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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: heathwaite on Thursday 13 October 11 10:29 BST (UK)

Title: 19th c purchase of property
Post by: heathwaite on Thursday 13 October 11 10:29 BST (UK)
Does anyone know how ordinary working people bought property in the 19th century?

I have an ancestor who would have been of very modest means in the mid 1800s - he would have probably needed parish relief during the cotton famine - who owned several properties by the end of the century. His prospects had improved as he was working as the landlord of a beerhouse but even so he is not likely to have had much capital. How was the purchase funded?

Any help or pointers to references would be appreciated
Title: Re: 19th c purchase of property
Post by: stanmapstone on Thursday 13 October 11 11:48 BST (UK)
Through a Building Society?  http://www.bsa.org.uk/faq/startbuildingsociety.htm

Stan
Title: Re: 19th c purchase of property
Post by: Treetotal on Thursday 13 October 11 12:46 BST (UK)
I know a story of one ancestor who was a landlord of a pub who gained property as repayment for a gambling debt  ;D
Not saying this happened in your ancestor's case but it's food for thought ;D
Carol
Title: Re: 19th c purchase of property
Post by: heathwaite on Friday 14 October 11 20:08 BST (UK)
Did building societies exist in the 1870/80s? - I thought they were a more recent creation
Title: Re: 19th c purchase of property
Post by: stanmapstone on Friday 14 October 11 22:02 BST (UK)
Did building societies exist in the 1870/80s? - I thought they were a more recent creation

The first known building society was formed in 1775 in Birmingham
See http://www.bsa.org.uk/faq/startbuildingsociety.htm

Stan
Title: Re: 19th c purchase of property
Post by: heathwaite on Friday 14 October 11 22:23 BST (UK)
Thanks for that input - you tend to think of buy to let as being modern but in reality it isn't. I'll have a look in the trade directories for Wigan in that period to see if any societies are mentioned.
Title: Re: 19th c purchase of property
Post by: stanmapstone on Saturday 15 October 11 09:01 BST (UK)
There are twenty two Building Societies listed in Slater's Directory of Manchester and Salford, 1863.

Stan
Title: Re: 19th c purchase of property
Post by: Treetotal on Sunday 16 October 11 13:33 BST (UK)
I must be invisible :-\
Carol
Title: Re: 19th c purchase of property
Post by: Seoras on Sunday 16 October 11 13:55 BST (UK)
Hello Carol ;)