Collection GB 0074 ACC/0328 - PASSINGHAM, Jonathan (d 1833)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 ACC/0328

Title

PASSINGHAM, Jonathan (d 1833)

Date(s)

  • 1813-1872 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

0.45 linear metres.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Jonathan Passingham, a farmer from Heston, died in 1833, leaving most of his estate at Heston in trust for his wife Elizabeth and, after her death, to be divided between his two daughters. Ellen, who married Jonathan Passingham of Cornwall in December 1833, was to receive Heston Farm estate (143a 29p), and Emma, wife of James Basire, engraver of Chancery Lane, was to receive North Hyde Farm estate (132a 2r 3p). After their deaths the property was to be divided between their respective heirs. The executors and trustees of the will were Francis Sherborn, gentleman of Bedfont, and Charles Farnell, brewer of Isleworth.

The inheritance became a cause in Chancery in 1836 when the heirs accused Francis Sherborn of "a series of frauds, misconduct, negligence and breaches of trust", and Charles Farnell of "gross negligence" in failing to take steps to prevent this. Farnell stated he had been "a mere cypher in the business", as Sherborn had been the active trustee (see ACC/0328/033). The main charge of the plaintiffs concerned the mismanagement of Heston and North Hyde Farms which, soon after the death of Jonathan Passingham, had been leased by the trustees to Francis Sherborn and his brother Matthew as tenants in common. The plaintiffs claimed that the terms of the lease, which was drawn up by Henry Farnell, brother of Charles, were fraudulent, and resulted in "acts of waste and destruction" by the Sherborns. These were specified as ploughing up valuable meadow and pasture land, denuding the estate of timber, and allowing buildings to fall into decay and, in some cases, pulling them down. A further charge related to the sale of a brickfield called Tentlows in which the trustees had a beneficial interest. The decree in Chancery in 1839 discharged Sherborn and Farnell from their trusteeship.

George Robert Rowe, M.D. of Chigwell, Essex, and Francis Passingham of Truro, Cornwall, were subsequently appointed new trustees, to be accountable for the estate to the Master of the Rolls. An Act of Parliament in 1844 (7 and 8 Vict. c.22) enabled the trustees to grant leases for digging brick earth on the estate. The royalties from brick making were to be paid into two accounts at the Bank of England, one for Heston Farm and one for North Hyde Farm, in the name of the Accountant General of the Court of Chancery. Another act in 1847 (see ACC/0328/058) authorised the construction of a canal link for transporting bricks. This, however, was not undertaken, a tramway being built instead.

The Depot Estate was land originally purchased by HM Ordnance in 1814 from several owners. Three small pieces of land, copyhold of the manor of Heston, were added to the estate in 1817. When it was sold in 1832, the estate comprised barracks, storehouses, dwelling houses, lands and a private canal. Most of the Depot Estate was purchased in 1845 by Messrs. Allen and Holmes, solicitors to the Passingham trustees, and conveyed to the trustees in 1848. James Basire, widower of Emma, the daughter of Jonathan Passingham, held the life interest in the rents and profits of North Hyde Farm and the Depot Estate. When he died in 1869 the Basire heirs brought a further cause in Chancery for the sale or partition of the North Hyde Estates, and in 1871-2 the property was sold in twenty one lots, primarily for building development, (see ACC/0328/105-106).

Archival history

GB 0074 ACC/0328 1813-1872 Collection 0.45 linear metres. Various.

Jonathan Passingham, a farmer from Heston, died in 1833, leaving most of his estate at Heston in trust for his wife Elizabeth and, after her death, to be divided between his two daughters. Ellen, who married Jonathan Passingham of Cornwall in December 1833, was to receive Heston Farm estate (143a 29p), and Emma, wife of James Basire, engraver of Chancery Lane, was to receive North Hyde Farm estate (132a 2r 3p). After their deaths the property was to be divided between their respective heirs. The executors and trustees of the will were Francis Sherborn, gentleman of Bedfont, and Charles Farnell, brewer of Isleworth.

