Hello all The following is a transcript of a declaration made by Jeremiah HEDGECOCK in 1838 which I think may be of interest to others on the the list. This transcript has been made from a photocopy of the original declaration which which is held in the Wellington Estate Collection at the Rural History Centre, Reading University this was obtained by Mike HUTCHINS who is also a member of this list. I have capitalised the surnames to make them easier to see. Regards Colin Harris Document Ref Wellington/710 - date 12 May 1838 I Jeremiah Hedgecock of the Parish of Baughurst in the County of Southamptonshire Laborer aged seventy years and upwards do solemnly and sincerely declare That I have known the several Cottages and Gardens mentioned in the annexed paper writing and described as being in the said Parish of Baughurst in the occupation of John KING Joseph SMITH myself the said Jeremiah HEDGECOCK Thomas HEDGECOCK James PRIOR William GUNDRY Peter HAWKINS John BUTLER and William HITCHCOCK for many years past That the whole nine Cottages and Gardens have been in the possession of the Church Officers of Baughurst with the exception of those described as being in the occupation of the said Joseph SMITH and William HITCHCOCK for forty years and upwards that the one in the occupation of the said Joseph SMITH was built about twenty years ago by the Parish Officers of Baughurst on part of the land before attached to the Cottage occupied by the said John KING and held by the Parish Officers for forty years and that the one described and being in the occupation of the said William HITCHCOCK was built by the Parish Officers on land for forty years and upwards in their possession and that the whole of the said hereditaments and premises have for the said period of forty years and upwards been occupied paupers or poor persons under the Parish Officers and I make this Solemn Declaration concientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the Provisions of an Act made and passed in the sixth year of the Reign of His late Majesty King William the fourth entitled "An Act to repeal an Act of the present Session of Parliament entitled an Act for the more effectual abolition of Oaths and Affirmations taken and made in various departments of the State and to substitute Declarations in lieu thereof and for the more entire suppression of voluntary and extra judicial Oaths and Affidavits and to make other provisions for the abolition of unnecessary Oaths" The Mark of X Jeremiah HEDGECOCK Declared at Kingsclere in The County of Southampton This twelfth day of May 1838 Before me W. HOLDING A Master extra in Chancery The following is the schedule attached to the above Declaration Description of Property belonging to the Parish of Baughurst in the Union of Kingsclere in the County of Southampton No1 Two Tenements with large Gardens situate at the side of the Turnpike Road leading to Basingstoke in the respective occupations of John KING and Joseph SMITH containing twenty eight poles or thereabouts No2 Two Cottages and very large Gardens situate at Ham? Adjoining the road leading from Baughurst to Kingsclere Common in the respective occupations of Jeremiah HEDGECOCK and Thomas HEDGECOCK containing one rood and two poles or thereabouts No3 Two Cottages and Gardens situate near the Baughurst Turnpike Gate now in the several occupation of James PRIOR and William GUNDRY containing nine poles or thereabouts No4 A Cottage and Garden now in the occupation of Peter HAWKINS situate at the East End of Baughurst Church yard containing twenty two poles or thereabouts No 5 A Cottage and Garden containing thirty poles or threabouts situate at Browning Hill in the occupation of John BUTLER and William HEDGECOCK 12th May 1838 This is the paper writing referred to in the annexed Declaration of Jeremiah Hedgecock Signed W. Holding --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.467 / Virus Database: 266 - Release Date: 01/04/2003