Finmere at the Huntington: 1800-1824
1802/01
My dear Friend
The inclosed will I trust prove to you that something has been done at last. I have written frequent letters but the inclosed is the first answer I have received. I have written by return to close with Mr Asheton immediately, as he is a moneyed man and we shall have it down upon the Mail. I have sent Thos to Northampton to meet the Manchester Mail, so I have lost no time. Another considerable payment this year will I trust make you visit us with a cheerful face.
Now for myself. The Asses you sent are nearly dry and Mr Gray[1] says nothing is so good for me as their milk. You have some whose young cannot travel, but I beg of you to send them on a cart or some other way, as I am going on well, even in this weather, and I dread a check.
I know you will do what you can. I wish otherwise for more Seltzer water. Pray how is Lord Cobham?[2] Compliments of the season to you and George[3] and believe me your obedient friend
Rev R Holt
Mrs Holt Love.
1803/04/22
Finmere Apr 22 1803
My Dr Sir
I have this day drawn upon you for £25. 16. 0 in favour of Thos Brickett of Westbury. If Monday is a fine day I propose riding to Stowe when we shall be able to settle our account.
Very Truly Yrs
W H Barnard
1806
Dear Parrott
The list of Stowe votes I have sent to Mr Barnard of Finmere. The Wotton tenants I have sent to.[4] The following names I beg you will canvass for single votes & unison [?] their being at Aylesbury on Friday.
[List of names at Astwell, Buckingham, Barton Tappett, Lillingstone Dayrell, and Biddleson]
[unsigned]
1806/01/04
Aylesbury 4th Jany 1806
Dear Sir
Mr Chaplin desires you will have the goodness to inform him of the time of the Death of your late Friend the Revd Mr Holt of Finmere, which he wishes to know but cannot exactly recollect.
[Other business…]
I am Sir your very obedient humble servant
Luke Turner
[Annotation by Joseph Parrot]
Mr Holt died 19 Jany 1802
1809/02/06
Mr Parrott
Having taken down about half the ditch of Paxton’s close to widen the road at the turn it may be your intention to make the mound good for the remainder that is left standing which cannot will be done without renewing the quick throughout in which case we should be glad to make some further alteration in the turn of the road which would then be done without much more trouble and expense.I shall be at home at any time you appoint if you would allow yr Nephew[5] to meet us upon the spot where only any determination can be made and there should not be any time lost this season.
Ever Yr
W H Barnard
Monday Feb 6
1815/02/13
You will be glad to hear that the Revd W Bernard, late of Finmere has had one £100 p annm left to him & Mrs Bernard (not to each) & afterwards to revert to any child of theirs at their own option, in the long Annuities. I had the pleasure of communicating this to Mr Barnard this day who happened to be in Town on the eve of his return to Paris.
1816/04/05
Buckingham
April 2 1816
Sir
On my return last night from a journey I met with your letter of the 2nd which brings to my recollection the fact of a former one for you remaining unanswered which you suppose arose from a pressure of business at the time it was received and since from having understood you had in compliance with the tenants wishes postponed your day for receiving tithes, as to the question to which you allude about the time of paying you the composition I have nothing to do; when they pay me the rent of the last and current half year I allow them the amount of the composition for the respective periods the rents are paid and in future the rents will be fixed exclusive of tithes which they may either pay you in money or in kind as may be agreed between you. With respect to the composition for the Marquis’s woods I am ready to settle with you yearly or half yearly as to you may be most convenient with the proviso that if you demand the tithes up to Lady Day I have the demand for rent set against it. If you wish for your tithe wood in kind, I should advise the Marquis to give it to you and dispense with the want of Notice.I am Sir
Your obedient Servant
Geo: Parrott
The Revd W.J. Palmer
Rectory
Finmere
1820/03/21 (1)
Reference: HEH STG Correspondence Box 478 (11)
Sir
I hereby on the part and behalf of the most notable the Marquis of Buckingham give you notice that from and after Michaelmas 1820 or at the end of the year of the present composition for tithes which shall expire next after the end of one half year from the time of year being served with this notice. He the said Marquis of Buckingham will cause to be set out in kind all and all manner of Tithes that might arise and become due to you as Rector of Finmere from the Lands, Woods and Premises in his occupation in the said parish of Finmere and the present composition for the same will then cause and determine.
Witness my hand this 21 Day of March 1820
Geo: Parrott Steward to the Marquiss of Buckingham
To the Revd W J Palmer
Mixbury Oxfordshire
[In the hand of Vaney.]
Memorandum
The above is a true copy of a notice delivered to the Revd W.J. Palmer on the twenty-third day of March 1820
By me John Vaney
1820/03/21 (2)
Stowe
21 March 1820
Sir
I have received your letter in consequence & observe that the land taken from Mr Paxton’s farm at Finmere being given up at different periods it is proposed to make him an allowance both for Rent and tithe for what has been so taken up to next Lady Day from which time what tithes may arise Lord Buckingham[6] agrees with me had better be set out in kind in order to prevent any dispute to the value of and to adopt the same plan with respect to the Woods at the end of the current year of the composition and the bearer has notice to give you to that effect.I am Yrs G P
Rev W.J. Palmer
Mixbury
PS Should you not have settled the tithe with Mr Paxton there will be no objection to pay you the additional sum you named for last year at this time.
