hello I found a mortgage of demise dated 1776 and was wondering why it was kept by my partners grandfather and if it has any historic or even monetary value? It’s in decent condition given how old it is but I’ve never heard of one before and not sure how to find out more information as to if they are of any interest to anyone? Thanks!
Does it list property and belongings? It was customary to tax what was left after someone died. @Bakersgma
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manusc...chguidance/deedsindepth/mortgaged/demise.aspx A demise mortgage can exist for crazy years like 500-1000. More info on the link I provided.
It would have had to be recorded. There should be a township or county listed on it somewhere. If you really wanted to start researching it.
It doesn’t list belongings it’s a property in Shrewsbury where I live and it says all the belongings and land with the property, I have googled the names of the people and Shrewsbury but can’t find very much information on them and no I don’t have any other family things that I know of...
Mortgages, deeds, indentures are very common in the UK, solicitors and lawyers attics are full of them. Check eBay, they sell for between £5 and £50. I have one dated 1772,for a property in Surrey, 5 pages fastened with ribbons and wax seals it starts in English and morphs into Latin.
This is not something I have ever heard of and being English versus US, I have no resources (outside of Google) for explaining it. Sorry.
Here is the front page of mine, notice it says the same "This Indenture" An indenture is a legal contract that reflects or covers a debt or purchase obligation. I was mistaken with the date, not 1772 but 1774 (still older than the USA)
I like thing like these. They look official and important and, at the time, they were. They're on vellum (love the feel of vellum) and for the most part hand written. I think the title part is probably printed and a lot of the writing is formula, but every document will have its unique passages. You'll usually find gaps where particulars have been filled in in a different hand. Imagine some clark sitting with a quill and ink pot writing out all that. And when you handle them, you get a real sense of history. This is a late document (1887) which starts by establishing ownership, even involving someone missing at sea. There's a follow-up document that clearly illustrates a fortune squandered. For me, it's fun.
I have no idea how things work in England. That might be the legal right to the property. Might be something a lawyer should look at. Particularly if you have just inherited the property.
Sorry I mean it’s a property in Shrewsbury which is the town where I live but it’s not the property I live at
Oh right so all I have is the front page then? Because it’s just the one sheet that I have so I suppose there may have been more details in the other pages because it doesn’t say an exact address or anything just a property in abbey foregate in Shrewsbury I may contact Shrewsbury archives and see what they say because someone in the family is saying they think it has something to do with Charles Darwin as if perhaps it was his fathers house? But googling the names doesn’t come up with anything like that so maybe it’s just wishful thinking...
Some were only one page. Addresses were different back then with no street number, probably just a description and the boundries. You will not have title to the property if it still exists. Believe me there are many thousands for sale on different auction sites, thousands stored in collections and museums. Many were framed and put on walls for decoration. There are hundreds listed on ebay every week. Look here. https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/Indenture/4092/bn_55196583
