This post is part of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge), where I’m exploring historical newspaper clippings—one story at a time—through my series “Behind the Newsprint.”
In January 1813, a small notice in the West Briton
offered Westcott for sale as a simple matter of property and profit. But the
records surrounding it reveal something quite different: a family negotiating
inheritance, income, and identity across generations.
The Clipping
West Briton and
Cornwall Advertiser, 29 January 1813, page 1
In January 1813, the West Briton published a notice
for the sale of the "fee-simple and inheritance" of several estates,
including Lot 3, known as Westcott. The property was described as being located
in the parish of Tremayne, consisting of approximately 70 acres, and yielding
an annual rent of £65. Prospective buyers were invited to view the land by
contacting the tenant, Philip Upton Ebbott, whose lease was scheduled to remain
in effect until Lady Day, 1820.
What It Suggests
On the surface, the advertisement presents a typical
nineteenth-century land transaction. Philip Upton Ebbott appears as a
substantial tenant farmer, managing significant acreage and paying a
considerable rent. The sale sought to transfer the underlying ownership of the
freehold, the income-producing asset, while the tenant’s occupation remained
secure for the remainder of his term.
Looking Closer
The history of the land is clarified by the 1793 will of John
Baker, a yeoman of Tremayne.[i]
Two decades before the 1813 sale, Baker devised his "estate in
Westcott" to his daughter, Wilmot Ebbott, to take effect following the
death of his wife, Margery Baker.
The will also reveals a telling financial contrast: Wilmot
was required to pay her sister, Mary Joliffe, just £4 per year from the estate.
This stands in sharp contrast to the £65 annual rent—more than sixteen times
that amount—being paid by the next generation in 1813.[ii]
A headstone in Tremaine Churchyard confirms that this was
more than a financial arrangement; it was a home. It records the death of John
Ebbott (Wilmot's husband) in 1825, specifically identifying him as being "of
Westcutt in this Parish".[iii]
His wife, Wilmot (recorded as Wilmet), survived him and lived until 1845,
passing away at the age of 91.[iv]
What Lies Behind It
The 1813 advertisement reads less like a commercial
transaction and more like a family’s financial strategy.
- A
Family Annuity: While the law recognised a 'tenant' and a 'landlord,'
the reality was a likely son providing for his parents. The £65 rent
effectively functioned as a family annuity for John and Wilmot Ebbott,
allowing them to draw a substantial living from their land while their
son, Philip Upton Ebbott, worked it. This income was significantly higher
than the £4 annual payment Wilmot was required to pay her sister, Mary
Joliffe, under the terms of her father's will.
- Capitalising
the Future: The attempt to sell the "fee-simple and
inheritance" in 1813 suggests the family was trying to convert that
future rental income into a single lump sum of capital. This move was
likely guided by their solicitor, Thomas Pearse, who was already deeply
involved in the family's finances, having arranged a £300 mortgage for
John Ebbott just two years prior.[v]
- A
Landscape of Names: Even Philip’s name reflects this history; his
middle name, "Upton," serves as a living link to Paul Upton Oak,
the man from whom his father had consolidated land in the neighbouring
parish of Tresmeer.
- Persistent
Ties: Despite mortgages and sale attempts, the family’s identity
remained rooted in the land. John Ebbott was still described as “of
Westcutt” at his death in 1825, and Wilmot remained in the parish until
her death at 91. For the Ebbotts, Westcott was never merely a lot on an
auctioneer’s list.
Reflection
While the newspaper clipping presents Westcott as a
commodity for sale, the probate and memorial records reveal the enduring human
story beneath the ink. The advertisement shows who occupied the land in 1813; the
1793 will explains how they came to be there; and the 1825 headstone demonstrates
that their identity remained tied to the soil long after the attempted sale.
Westcott was not just seventy acres of Tremayne; it was a
lived and inherited landscape.
