Catalogue description Lease from chw. (DR429/147) to Joh. Jefferie, corviser, with consent of Hen. Smyth, Joh....

Lease from chw. (DR429/147) to Joh. Jefferie, corviser, with consent of Hen. Smyth, Joh. Hearing, Mic. Joyner, Joh. Thomas, Tho. Potter, Ra. Dennington, Paul Emerson, Sam. Rowe, Joh. Potter, Ric. Wildie, Gil. Tonks, Osw. Emerson, Joh. Wotton, Wal, Gill, Will. Grascombe, Fr. Chambers, Ric. Taylor, and Sam Williams, of a messuage on s. side West Orchard, for 31 years at 8s. a year.

Mark of Joh. Jefferey. Seal gone.

Bond in (blank) sum of £ with mark and seal attached. Witn, to sealing of Sam. Brownell, Gil. Tonckes.

These deeds contain the interesting name of I'Anson, Brian I'Anson, of Coventry, "gentleman", later spoken of as a knight, held property in Cow Lane, which at one time contained fine houses, as the evidence of a beautiful Jacobean mantelpiece, bearing a coat of arms, to which attention was drawn a year or two back, when Messrs. Bushill's premises were being pulled down, plainly shows. The family in the eighteenth century were settled at Richmond, Yorkshire, and a Miss I'Anson, who, in 1787, married Leonard McNally, author of the song "The Lass of Richmond Hill," was the original "lass" of the song in question. (N. and Q. 5th S. x 168, 6th S. II. 111-2). Concerning John Staresmore, vicar, 1616-26 (DR429/150) historians are silent, nor can I find anything of Jas. Illedge, (Jas. Illedge was bailiff in 1603; but whether this was the same man is uncertain.) who, though a "clerk", makes his "mark" instead of a signature to his lease of a messuage in Gosford Street. No. 152 gives a glimpse of the coalmining industry already flourishing to the north of the city. Concerning the early history of the Warwickshire coalfield, of which the first mention belongs to the year 1275, as also of the fortunes of divers Coventry men, Matthew Collins, John Potter, and others, who started mining at Griff in 1622, in opposition to John Bugges and Thomas and Antony Robinson, who carried on such successful operations at Bedworth as to obtain a monopoly of of the local coal trade, much will be found written in the second volume of the Victoria County History. No. 154 shows the West Orchard house (now Mountford's, I think) in the hands of Chr. Davenport.