Ownership of Brandon Old Hall: 19th & “20th Centuries.  
See also ‘Ownership of Old Hall Farm in the 18th Century’.


In the late 1700s James Vere, a banker in Lombard St, London had sons John, James (jnr), & Peter.

Peter Vere married Elizabeth and had 5 daughters including Mary & Isabella and lived in Grosvenor Place, London.

31 Mar 1805 - James Garnar, Gentleman, of Grantham died having left his estate  in Lincs, Leic and elsewhere to Elizabeth Vere (will dated1801).

Their daughter Mary married Archibald Campbell Dennistoun and they had 2 daughters, Eleanor Ann Catherine and Clementina Isabella  Margaret.

22 Oct 1827 -  Mary’s sister Isabella Vere married Frederick John Foster Ballymascanlon, Dundalk, County of Louth, Ireland.

7 Nov 1863 - Frederick & Isabella Foster, who had no children, made a will leaving the following  estate to Mary’s daughters (her nieces):

1/5 of the estate left to her mother by James Garnar, including Brandon Old Hall (tenant William Robinson), total 348 acres, 1 rood, 17 perches.

8 acres at Carlton on Trent, which were exchanged for land in Manthorpe.

1/5 of the estate left by her grandfather James in his will of 1818.

½ of the estate in freehold farms (120 acres) in Deeping Fen from her late father Peter.

½ of her estate as co-heiress of James Vere.

27 Mar 1881 - John Vere died.

3 Feb 1883 - James Vere of Carlton on Trent, Notts and 16 Suffolk St, Pall Mall, died intestate, no issue.

Dennistoun Sisters -  Clementina

Married Hon Sydney William Foster Skeffington

1873 -              Their daughter, Florence Clementina Vere born.

1876 -              Sydney Skeffington died.

14 Feb 1885 - Hon Clementina IM Skeffington of Carlton on Trent re-married James Craig (late Lt Col of 2nd Brigade North Irish Division, Royal Artillery).  Conveyance of 13 Feb mentions that she is heiress to her maternal uncle John Vere of Carlton on Trent and co-heiress of her mother, including the Garnar estate in Brandon, Hough, Gelston & Caythorpe (tenant William Robinson).

4 Jul 1885 -     Indenture between Frederick John Foster of Ballymascanlon also known as FJ Blake (executor of 1877 will of John Vere),  Clementina Skeffington-Craig and Charles T Orford (trustee) of 43 Bloomsbury Square to sell estate to pay off estates of FJ Foster, Rev Arthur Turner (died 25 Nov 1879) and James Vere for loan secured on  Willoughby Farm, Willoughby Notts.

4 Oct 1887 -   Cecil de Vere Craig, infant, only child of Clementina & James Craig died.

8 Jun 1896 -   FJ Blake died

15 Oct 1910 - James Craig died


14 Mar 1911 - Indenture between Clementina Skeffington-Craig, Admiral (Retd) Robert Peel Dennistoun  of the United Services Club, CT Orford and George Brenton-Laurie of 10 Victoria Park, Dover, Major Royal Irish Rifles (trustee).

19 Jun 1914 - CT Orford died, replaced as executor by his wife Mabel Jane Christina.

18 Jan 1915 - RP Dennistoun died

12 Mar 1915 - GB Laurie killed in action Battle of Neuve Chapelle   (Letters of GB Laurie)

4 Aug 1915 -  Coutts Bank, Chichester Arthur Skeffington of Carlton on Trent and Viscount Massereene (Hon Algernon William John Clotworthy Skeffington 12th Viscount Massereene and Ferrard of Antrim Castle)) appointed trustees.

3 Sep 1918 -   C A Skeffington died

Dennistourn Sisters -  Eleanor

14 Feb 1889 - Eleanor AC Dennistoun of Carlton Hall marries Count Francis Arthur Perucca Della Rochetta of Turin at St Martins in the Strand.  Conveyance dated 13 Feb mentions properties in Lincs, that she is co-heiress to her mother’s estate plus a share of the Foster estate from the 1863 agreement.  Trustees: James Craig of Carlton Hall, FJ Blake & CT Orford (both of South Sea House, Threadneedle St)

18 May 1917 - Count Della Rochetta died at Carlton on Trent, age 79 (no children)

13 Oct 1919 - Eleanor made new will leaving her inheritance to her niece Florence Clementina Vere-Laurie (or to her son Sydney John Athelstan Vere-Laurie).  New trustees: Arthur Francis Wood of Farndon and Herbert Gray Gibbs, of 19 Surrey St, Strand.

23 Apr 1923 -  Eleanor died

1925 Sale of Garnar Estate (including Brandon Old Hall)

7 Jul 1925 -     Brandon Old Hall Farm (321 acres, 3 rood, 19 perch) sold by executors of Countesss Della Rocchetta & trustee of Hon Mrs Clementina Isabella Margaret Skeffington Craig (AF Wood, HG Gibbs, Coutts  and Viscount Massereene).  Bought by Robert Knowles Watts of Thorpe Latimer (near Sleaford).

Later

1937 -             Clementina died

17 Aug 1940 - Viscount  Massereene marries his cousin Florence Clementina Vere Laurie (widow of Lt Col Laurie).

20 Jul 1956 -   Viscount  Massereene died

14 Dec 1978 - Florence died