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The Definitive History of the Surname STABLES in Yorkshire
 

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John Stables's Lease Agreement for his Farm, 1844.

This is a transcript of the lease agreement that John Stables signed in order to rent his farm and land from Charles Eyston, Esq. and his wife, Mary Teresa. The original document is now held at Barnsley Archives.

This is five years after the Tithe Award of 1839, in which John Stables Senior is listed as renting the same property  from Charles Eyston.

The lease agreement provides interesting social history about farming practices in the Victorian period. In particular, there is a very quaint section requiring that "...he the said John Stables...shall and will...Eat and Consume upon the said premises yearly and every year...all the grass hay straw stubble clover...which shall grow...upon the farm". He'd need a few pints of fine English ale to wash that lot down!

Background: The Eyston family are descendants of Sir Thomas More, a devout Catholic, now a canonised saint of the Catholic Church, the very faith he refused to renounce. His son John married Anne Cresacre, heiress of Barnborough and their son Thomas More, a Jesuit Father, was the last male descendent of Sir Thomas. His sister Bridget More married Peter Metcalfe and their son married Teresa Throckmorton whose daughter, Maria Teresa Metcalfe, married Charles Eyston in Bath in 1814. Charles Eyston died in 1857.

The Eyston family home is at Hendred House in Berkshire and has many family treasures including Sir Thomas More's drinking cup and the silver-banded ebony staff that supported Bishop Fisher on his way to the gallows. A famous painting of Sir Thomas More and
family, hangs in the National Portrait Gallery, a copy of which may be seen at
Hendred House.

This background information about the Eyston Family is taken from the following web-sites: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~villages/berks/east_hendred.htm and http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~hadland/tvp/tvp24.htm and those with an interest in the Eystons will find a great deal more information on those sites.

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Charles Eyston Esquire and
Maria Teresa his Wife -----

------With------

Mr. John Stables-------------

Agreement for letting Land and Premises at Barnbrough in the County of York.

