31 High Street, Stratford-upon-Avon

Description

Affidavit of James Ward of Stratford-upon-Avon, truss maker, as to the ownership of 31 High Street: i) that he knew Thomas Gibbs, formerly of Stratford-upon-Avon, watchmaker, deceased ii) that in about 1820 he was apprenticed to the said Thomas Gibbs iii) that from 1823 to 1857 the said Thomas Gibbs occupied 31 High Street and during the whole of the time acted as absolute owner of the premises iv) that he took possession of the said property by virtue of paying off a mortgage debt of £300 created by Elizabeth Whitehead, his mother-in-law, in favour of Thomas Lowe v) that in about 1858 the said Thomas Gibbs let the said property to John Luckett, shoemaker, and afterwards to his widow vi) that in 1866 the said Thomas Gibbs died bequeathing the said property to Henry Cross of Fulbrook, farmer, as described in DR274/5/iii. vii) that in about 1869 the said Henry Cross let the said property to John James Hedges, the present occupier viii) that the title of the said Thomas Gibbs and afterwards of the said Henry Cross to the said property has never been questioned