Walter Sprott, Landholder

The will of my 4th great-grandfather Walter Sprott, who died in 1844, included a very lengthy list of property:

My real estates situate and being at Crowborough Common in the Parish of Rotherfield in the County of  Sussex and now in the several tenures or occupations of William Farris and Thomas Izzard yeoman

My freeholds messuages or tenements  and the gardens thereto belonging situate and being on Cumberland Cottage at Tunbridge Wells aforesaid and known by the name of Marine House the cottage behind the same and  Marine Cottage

My freehold accoutraments and premises at New Romney in the County of Kent

My freehold cottages or tenements and gardens to the same severally belonging situate and being in the Parish of Lamberhurst in the County of Kent and now in the holding of Stephan Goad and others as my tenants

The leaseholds messuage or tenement at Tunbridge Wells in which I now reside together with the several pieces or parcels of meadowlands and the roadhouse stable and coach house to the same belonging and held by me under a lease from the late honourable Catherine Scovill the honourable George Henry Scovill and the late Earl of Abergavenny

My freehold  Cottage situate at Beeding in the County of Sussex unto my said wife Mary Sprott absolutely I give to my said wife all that the annuity or clear yearly sum of ten pounds per annum to which I am entitled during the life of Mrs. Sarkin

For her own use I give her four leasehold cottages at Tullys Village in the Parish of Frant now in  several occupations of [blank] Cushman and others

Also all those my four leasehold cottages situated at Pembury in the County of Kent which I sold under lease from the late Marquis of Camden unto and equally between my said wife and my said daughter Sophia Sprott their respective executors administrators and assigns

I give and devise all that my freehold messuage or tenement farm lands hereditaments and previous situate and being in the Parish of Brenchley in the County of Kent and now in the tenure or occupation of George Bull Yeoman

Also all that my freehold farm and lands situate and being in the Parish of Tonbridge in the said County of Kent and now in the occupation of Richard Twort Yeoman

Also all that my cottage or tenement and the piece or parcel of meadow land thereto belonging to Richard Strange but now in the tenure or occupation of Thomas Skinner Esquire

Also all that freehold estate situate and being at Tunbridge Wells aforesaid and known by the name of the Chapel House Estate and the piece or parcel of ground thereto belonging and which is reserved for the erection of one or more Villa or Villas and the necessary appendages to the same

Also my two fifth parts or shares of and in a certain freehold estate situate and being on Mount Ephraim at Tunbridge Wells aforesaid and lately divided between the other proprietors and me by a Deed of Partition and which said two fifths parts or shares comprise two pieces of land so allotted and awarded to me for my share in the said estate are adapted as sites for building one or more Villa or Villas and the necessary appendages for the same

Also all those several pieces or parcels of freehold land containing by admeasurement seven acres two roods and twenty two perches situate and being at or near Dorset Green in the Parish of Speldhurst in the County of Kent aforesaid together with right of common to the same belonging and within the freehold manor of Rusthall and which in or about the year one thousand eight hundred and sixteen or the following year I agreed to purchase of Thomas Skinner of Tonbridge and the other three proprietors of the same and was then put into possession and in receipt of the rents and in the quiet and peaceable possession and in receipt of the rents and profits thereof

Also all that my freehold messuage or tenement and garden with the roadhouse and stable and the freehold land and also the piece or parcel of copyhold land containing two acres or thereabouts to the same belonging and which piece of copyhold land is holder of the Manor of Frant in the County of  Sussex and which is intermixed with the said freehold land and contain together six acres or thereabouts and said messuage land and premises are now in the holding of Robert Gebben Esquire

Walter Sprott, Solicitor of Tunbridge Wells, Kent

The given name Walter runs down through our Sprott family line, generation after generation. My great uncle was Walter Huggins Sprott, my great grandfather was Walter Keith Sprott, my great great grandfather was Walter Edward Sprott, and my 4th great uncle was Walter Sprott. Plus there are several distant cousins whose given name includes Walter. The progenitor of all these men is my 4th great grandfather, Walter Sprott, who born about 1780.

I haven't yet found a christening record so I am unsure who Walter's parents were. But I surmise they had some means since at the age of 28, Walter was contracted to serve as an apprentice clerk to Richard Jones, an attorney of Frant, Sussex, who agreed to train him in the ways of the profession. The articles of clerkship for Walter were found at Ancestry.com. They appear to have been originally signed in 1808, and a duty of 108 pounds paid by Walter Sprott at that time. The term was five years, and a second document was read in court in 1813, confirming that the apprenticeship had been completed.

From the articles:

Walter Sprott should well and truly serve the said Richard Jones as his clerk in the business profession and practice of an attorney of his majesty’s court of Kings Bench and as an attorney or Solicitor in his Majesty’s other courts at Westminster for and during the term of five years commencing from the day of the date of the said in part recited articles. . .

Tunbridge 14 Sept 1808

The year after Walter completed his clerkship, in 1814, he married Sophia Chapman. In 1817, their daughter Sophia was born. Infant Sophia was christened on May 13, 1817 in Tunbridge Wells. Three years later, in 1821, Walter was left a widower when his wife Sophia died. Sophia was buried at St. Mary the Virgin, Speldhurst, Kent.

It was three years before Walter married again, which means little Sophia was motherless from the age of four to about seven (though I think its safe to presume a nursemaid or nanny cared for her during this time). Walter's second marriage, in 1824, was to Mary Caven, the second daughter of Peter Caven of Brighton. Mary was 14 years Walter's junior. A year later, their first son, Walter was born in Tunbridge Wells, and in 1826, their son James was born. Walter and James were both christened at King Charles the Martyr in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Walter Sprott was a successful solicitor and a business man. During the three decades that followed the completion of his apprenticeship, he was involved in several partnerships, was the master to several apprentice clerks, and was involved multiple land leases. In 1834, Walter is listed in the Tunbridge Wells Guide as "Mr. Walter Sprott, Master Extra. in Chancery, Com. in King’s Bench, Common Plea, and Exchequer, Abergavenny Place."

Walter Sprott's signature and seal

The 1841 Census provides a personal glimpse of Walter's family.

1841 Census Kent, England

Civil Parish: Tonbridge

Hundred: Tonbridge Lowery

1 Abergavenny Place

Walter Sprott, 55, Solicitor, not born in county

Mary Sprott, 45, not born in county

Sophia Sprott, 20

Mary Davis, 25, F. S.

Harriet Lindley, 25, F. S.

Hannah Jarrett, 30, F. S.

Henry Woodhomes, 25, M. S.

Sons Walter and James were attending school so were not living at home. Both graduated from the University of London.

Walter Sprott died in 1844, while his sons were young men. His will contains a long list of properties, which were bequeathed to his wife, daughter and two sons.