KINGSLEY, Halewood Road (continued)

What is particularly interesting in these deeds is that alongside the above conveyances and inheritances are records of the Manor Court of Little Woolton. Thus James Kelshaw, having completed the purchase of Kingsley and made his will, takes seizin of the property in the Manor Court on 25th Oct. 1844, and his trustees surrender it to the Manor Court in May 1892 with Eli Conway and his surety taking seizin in January 1893. And from the recital of the Manor Court records we learn that before James Kelshaw the 'customary tenant' was Edward Jones, before him Lydia Brint (?) deceased, before her Joshua Lace, the attorney, before him Thomas Rawson (merchant, who lived at Rose Hill 1805-13) and before him John Barrow. These names survive because Kingsley was part of a "customary inheritance" of the Manor. No dates are attached to them.

(This surrender of the property to the Lord of the Manor who then re-grants it to the next owner is also a feature of the deeds of No.8 Belle Vale Road).

To find John Barrow's name in this record is fascinating. He is so far a shadowy figure known to us because in 1784 he was in financial difficulty and then described as a "pinion wire drawer" of Little Woolton - probably one of the out workers of the Prescot centred clock making industry. His name is also shown in the Tithe Schedule where 15½ acres from the south edge of Little Woolton along Halewood Road to the Nook, and the sites of Kingsley, Hollymead and Elmsvale with also the fields at the Belle Vale Road/Grange Lane corner (which we have just described as belonging to James Kelshaw) is referred to as "an estate called late John Barrow &/or (?) Fletchers". It can only be surmise at this stage to identify John Barrow the pinion wire drawer with this estate.

When Miss Gnosspelius and Mrs Lewis visited the cellar of Kingsley they found it stone built with suggestions in the construction that an 18th century date would not be impossible for this foundation of the house.

continued . . .