b'Masons GarthMike & Kate PrattWe were given a batch of documents that someone had bought at an auction that appear to have come from a solicitors practice in Hull. In that batch were a number of items relating to the sale in 1890 of three cottages in Bishop Wilton including the advertisement of the event reproduced here. This article summarises the contents of the items in the batch.W e have long been aware of the value of deeds and other documents relating to the sale and ownership of properties in Bishop Wilton. But it is clear on reading them that it is not easy to summarise the contents of such documents given the nature of the formal language and unreadable script in which they are often written and the repetition of legalistic phrases.The three cottages that were sold in 1890 are identified on the OS map below, situated opposite the Palace site. The copyhold properties were in the possession of William Bowes of Bolton until his death in 1855 when they passed to his grandson, also William Bowes, a Linen Draper from York. Prior to this (but with no dates given), they were in the possession of Samuel Harrison and occupied variously by John Pickering, William Gospel and Thomas Dodsworth; John Atkinson, Elisha Farndale and Thomas Voakes; Edward Tilburn, Elisha Farndale and Hannah King (elsewhere given as Edward Tilburn, Jane Farndale and George Anderson).The advertisement from 1890 shows that the property to the north of the cottages belonged to Mrs Coates and that only two of the three properties were occupied, by John Baxter and William Slater.It would appear that William Bowes, the grandson, surrendered the properties to William Richardson of Pocklington in 1861 in exchange for a mortgage of 100. Thenby the timedrinking water and butts provided water for washing. of the sale in 1890 they were in the possession of a Miss Bell, the vendor, her late father, Richard BoulbyFamily History ImplicationsBell, solicitor of Pocklington, having become entitledInformation about who owned what and who lived to the mortgage and the related securities. where is of interest to those who are researching their Fast Forward family history. In this particular case, for instance, the fact that William Gospel lived in one of these cottages From more recent times, Sheila Roe recordedwas welcome news to his descendents. For this very her memories for David Walker of coming to stayreason we hope to be able to document details from in Bishop Wilton in 1931 with her sister and otherother deeds and similar documentation.children from Leeds. She stayed with Mrs Pickering at one of the 3 cottages. She recalls that the cottagesEpiloguedid not go through, the Baxters lived at the otherSaving one thing that stands out from the end of the block of 3 and the one in the middle wasdocumentation until last: the cottages stood on land used as a bathhouse. There was no electricity orcalled Masons Garth although there is no indication of water, they had to use the well in the school yard forwhy that should be. Does anyone have any ideas?332 BULLETIN 17'