We are very grateful to the owners of Forge Cottage for their generosity in allowing us to make over 70 images from numerous documents relating primarily to the history of the property and its occupants.
The 6th document is dated the 10th Jul 1901 –
The First Schedule records the following events –
1869 November 25th – an indenture made between Henry Gardiner of the 1st part and William Hughes, James Harvey, William March, ? Boardman and George Green of the other part
1879 23rd December – an indenture made between Henry Gardiner and The Bishops Stortford Building Society
The Second Schedule records the Admission of Clifford on July 10th 1901
The 7th document is dated the 31st Jul 1901. It is a Deed of Enfranchisement from William Fuller Maitland, the then owner of the Henham Hall Estate to Clifford Henry Gardiner. It shows that on the 10th July 1901 Clifford was Admitted as the only son and customary heir of Henry Gardiner deceased to the customary or copyhold hereditaments in Henham for £ 57.1.0d. This concerned a customary messuage (margin note – sold to Henry Goss) in The Row at Henham, many years since in the occupation of Thomas Clayden. By 1901 it had been converted into two tenements, one of which was occupied by John Green and the other by Sarah Reed, and the hereditaments had been for some time in the tenures of John Prost (?), Obadiah Snow and the Widow Reed afterwards of William White and William Prost and now of Alfred Ingold and Elizabeth Brand.
Secondly: the customary messuage or cottage in Henham once occupied by Mary Dennison, widow, with the blacksmith’s shop, outbuildings, stables and appurtenances formerly the estate of Mary Mead and for many years occupied by William Hayden, afterwards by Emma Hayden and now by Josiah Henry Matthews and Dan Hayden together with the appurtenances.
Thirdly: that messuage or tenement (margin note – sold to George Frederick Hornsby) many years since divided into two tenements with the houses, outhouses, buildings, barns, stables, yards, garden, orchards and appurtenances and one croft or close formerly pasture but now arable land (margin note – sold to George Frederick Hornsby) to the same belonging containing by estimation one acre more or less in Henham formerly in the occupation of William Bacon of James Clarke, Peter Read and William Milbank since of James Yarrow, Mary Yarrow, widow and John Yarrow and now of George Clark, Mary Snow and George Bush. Together with all buildings, erections, minerals, stone, clay, gravel, timber, trees, casements. The freehold and hereditaments and all rights and liberties, casements and privileges as the said Clifford Henry Gardiner is or was entitled, to hold as freehold.
The 8th document is dated the 23rd August 1901. It is a conveyance made between –
Martha Gardiner of Henham, widow, grocer and draper of the 1st part
Annie Elizabeth Matthias (nee Gardiner), wife of Owen Matthias of Adwy–, in the county of Denbigh, congregational minister;
Edith Emily Gardiner of Henham, spinster
Kate Constance Matthias (nee Gardiner), wife of Josiah Henry Matthias of Henham, insurance agent
Clifford Henry Gardiner of Henham, shop assistant; all of the 2nd part
The same Clifford Henry Gardiner of the 3rd part
Barclay & Co Ltd, Head Office, 54 Lombard Street, City of London, bankers of the 4th part
to the said Josiah Henry Matthias of the 5th part
Whereas Henry Gardiner, late of Henham, grocer and draper deceased, at a court holder for the manor of henham Hall on the 14th April 1875 was admitted tenant to him and his heirs of the hereditaments hereby assured by the description of all that customary messuage or cottage in Henham where Mary Dennison, widow, formerly dwelt, with the blacksmiths shop, outbuildings, stables, and appurtenances formerly the estate of Mary Mead and for many years past in the occupation of William Hayden and then of Emma Hayden; to hold at the will of the lord according to the custom of the said manor and whereas by a memorandum dated the 16th August 1897 under the hand and seal of the said Henry Gardiner addressed to Barclay & Co. He the said Henry Gardiner declared that he had deposited with Barclays, amongst other deeds and documents, the documents of title relating to the title of a copyhold messuage and blacksmiths shop at Henham as a security for the payment of all moneys which might for the time being be due or owing from him to Barclays. And whereas Henry Gardiner, by his will dated the 28th March 1892, bequeathed his estate to his wife Martha Gardiner.
The documents can be accessed by selecting one of the dates below –