Loading...Biography
George was born in 1800. He was baptised at Edwalton, Nottinghamshire on the 17th June 1800 [1]
In 1833 George is listed as being a partner in the Solicitor's firm of Lowdham, Parke and Freeth at 63, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London [2].
On the 1841 census George, noted as being a Solicitor, was living with his cousin, James Freeth, at Adelina Terrace, St Martin in the Fields, London [3] together with three servants to look after the two of them.
By 1843 the senior partner in the London Law firm had died and George was listed as an attorney in the firm of Park and Freeth of 63 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London and Nottingham [4]
In 1844 his Nottingham address is given as being the house on Standard Hill (built by his uncle Samuel and inherited by his father) and he was the Under Sheriff for Nottingham [5]
A few years later the law firm in London had grown and was Parke, Freeth and Parke in 1847, still at the same address in Lincoln's Inn. George's home address was given as being 4 Spring Garden Terrace (just off Park Lane, Mayfair) and also Duporth in Cornwall. [6].
Sometime during the 1840's George had acquired Duporth manor (adjacent to Charlestown near St Austell in Cornwall). Local histories hint that this was by duplicitous means, but it is probably straightforward business. Charles Rashleigh, who built Charlestown and his associated manor house at Duporth had overstretched himself and became bankrupt. George acted for him as his solicitor during the bankruptcy, part of which involved the sale of Duporth manor. Whether George bought it outright or defrayed some of the cost against his legal fees is unknown, but he became the owner of this substantial estate in Cornwall complete with it's own private beach.
By 1848 he had been appointed the Deputy Steward of Cornwall and Devon by the Lord Warden, HRH Prince Albert [7]
On 24 June 1852 George Freeth, of full age, bachelor, a Gentleman of London, son of Daniel Freeth, Gentleman, married Ellen Brocklehurst, of full age, widow of Limefield, daughter of Thomas Ashton, Gentleman. [8]
He built a new mansion house for his wife Ellen at the village of North Clifton in Nottinghamshire. In 1861 [9] and subsequent censuses George always appears to be living at his manor house in Duporth, whereas his wife was living at the new house in Nottinghamshire [10]
As George declared himself to be a bachelor on his marriage certificate in 1852 it was surprising to find him at Duporth in 1871 along with a daughter, Caroline Freeth, aged 29 born in London (abt 1842) when George was a bachelor there living with his cousin James. No birth registration, baptism or census entry prior to 1871 has been found for this daughter and she was not the daughter of Ellen [Ashton] [Brocklehurst] Freeth.
George wrote his will in September 1881 and it went to probate almost exactly a year later. It is notable that the largest beneficiary of his substantial estate was his daughter, by then Mrs Caroline Hodge, who inherited his estate in Duporth and significant sums of money.
His wife, Ellen, was given the furniture in North Clifton Hall and the right to live there for the rest of her life [11], however, this is not as miserly as it may seem as Ellen had significant wealth of her own as shown by her will of a few years later.
He passed away in 1882 in Cornwall [12], but was buried at the church where he was baptised, along with two of his sisters, Ellen and Eliza, at Edwalton, Nottinghamshire [13]
Sources
- ↑ Parish Register Abstract, FamilySearch.org, s/o Daniel and Frances
- ↑ London Royal Blue Book, 1833
- ↑ 1841 census, St Martin in the Fields, HO107/739/6/53/8
- ↑ 1843 Law List
- ↑ 1844 White's Directory and Gazeteer of Nottignham
- ↑ Boyles London Court and Fashionable Guide April 1847
- ↑ 1848 Post Office Directory (London)
- ↑ Marriage Certificate, Bury, Q2 1852, Vol 8c Page 459
- ↑ 1861 census, St Austell, 1548/11/16
- ↑ 1871 census, North Clifton, 3539/129/1
- ↑ Will of George Freeth 1881
- ↑ England and Wales Civil Registration Index, St Austell, Q2 1882, Vol 5c Page 83, aged 82
- ↑ Monumental Inscription, Church of the Holy Rood, Edwalton
