John Carter & Elizabeth Dell
From Lacey Green History
click Shops for Vine Cottage and other retail premises
click Dell for other in this family
Research by Joan West (put entrepreneurs in Search to find similar people)
John Carter Dell
John Carter Dell 1796-1840, was born at Speen Farm, the son of Thomas Dell Jnr. & Mary,nee Carter
John was given the second name 'Carter' because he was born two years before his parents had married in 1798. He used “Carter in the names of all his own children.
Marriage
John Carter married Elizabeth (Bett or Betsy) Gibbons, 1795-1851) at Hughenden in 1817. They had 10 children - see list at bottom.
Shopkeeper and Beerseller
In 1797 his grandparents moved from their home and shop at Up Green (later called Vine Cottage). John Carter's father Thomas Dell had inherited this and at least by 1830, John Carter and Bett were living at and running the shop and the adjacent cottages under a tenancy from his father. In the census John is also called a beer seller. Did he simply sell beer or was it a pub? Villagers talk of it being a pub called ‘The Grapes’. Or is it just what the place was called. It was also sometimes called Grape Vine Cottage. As pubs were not listed at that time it is not possible to know.
1823 The Enclosures of Princes Risborough
In the enclosures the land belonging to the Manor of Princes Risborough was allotted out. Any property already owned freehold stayed unchanged.
Mortgages?
Prior to 1823 there is no known ownership of land by John Carter Dell to entitle him to anything, yet in 1823 he had been allotted 6 plots. There had however been evidence of him being a mortgagee of the premises at the three cottages that later became Wimble End. Had he saved up his earnings or inherited money from his wife's family enough to lend mortgages? A mortgagee would be the owner of that property for the time being.
His Allotted Plots Were:-
699. Freehold, an old property, on the south-east side of Church Lane, Lacey Green, with House, Garden, and Orchard, …….later known as Wimble End.
697. Freehold, an old smithy, adjoining 699 on the north side, (as mortgagee)
648. Freehold, a new allotment as garden, (Belle Vue Cottage no 1 and Belle Vue Cottage no 2 built here later.)
649. Freehold, a new allotment as garden. Adjoining 648 to the northwest.
650. Freehold, a new allotment as garden. (Wayside Cottage and Ardengrove built here later) This plot was first allotted to Joshua Janes but either swopped or purchased from him by John Carter Dell.
688. Freehold, a new allotment on north side of Church Lane, Lacey Green, (A house was built here by John Carter Dell. He died there in 1840. Later it was called Gracefield’, the entrance being onto Main Road.
Chapel Licence Granted, 14th January 1837. John Carter Dell was granted a licence for a non-conformist place of worship at Lacey Green.
The site of this chapel is not certain, despite much passed down 'definitely here' !!!??? information. It is described in John's will thus. "I also give to Bett, my wife, my freehold Meeting House erected by me for a place of divine worship of the Primitive Methodist's in Lacey Green, with 9 feet of land on each side, with power to sell, let or keep. Also to my daughters Mary and Ann, the field of 1 acre, next to the Meeting House, with the cottage or building thereon, as tenants in common.
1838 Sale at Up Green
In 1838 Thomas Dell Jnr, John’s father, went bankrupt and all his property was put up for auction. The properties at Up Green where John and Bett lived, including 4 acres of meadow, were purchased by John’s brother, Joshua Dell see 1801 Joshua Dell John agreed to give up their tenancy for £250.
John, Elizabeth and family moved to the house, now built on the plot of land number 688, purchased in 1823. It was later named 'Gracefield'.
Will
John made his will on 11th September 1840. He made John Gibbons trustee and guardian of his children with his wife Elizabeth and Samuel Gibbons as executors.
“I give my soul into the hands of Almighty God.”
“I give to Bett, my wife, all my household goods and any money remaining from my aunt Mary Harmon’s will, given her my grandmother.”
“I give Bett all the freehold cottages, stable, yard, pond, garden & appurtenances, now in my own occupation in Lacey Green.” (Later called ‘Gracefield’)
“I give to Bett my freehold Meeting House, erected by me for a place of divine worship of the Primitive Methodists, situate and being at Lacey Green in the parish of Princes Risborough, with 9 feet of freehold land adjoining each side of the Meeting House, for her own use, to sell or let or to keep in her own possession.”
“I also give to my wife the rents, issues and profits from the whole of the residue of my real and personal estates, save for the legacies hereinafter named for her life, or until her second marriage.”
Legacies
1. I devise unto my daughters Mary & Ann my field adjoining the meeting house containing 1 acre of freehold land with the cottage or building thereon standing as tenants in common and not as joint tenants.
2. I bequeath to my son Thomas the sum of £2 -2s- 0d (2 guineas) from the rents and profits when he attains the age of 21 years. And if any remains of the £50 given by my late grandmother after the decease of my wife.
3. I bequeath unto my daughter Sarah the sum of £1 -1s-0d (1 guinea) from the rents and profits when she attains the age of 21 years.
4. I bequeath unto my daughter Rebecca the sum of £1 -1s -0d (1 guinea) from the rents and profits when she attains the age of 21 years.
5. I devise unto my son William the cottage, garden and orchard containing 2 roods and 28 poles at Lacey Green, the cottage now leased to Henry Janes and the orchard leased to Joseph Floyd adjoining the premises (later known as Green Hedges) of Joseph Floyd on the east and John Redrup on the west.
6. I devise unto my youngest daughter Rosehannah the cottage and garden now in the occupation of Abel Woodbridge at Princes Risborough.
Lastly
John declared how things should be arranged should any legatee die, both with or without issue
Death
John Carter Dell died on 27th September 1840, 16 days after making his will. He was aged 44, living in the house he had built (it was later enlarged and known as ‘Gracefield’) Probate was proved under £100.
John's Widow
By 1851, 11 years after John’s death, John’s widow Bett is recorded in the census as living in Wendover as housekeeper to sons Thomas and Charles. She died in February 1851 and is buried in Lacey Green. No will has been found.
The 10 Children - all born in Lacey Green:-
Mary Carter Dell 1818 married James Tomkins in 1840. They lived in Downley. click James & Mary Tomkins for their life story
Ann Carter Dell 1819-1894. In 1851 census at Gracefield, Ann, head of house, with Sarah, Rebecca and Rosehannah, all single. 1861-1891 census, Ann single . . . . . . . . . . . . with sister Rebecca, her husband Uriah Dell (2nd cousin) and son Willi at Ardengrove.
Elizabeth Carter Dell 1821-1837, died aged 16.
Thomas Carter Dell 1823-? . 1851 census. Shoemaker in Wendover with Charles. Their mother their house-keeper. She died that year.
Sarah Carter Dell 1825-1866. 1851 census at Gracefield. 1861 housekeeper to Jacob & Rebekah Dell, later, housekeeper to William Currell, 71 farmer.
William Carter Dell 1826-?
Rebecca Carter Dell 1828-1909 See Jacob & Rebekah Dell
Joseph Carter Dell 1831-1840. . Died aged 10.
Rosehannah Carter Dell 1831-? . Married 1855 Dan Floyd, shoemaker. They lived in Church Lane in cottage he had inherited. click Dan & Rosehannah Floyd for their life story
Charles Carter Dell 1834-1885 . . 1851 census. Shoemaker in Wendover with Thomas. Their mother their house-keeper. Bett died that year.