PHILLIP HIGGIN to WILLIAM CREERE

Mortgage - 1703/4 Douglas)

Know all men by these presents that I William Creere of Glen Woollen in the parish of KK Braddan with the consent of my wife Jane Creere als Gelling many good causes and considerations us thereunto moving but especially in consideration of the entire sum of two pounds ten shillings of lawful moneys of England to us paid in hand at the signing and delivery of these presents

Have lett stop unto mortgage the one half of our meadow belonging to the above Glen Woollen, containing two daymoth of hay or thereabouts unto Phillip Higgin of the town of Douglas, mariner, for and during the full and just term of five years or crops of the said hay after the date hereof fully to be completed and under before the redemption thereof to him the said Phil Higgin, his heirs, executors, administrators or assigns from us or either of us, the above William Creere or Jane my wife, our heirs, executors, administrators or assigns together with all ways, watercourses, easements, profits or commodities thereunto appertaining or belonging, he the above said Phillip Higgin yielding and paying each year of his mortgage sixpence rent to our honourable Lord, and in case the above sum of two pounds ten shillings be not fully paid and satisfied from us, our heirs, executors, administrators or assigns to him the above Philip Higgin, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns at the expiration of the above term of five years or crops that then and for the non-payment thereof, it shall and may be lawful for the said Phil Higgin, his heirs, executors or assigns to ... and peaceably to possess the said hay from year to year till the above sum be fully paid and satisfied by us the above William Creere and Jane my wife, our heirs, executors or assigns.

Further it is agreed on that if the said Phil Higgins pleases at any time during his term to make improvement on such lands within the said meadow hedge as may be brought to hay, that we the above William Creere and Jane my wife, our heirs, executors or assigns are to be at equal charge with him, his heirs, executors or assigns in so doing

Further it is agreed by the parties that Phillip Higgin is this year to send three men to repair or make up the fence of the said meadow and for the remainder of the term William Creer or Jane my wife, their heirs, executors or assigns are to keep the said fence in good repair he William Creere, his heirs or assigns are to have the ... grass of the whole meadow during the term

And for the true and punctual performance of all and singular the premises within mentioned, we have bound ourselves, our heirs, executors, administrators or assigns in the penalty of five pounds sterling the one half to the use of our honourable Lord or his heirs and the other half to the within Phillip Higgin, his heirs, executors, administrators or assigns

As witness our hands this twenty second of February 1703/4. William Creere my mark W, Jane Creere als Gelling my mark J

Signed and delivered in presence of Thomas Creere my mark T, John Creer my mark J, William Flaxney

16th June 1704 The above William Creere and Jane his wife have acknowledged this bargain to be their voluntary act and deed. Before me John Parr

We whose names are hereunder written being the Setting Quest of the parish of KK Braddan now charged by virtue of Mr Deemster Parr's token to view the within mortgaged daymoth of hay with the rest of the tenement and having taken the said into full consideration we do set [eleven] pence yearly rent to the Lord on the within daymoth of hay and that we give as our answer as witness our hands this twenty-ninth of November 1706. Robert Clucas my mark R, Paul Gelling my mark P, .............., William Gelling my mark W

At Castle Rushen 22nd January 1706/7, The Bill of Mortgage being acknowledged before the Deemster and published in open Court and no objection made against it therefore the same is confirmed according to law. William Ross, John Parr, Robert Mawdsley, J. Rowe

[Ref: OM BRA 1/26]

NOTES

  1. This is a straightforward mortgage agreement between Phil Higgin and William Creere,which took place a few months after Phil married
  2. Phil Higgin was the husband of Jane Mc ylroy. They married in 1703 in Douglas, so Jane would have been born 1675-80
  3. Jane was the daughter of Hen McYlroy & Amy McYlroy als Joyner als Watson. She was under age when her mother died in 1689; her father died later in the same year
  4. She had two Joyner step-siblings: Robert & Alice
  5. Jane inherited a cottage allotment in Douglas from her father (#110, 4d rent) - in LA 1700, allotment #91 with a 4d rent was jointly tenanted by Hen & John Mcylvorrey, presumably the same (renumbered) cottage allotment, Hen being her father
  6. Higgin was a mariner who also inherited a small cottage allotment and garden in Douglas (Gellings Court (#111, rent 3d) from his father Thomas who died in 1700
  7. Over the years, Philip & Jane sold their legacies and purchased other properties in Douglas
  8. Jane and Phil had children Margaret (1704), William (1706), Jane (1708), Philip (1711), Emma (1719) of whom two survived to adulthood
  9. In 1730 Douglas Household Survey: Philip & Jane Higgins, 1 child & 1 servant; Robert Joyner (widowed) alone; Alice Graham (widowed) 1 child
  10. Jane Higgin als Mcylroy was buried 17th September 1736, Braddan
  11. The Edward Fletcher mentioned in Jane's will probate was the husband of daughter Jane (married 1733)
  12. Two burials of a Philip Higgin are recorded in the Braddan parish register, 1741 & 1769, Jane's husband and son
  13. Philip snr was a mariner and Philip jnr was a hairdresser and wigmaker
  14. Phil Higgin snr did not leave a will but the LV 1743 records the fact that he made a gift of two cottages in 1736 to his son, Phil jnr, soon after Jane died. Their total rent was respectively 2s 7½d, and 20½d, for cottage allotments #48 (Higgin share = 12d rent) & #52 (Higgin share = 3d rent) (TBF might be NSS May 1743 #43)
  15. Phi jnr was also lucky enough to be also left cottages by Mariot Smith and Margaret Kelly in the 1750s
  16. Philip jnr married Elizabeth Peel 1741 (d1750), Mary Halt 1751 (d1761) then widow Sarah Merydew als Scott 1761 (d1795) - brother in law Edward Fletcher was witness to this third wedding
  17. Philip jnr had four children Mary 26th January 1742/3, Philip 4th March 1743/4, Jane 25th February 1746/7, Jane 25th June 1752 of whom only Jane survived her father so in less than a century, Jané's little family was "daughtered-out"
  18. NOTE: Be aware that cottage allotment numbers changed over time as Douglas expanded. Rent and neighbours become key elements in confirming whether the tenants (e Phil Higgin) have changed properties or whether they have remained stable while the allotment number from one LA to the next

Associated Documents

From Summary of Wills, A Manx Notebook

1785 A 5 FLETCHER Edward dated 11 nov 1784; Ballafletcher; gtgdau Carolina Lee; names Capt John Lee,John Edward Lee,Wm + Edwd Callister; sister Mary Callister; names Sarah Quirk als Callister,Wm+Robt Kelly,Edwrd Callister;dr Patk Scott claims - brother in law

1785 A 6 ds FLETCHER Jane dated 14 mar 1785; widow capt Ed Fletcher; gtgch John Edward + Caroline Lane Lee - sister

Last updated: May 2024