The inheritance became a cause in Chancery in 1836 when the heirs accused Francis Sherborn of "a series of frauds, misconduct, negligence and breaches of trust", and Charles Farnell of "gross negligence" in failing to take steps to prevent this. Farnell stated he had been "a mere cypher in the business", as Sherborn had been the active trustee (see ACC/0328/033). The main charge of the plaintiffs concerned the mismanagement of Heston and North Hyde Farms which, soon after the death of Jonathan Passingham, had been leased by the trustees to Francis Sherborn and his brother Matthew as tenants in common. The plaintiffs claimed that the terms of the lease, which was drawn up by Henry Farnell, brother of Charles, were fraudulent, and resulted in "acts of waste and destruction" by the Sherborns. These were specified as ploughing up valuable meadow and pasture land, denuding the estate of timber, and allowing buildings to fall into decay and, in some cases, pulling them down. A further charge related to the sale of a brickfield called Tentlows in which the trustees had a beneficial interest. The decree in Chancery in 1839 discharged Sherborn and Farnell from their trusteeship.

George Robert Rowe, M.D. of Chigwell, Essex, and Francis Passingham of Truro, Cornwall, were subsequently appointed new trustees, to be accountable for the estate to the Master of the Rolls. An Act of Parliament in 1844 (7 and 8 Vict. c.22) enabled the trustees to grant leases for digging brick earth on the estate. The royalties from brick making were to be paid into two accounts at the Bank of England, one for Heston Farm and one for North Hyde Farm, in the name of the Accountant General of the Court of Chancery. Another act in 1847 (see ACC/0328/058) authorised the construction of a canal link for transporting bricks. This, however, was not undertaken, a tramway being built instead.

The Depot Estate was land originally purchased by HM Ordnance in 1814 from several owners. Three small pieces of land, copyhold of the manor of Heston, were added to the estate in 1817. When it was sold in 1832, the estate comprised barracks, storehouses, dwelling houses, lands and a private canal. Most of the Depot Estate was purchased in 1845 by Messrs. Allen and Holmes, solicitors to the Passingham trustees, and conveyed to the trustees in 1848. James Basire, widower of Emma, the daughter of Jonathan Passingham, held the life interest in the rents and profits of North Hyde Farm and the Depot Estate. When he died in 1869 the Basire heirs brought a further cause in Chancery for the sale or partition of the North Hyde Estates, and in 1871-2 the property was sold in twenty one lots, primarily for building development, (see ACC/0328/105-106).

Records deposited in December 1946.

Papers of the trustees of the will of Jonathan Passingham, relating to the management of Heston Farm, North Hyde Farm, and the Depot Estates, Heston.

ACC/0328/001-024: The Ordnance Depot and Infantry Barracks, 1813-45;
ACC/0328/025-032: The Passingham Estates and the Depot Estate, 1842-65;
ACC/0328/033-042: Causes in Chancery, 1836-64;
ACC/0328/043-061: Leases of brickfields and proposed canal, 1845-71;
ACC/0328/062-111: Mortgages of interests in and sale of North Hyde Farm and Depot Estates, 1847-72.

Available for general access.

Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.

English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

January to May 2011. Property ownership Land use Estates (land) Land management Estate management Information sources Documents Legal case records Chancery proceedings Property Property transfer Civil law Right to property Property law Court of Chancery Heston Hounslow London England UK Western Europe Europe Land economics Legal systems Civil and political rights Law Agricultural economics Human rights

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Records deposited in December 1946.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of the trustees of the will of Jonathan Passingham, relating to the management of Heston Farm, North Hyde Farm, and the Depot Estates, Heston.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

ACC/0328/001-024: The Ordnance Depot and Infantry Barracks, 1813-45;
ACC/0328/025-032: The Passingham Estates and the Depot Estate, 1842-65;
ACC/0328/033-042: Causes in Chancery, 1836-64;
ACC/0328/043-061: Leases of brickfields and proposed canal, 1845-71;
ACC/0328/062-111: Mortgages of interests in and sale of North Hyde Farm and Depot Estates, 1847-72.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Available for general access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area