Reconstructing Westcott: A Timeline:
- 7
June 1793: Bequest of Inheritance
John Baker, a yeoman of
Tremayne, writes his will in which he bequeaths "all my estate in Westcott"
to his daughter, Wilmot Ebbott. The transfer of the estate was to take effect
after the death of his wife, Margery Baker. Wilmot was also required to pay her
sister, Mary Joliffe, £4 annually from the estate.[vi]
- 29
January 1813: Advertisement for Public Sale
A notice appears in the West
Briton offering the “fee-simple and inheritance” of Westcott (Lot 3) for
sale. The property is described as a 70-acre estate in Tremayne with an annual
rent of £65. Philip Upton Ebbott is named as tenant.[vii]
- Lady
day (25 March) 1820 – Lease Expiry
The lease held by Philip Upton
Ebbott is scheduled to expire.
- 29
May 1825: Death of John Ebbott,
John Ebbott dies aged 73. His
headstone identifies him as “of Westcutt in this Parish,” indicating continued
association with the property.[viii]
- 2
January 1845: Death of Wilmot Ebbott
Wilmot Ebbott, original
beneficiary of the 1793 will, dies aged 91 and is buried alongside her husband.[ix][x]
Note on other land records:
Further reads:
For those
interested in learning more about Philip
Upton Ebbott and his parents John
Ebbott & Wilmot
Baker, see their profiles on WikiTree.
Sources:
[i] S.D.
Reed, Our Cornish heritage: Genealogies of Reed, Rowe, Ebbott and related
families, immigrants to Jefferson County, Wisconsin (America, Self
published, March 1797), transcription of original will of John Baker proved 29
July 1793, page p.XI-22 (Archdeaconry of Cornwall, Probate Court AP/B
Wills, Letter B, RefNo AP/B/4743)
[ii] S.D.
Reed, Our Cornish heritage: Genealogies of Reed, Rowe, Ebbott and related
families, immigrants to Jefferson County, Wisconsin (America, Self
published, March 1797), transcription of original will of John Baker proved 29
July 1793, page p.XI-22 (Archdeaconry of Cornwall, Probate Court AP/B
Wills, Letter B, RefNo AP/B/4743)
[iii] Tremaine
Churchyard headstone transcription: John Ebbott (d. 29 May 1825) “TO THE MEMORY
OF / JOHN EBBOTT / of Westcutt in this Parish who finished his course May 29,
1825, aged 73 yrs / ALSO, in memory of WILMET, his wife who departed this life
/ on the 2nd day of January 1845 / AGED 91 YEARS”
[iv] Death
Certificate of Wilmot Ebbott, 3 January 1845, General Register office (England),
Reference: 1845 M Quarter in LAUNCESTON Volume 09 Page 115
[v] Evidence
for Thomas Pearse as solicitor drawn from the 1813 advertisement and A2A
archival records (X920 series), including mortgage and land transactions,
1810–1811.
[vi] S.D.
Reed, Our Cornish heritage: Genealogies of Reed, Rowe, Ebbott and related
families, immigrants to Jefferson County, Wisconsin (America, Self
published, March 1797), transcription of original will of John Baker proved 29
July 1793, page p.XI-22 (Archdeaconry of Cornwall, Probate Court AP/B
Wills, Letter B, RefNo AP/B/4743)
[vii] West
Briton and Cornwall Advertiser, 29 January 1813, page 1
[viii]
Tremaine Churchyard headstone transcription: John Ebbott (d. 29 May 1825) “TO
THE MEMORY OF / JOHN EBBOTT / of Westcutt in this Parish who finished his
course May 29, 1825, aged 73 yrs / ALSO, in memory of WILMET, his wife who
departed this life / on the 2nd day of January 1845 / AGED 91 YEARS”
[ix] Death
Certificate of Wilmot Ebbott, 3 January 1845, General Register office (England),
Reference: 1845 M Quarter in LAUNCESTON Volume 09 Page 115
[x] Tremaine
Churchyard headstone transcription: John Ebbott (d. 29 May 1825) “TO THE MEMORY
OF / JOHN EBBOTT / of Westcutt in this Parish who finished his course May 29,
1825, aged 73 yrs / ALSO, in memory of WILMET, his wife who departed this life
/ on the 2nd day of January 1845 / AGED 91 YEARS”
