One story that keeps cropping up is a continuance of lease granted to Alexander Lock (1679-1743):
“Extract from an old deed “Alexander Lock, carpenter of Ryhall in the County of Rutland, held a continuance of lease dated 7th January in the sixth and thirtieth year of the reign of the Sovereign Lord Charles the second of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the faith, in the year One Thousand Six Hundred and Eighty Four, given the right to sell cattle in the streets of Stamford Lincs”.”
The Last will and testament of Alexander Lock makes no mention of any deeds, inherited or otherwise, and makes no reference to cattle.
This extract comes from others who do not seem to be able or willing to show proof of its existence. Despite numerous efforts to track down any evidence of this deed, including contacting Ryhall Parish Church where the deed is supposed to have originally been found, visits to archives, libraries and any other sources that may hold evidence of this deed I have so far been unsuccessful. The search will continue though!
The dates are slightly difficult to interpret in this “deed” the “7th January, in the six and thirtieth year” (36) in reign of Charles II. According to sources Charles I was executed on the 30th January 1649 and Charles II was reinstated to the throne in 1660 but all documents were to be taken as if he would have succeeded the throne in 1649, virtually forgetting Oliver Cromwell existed but I digress! That being the case Charles II came to the throne on the 30th Jan 1649. It could be argued that the 7th Jan in his 36th year of reign would actually push the date back to 1686, the so called deed then goes on to state the year “One Thousand Six Hundred and Eighty Four”. I’m not convinced a deed would mention two years in this manner but am willing to take it at face value.
One or two problems do come to mind though, it states this is a “continuance of lease” who held this lease before Alexander? if the lease was dated 1684 Alexander would have been at best five years old at the time of this lease. His father John actually died in 1682 would it have taken over two years to transfer/inherit the lease? And secondly what happened to the lease did it lapse through non-use, was it passed onto someone else because as stated earlier Alexander’s will of 1743 makes no mention of this lease or indeed anything at all to do with cattle. He was it seems first and foremost a carpenter a trade that was passed down through the generations of Lock men.
Alexander Lock married Anne Twilley, his second wife of three, on the 25 Mar 1706 at Ryhall, in Rutland. In the process of researching the Twilley line it would appear an awful lot of research has already been undertaken by others into the Twilley’s and one document inparticular could be of great interest and use in finding this lease.
“Twilley Family History & Lore” written by Ian Twilley and Fenton Twilley in 1973.
Page 4 of this family history states:
“In 1706, an Alexander Lock married Anne Twilley, daughter of Lawrence Twilley. Alexander Lock’s ancestor (should say desendant!) W.B. Locke of Brice Rock, West Australia, found that Alexander was a tenant farmer on Lord Cecil’s estate. Documents show that he was licensed to sell cattle in the Red Lion Square.”
This is the first indication I have come across that Alexander Lock was a tenant farmer or had anything to do with cattle. Lord Cecil’s estate would be Burleigh Estate near Stamford Lincolnshire so would their archives provide any clues……. Red Lion Square is also the main Market Square in Stamford. This raises the question, was the lease part of any tenancy as a farmer and not specifically directed at Alexander Lock therefre did the lease pass onto the next tenant of any farm etc. when Alexander Lock gave up the tenancy.
So the possibilty of finding this lease would appear to be increasing.
Acknowledgement and thanks are gratefully given to Jennifer (Jenny) Symien for supplying me with copies of pages from “Twilley Family History & Lore” relevant to Alexander Lock and Anne Twilley
Wayne and Sandra's Family History 