This indenture made the second day of February One thousand eight hundred and forty four BETWEEN Charles Eyston of Hendred in the County of Berks Esquire and Maria Teresa his Wife of the one part and John Stables of Barnbrough in the County of York Farmer of the other part WITNESSETH that the said Charles Eyston and Maria Teresa his Wife have agreed and do hereby agree to let and the said John Staples [sic.] hath and doth hereby agree to take ALL that tenement Messuage or Dwellinghouse with the Outbuildings and Closes of Land thereto belonging now in the occupation of John Stables situate and being in Barnborough and more particularly set forth in the Schedule hereunder annexed together with the Appurtenances to the same belonging reserving unto the said Charles Eyston and Maria Teresa his wife their Heirs and Assigns out of the said premises all Mines of Coal and other Mines and Minerals Quarries of Stone and Slate and Beds of Gravel and Clay with full power to search for get and work the same and with liberty for that purpose to erect Houses Engines and other Machinery and Buildings and also reserving all Trees Underwood and Plantations and the herbage thereof with liberty to Cut and Carry away the same and also the liberty and priviledge of taking part of the said Farm for the purpose of Building Planting or making ways or roads or for any other improvement he or they may think proper they the said Charles Eyston and Maria Theresa his Wife their Heirs or Assigns making reasonable satisfaction for the Damage the said John Stables may sustain bt the use or exercise of any of the aforesaid liberties and also reserving unto them the said Charles Eyston and Maria Theresa his Wife and their Agents full power of authority to enter upon the said Premises to view the state and condition so thereof and also for himself the said Charles Eyston his Friends Servants and others by him or his Agent authorized to Hunt Shoot Fish and Sport thereupon at his and their Will and Pleasure so To Hold the said Farm and Premises unto the said John Stables his Executors and Administrators as to the said Closes of Land from the second day of February and as to the said Dwellinghouse and Buildings from the thirteenth day of May in each year respectively for the term of one year and so on from year to year until either of the said Parties shall give to the other six calendar months notice in writing previous to the expiration of any year to quit and deliver up the possession thereof WIELDING and PAYING unto the said Charles Eyston and Maria Teresa his Wife their Heirs and Assigns during the said holding the clear Yearly Rent of Ninety Six Pounds by two equal hald yearly Payments namely on the tenth day of April and the tenth day of October in each year the first payment to be made on the tenth day of October next And Also the further annual Rent or Sum of Ten Pounds an Acre and so in proportion for any greater or less quantity than an Acre of the Ancient Meadow or Pasture Land in the said Farm which the said John Stables his Executors or Administrators shall pare burn plough break up or convert into tillage without the consent in writing of the said Charles Eyston and Maria Theresa his Wife their Heirs or Assigns or of any land in the Farm that he or they shall sow or set with Teazles Woad Hemp Flax or with any other produce not yielding fodder for cattle or upon which they shall grow more than two crops of white corn without a good and clear Summer fallow which said additional Rent by way of Penalty shall be recovered and recoverable in the same way as the said original Rent is recoverable the first payment to be made on such of the said Rent Days as shall first happen after any such penalty shall be incurred AND the said John Stables doth hereby for himself his Heirs Executors and Administrators Covenant declare and agree with and to the said Charles Eyston and Maria Theresa his Wife their Heirs and Assigns in manner following that is to say that he the said John Stables shall and will pay the said Yearly Rent of Ninety Six pounds and also the further Rent at the times hereinbefore mentioned And Also that he the said John Stables his Heirs Executors and Administrators shall and will pay all Assessments and Outgoings whatsoever whether Parliamentary or Parochial Except the Income Tax which shall be charged upon the said Farm during the holding hereby agreed upon And Further that he the said John Stables his Executors or Administrators shall and will at his and their own expense keep and leave all the buildings Styles Gates Fences Ditches Drains and Watercourses on the said premises in good tenantable repair order and condition the said Charles Eyston and Maria Teresa his wife finding Timber in the Rough and shall and will preserve and protect all the young timber trees on the said premises and shall not cut top main fell or carry therefrom any trees or underwood And Further that he the said John Stables his Executors or Administrators shall and will eat and consume upon the said premises yearly and every year during the time he or they shall occupy the same all the Grass Hay Straw Stubble Clover or other produce (Grain Excepted) which shall grow or be made upon  or arise from the said Farm and spend spread and lay upon such parts of the said Lands as shall most require the same all the Compost and Manure that shall be made thereby, except such Compost and Manure as shall have been made or produced and not spent and consumed thereon in the last year of his or their occupation of the said Farm which shall be left upon some convenient part thereof for the said Charles Eyston and Maria Teresa his Wife their Heirs or Assigns or the Oncoming Tenant he or they making such allowance for the same as the person or persons to be appointed as hereinafter mentioned shall value the same to be worth And Moreover that the said John Stables his Executors and Administrators shall and will at any time at the request of the said Charles Eyston and Maria Teresa his Wife or their Agent discharge every or any person or persons from Hunting Shooting Fishing or Trespassing on the said Farm or any part thereof and shall and will permit and suffer the same to be made use of as a plaintiff to any Action or Suit to be commenced and carried on by and at the expense of the said Charles Eyston and Maria Teresa his Wife their Heirs or Assigns AND it is hereby further agreed by and between the said parties hereto that the said John Stables his Executors or Administrators shall be allowed to retain possession of any land cropped with turnips until the twenty fifth day of March next following the Expiration of any notice which shall be given by either party to quit the land hereby agreed for And Further that after the notice to quit shall have been given by either of the parties as aforesaid then the said John Stables his Executors and Administrators shall be paid or allowed for all Wheat and Rye which shall in that year have been sown upon the said premises in due course of husbandry and also for all fallow made the preceding Summer wherein no Corn shall have been sown or be grown and also for the expense of paring and burning such part of the said Land as shall be pared and burnt in that year and also for ploughing and for seeds sown and for sowing the same after the land shall have been so pared and burnt and also for all white clover trefoil and other small seeds which shall have been sown in the Spring of the year next preceding the expiration of the holding hereby agreed upon And Also for half tillages upon the said Farm after one crop of corn shall have been had therefrom according to the custom of the County and also for all Compost Dung and Manure which shall have been laid upon any fallowed land when no crop shall be growing and for the leading and spreading of such manure compost and dung and where one crop shall have been taken then to be allowed for half the value of such compost dung or manure as shall have been led laid and spread thereon And Also for all manure led laid and spread upon grass land from whence no crop shall have been subsequently taken and for one half the value of all manure which shall have been laid and spread upon grass land when one crop only shall have been taken in the usual and customary allowances of Rents and Assessments upon such valuations and also to be allowed for all manure dung or compost which shall be in upon or about the said farm unspread or undisposed of on the twenty fifth day of April next preceding expiration of the holding hereby agreed upon as to the Buildings all which payments allowances and valuations shall be fixed and ascertained by two indifferent persons to be named and chosen one by the said Charles Eyston and Maria Teresa his wife their heirs or assigns or their agents and the other by the said John Stables his Executors or Administrators and in case such two persons shall not agree in the valuation of all or any of the matters to be referred to them then to some third person to be named and appointed by the referrees [sic] for that purpose shall fix and ascertain the value or worth thereof which third person shall be named by the said Referees before they themselves proceed in the valuation AND it is hereby further agreed between the said parties that the valuation of the several matters and things aforesaid (other than and except the crops of wheat and rye and the last years manure) shall be made at or immediately before Candlemas day when the holding shall expire as to the Land and Valuation of the manure shall be made on the twenty fifth day of April following and the valuation of the said crops of wheat and rye shall be made in the month of August following or immediately before such crops are fit to be reaped and gathered and that the amount of such valuations respectively shall be paid by the said Charles Eyston and Maria Teresa his Wife their Heirs and Assigns or his or their Incoming Tenant to the said John Stables his Executors or Administrators immediately after the same shall be respectively made and occupied but the said Charles Eyston and Maria Teresa his Wife their Heirs and Assigns or their Agent be at liberty to have full power to deduct and retain out of the said respective valuations all such sum and sums of money as shall or may be due to them the said Charles Eyston and Maria Teresa his wife their Heirs or Assigns for Rent or Arrears of Rent for the same Farm Lands and Premises IN WITNESS whereof the said parties to these presents have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first within written#

SCHEDULE hereinbefore referred to.

Swainherd Field }
Quarry Field Allotment    }
House Barn Yard Garden do    } Quarry Field }
Priest Croft } Cliffe Wood Close }
Priest Croft } Ancient
} Meadow Grass
Saint Helen’s Field } Arable
Crow Close Saint Helen’s Field } Acres Roods Perches
} 72 “ 3 “ 12
} Acres Roods Perches
} 13 “ 3 “ 33
Saint Helen’s Field
Common Close Next Field

Charles Eyston (signed)
Maria Teresa Eyston (signed)
John Stables (signed)

Signed sealed and delivered (being first duly stamped) by the within named Charles Eyston and Maria Teresa his Wife in the presence of Charles John Eyston of East Hendred Banks Esq.

Signed sealed and delivered by the within named John Stables in the presence of Joseph Kirk of Sheffield Land Agent

 
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Copyright © 2004 Andy Stables
Last modified: December 12, 2006