John Carter & Elizabeth Dell

JOHN CARTER DELL

John Carter Dell 1796-1840, was born at Speen Farm, the son of Thomas Dell, Jnr.   His grandfather had owned Speen Farm.   He had died in 1811, leaving the farm to his wife Ann for her lifetime then to go to Thomas, John’s father, on her death.   However, Ann had passed it on to Thomas Jnr during her lifetime.

PARENTS

John’s parents, Thomas Dell and Mary Carter had married in 1798, two years after John was born, so they added “Carter” to his name.  He used “Carter in the names of all his own children    The families were Methodists.

MARRIAGE

John Carter married Elizabeth (Bett or Betsy) Gibbons, 1795-1851) at Hughenden in 1817.   They had 10 children.   For family details see under ‘family’ “1796 DELL John Carter”

SHOPKEEPER and BEERSELLER

In 1797 his grandparents moved from their home and shop at Up Green (later called Vine Cottage)     By 1830, John Carter and Bett were living at and running the shop and the adjacent cottages under a tenancy from his father, who had inherited them.   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.   The vast arable open fields disappeared.   Any person with a right to use a strip there was allocated land near their home.   The vast Common of Princes Risborough was sold in two large chunks.  

MORTGAGES?

Prior to 1823 there is no known ownership of land by John Carter Dell, yet in 1823 he had allotted to him 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 to lend mortgages?    Or had money been inherited from his wife’s family?

THE PLOTS WERE: --

699.  Freehold, an old property, on the west 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.

648. Freehold, a new allotment as garden,    (Belle Vue Cottages 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 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’)

14th January 1837. John Carter Dell granted a licence for a non-conformist place of worship at Lacey Green.

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 1801- 1865.   John agreed to give up their tenancy for £250.

WILL

John made his will on 11^th 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 27^th 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.