1823/03/13
The property mentioned by Yates to be sold at Finmere is three or four old Cottage tenements with Gardens, which were purchased by the Parish & which I have contended they have no right to sell, the sale is in consequence abandoned, at least for the present.
1821/03/19
Finmere March 19th 1821
My Lord
I hope you will pardon the Liberty I take in addressing this Letter, but having received Notice from Mr Parrott for Rent Day on the 30th I have asked Mr Parrott if he has laid before your Lordship a Statement of the Rent of Finmere’s Poors Plot and some underdraining that I did last year, he tells me he forgot it, or he did not so to do, but from a Multiplicity of Business it has escaped his Recollection. On Account of your Lordship’s keeping Mr Newman from Sporting on the Land, and desiring to be held by one of your Tenants, it has been let these last two years for Four Guineas to Four Pound Ten each year more than an average of former years Mr Newman and Mr Halls Tenant being aware of your Lordship desires about it, and as I have received no allowance yet, what your Lordship pleases to allow me wwill be very acceptable previous to Rent Day. It may be your Lordship has not forgot offering me some thorns to do some underdraining with which I did not have on account of their being insufficient for this Purpose because it was Plowed Land, I therefore bought 30 yards of Stones of [sic] Mr Palmer and fetched them from Mixbury to do the Draining with, the Expence of which is from Eleven to Twelve Pound, and as I did not have the Wood I sincerely beg of your Lordship for some allowance towards it, as your Lordship must be aware no Agricultural Productions will pay for improvement in these timesThe Poors Plot Land is not to let again either on Monday Next, or at Easter, if your Lordship has any wish to have it held by any Tenant of your own it would be well for us to know your Lordship’s desire in time that it may be attended to. Finmere House is not yet let. Having understood that Richd Willis is taking Poor Jervis’s Place and that a Servant is wanted as a Baker to your Lordship, I take the liberty of offering my Son, who has a wish for the Place if your Lordship approves, of course he knows nothing of your Lordships House Service, but he is quick in Learning and would soon come into it, I can only say as a Baker of Bread he is very capable, and should he be accepted I will spare no Pains in assisting him, he is Fifteen Years of Age rather more than Five Foot high, and as I have a Family of Severn Children living, but little Business I should be happy in Placing him under your Lordship. I sincerely hope my Lord you will feel no displeasure at my Address, and I remain with Duty & Obedience Your Lordships Humble ServantWm Yates
1823/05/17
Buckingham
May 17 1823
Sir,
I was duly favoured with your letter fixing the composition you expect for the Tithes of the farm at Finmere in the Duke of Buckinghams own lands for the present year at £70. 4. 0 which I am ready to accede to, and though I cannot take you myself to engage in the ensuing year yet if the farm is not let I shall be in the beginning 1 January ready to receive your proposals for the same.
1823/08/13
Finmere September 13th
We the undersigned your Grace’s tenants at Finmere beg leave to offer your Grace our congratulations on the birth of the young Lord Temple which we do very sincerely from our hearts
W.J. Palmer
William George
William Barrett
William Yates
James Bayliss
John Taylor
1823/12/03
Avington Dec 3rd 1823
I wish that you could call upon Mr Palmer and tell him that if he wishes it and he & the Churchwardens agree I have the School Room annexed to the Church after the manner of a lean to, I have no objection to give the parish in the first instance, the Building, it being so understood, and an entry made in the Register to that effect, that the future repairs of the said building are a commit on the Parish not by me, & that should hereafter the school be put an end to, the building be applied to another purpose, had be pulled down at my expence & that materials committed to my property. If this is agreed & you may begin digging the House as soon as you like. Forward this letter to Palmer to keep as evidence.
Duke of Buckingham
1824/01/23
Sir
We the undersigned Churchwardens of the parish of Finmere in pursuance of the resolution of a vestry held by notice of Thursday last, request the favour of you to present our grateful acknowledgments to his Grace the Duke of Buckingham for his offer of building a schoolroom by way of a lean-to to the north wall of the Church at his sole expence, and to add that we very readily pledge ourselves to the terms annexed namely that the repairs of the said school-room from time to time be done at the sole charge of the parish and that if at any time it should cease to be of service as a school room it shall not be applied to any other use but pulled down at the expence of his Grace, the materials to belong exclusively to him.
We beg to subscribe ourselves, your
Obdt humble Servts
William George
Thomas White
Churchwardens
Finmere
January 11 1823
To Mr Broadway Stowe
1824/02/01
Yesterday to give my Son & some friends a day’s shooting where they would not go without me it being the last day of shooting, I got myself into my carriage, drove to cover, then was put on my Shooting pony & remained out all day. I have suffered very much by it from cold & weakness, but the Gout did not return which it ought to have done. Do you remember a little wood at Finmere called Bacon’s wood when three years ago one might as easily have looked for an Elephant as a pheasant? In that wood I yesterday saw between 3 and 400 pheasants and hares & rabbits innumerable. Four guns killed 165 head of game in five hours.