each of the other individuals) M. Howe, the Wilkeses and the Grants conveyed to Edward Villers all the shares in a messuage on the southern side of Fleet Street (successively occupied by (1) William Villers, Joseph Smith and Richard Sweetland, (2) John Welton, (3) Thomas Villers, (4) J[ohn] Howe [a St. Michael's churchwarden, 1764], (5) John Clarke junior [clothier] and then (6) T[homas] Huckell [silkman]); covenant to levy a final concord the following Michaelmas term.
XX 23-24 Oct 1786. Lease and Marriage Settlement with Declaration of Trust whereby, having recited: firstly, that Reverend Thomas Cormouls (of Coventry, clerk [in Holy Orders]) was to marry Mary Grant (spinster; only daughter of William [I] Grant by his late wife Sarah); and secondly, that W. [I] Grant should settle premises to make provision for his daughter: therefore, for 10/- apiece, W. Grant, Edward Villers and Reverend Benjamin Toms entrusted Reverends William Brooks and Joseph Twigger (of Coventry, clerks [in Holy Orders]) with (a) XIX's messuage (occupied by [the silkman] Allen Jopson), (b) three other messuages in St. John Baptist's parish near the church (inhabited by [the silkman] John Piercy, - Welton, - Freeman, [the silkweaver] Thomas Atkins and Richard Stringer) and (c) a stable near (b) (used by Messrs. Webb & Ryley) - (b), (c) once formed a single house which W. Grant bought under XVIII: to be held to the successive uses of W. Grant until the marriage, Reverend Thomas Cormouls, Reverends William Brooks and Joseph Twigger during Thomas Cormouls' lifetime in trust to preserve contingent remainders, Mary Grant, William Brooks and Joseph Twigger during her lifetime similarly, the couple's children, and W. Grant's son William [II] by his late wife; T. Cormouls covenanted that, if his betrothed survived him as his wife, his executors should within six months of his death pay W. Brooks and J. Twigger £600 upon trusts detailed in the original; declaration that the terms were held in trust for Cormouls.
XXI 24-25 Nov 1824. Lease and Deed to make a Tenant to the Precipe whereby, having recited XX, that Philip Cormouls (of Beoley, Worcestershire, gentleman) and Mary [II] Cormouls (of Beoley, spinster) were the only issue of the marriage and that Mary [I] Cormouls (wife of Thomas Cormouls of Beoley, clerk [in Holy Orders]) was past childbearing; secondly, that the Coventry Road Act (1812) enabled the improvement of Fleet Street and Spon Street, appointing inter alios James Weare (esq. [nurseryman]), Charles Lilley (gentleman [silkman]), Thomas Cope (silkman), Thomas Sharp (hat-manufacturer), John Gibbons (shroud-manufacturer) and Samuel Carter (gentleman [baker]), all of Coventry, as trustees, who were empowered to widen those streets and others named in the Act, buying necessary land and both the part of a building required for that widening and the remnant which was not; and thirdly, that James Weare et al had had to purchase part of the hereditaments as below but that the Cormoulses were ready to sell all of them for £800 so had demolished a house occupied by Allen Jopson: therefore (in consideration of £800 from J. Weare et al and 5/- from Daniel Heming (of Gray's Inn Place, Middlesex, gentleman [lawyer])) the Cormoulses entrusted Daniel Heming with (a) the site of Jopson's house, (b) XX's (b) (the three houses now converted into two) and (c) XX's (c) (converted into a warehouse) so that Thomas Gill (of Coventry, esq. [writing-clerk]) might be demandant, D. Heming tenant and the Cormoulses vouchees.
XXII Michaelmas Term, 5 George IV. Exemplification of Common Recovery wherein Thomas Gill was demandant, Daniel Heming tenant and Thomas Cormouls with his wife Mary [I], Philip Cormouls and Mary [II] Cormouls (spinster) vouchees for three messuages, one warehouse, one garden, six tofts and 1a. land in St. Michael's and St. John Baptist's parishes.
XXIII 21 Dec 1824. Affidant by John Twist (of Coventry, gentleman [solicitor]) that the Cormoulses had declined his offer on behalf of the commissioners to repurchase such of the premises as were not required.