T196
1816 Bond for receiving £150
Elizabeth Bird parish Goytrey widow
George Samuel Bird gentleman
Lucy Bird all parish of Goytrey
Bond to John Griffiths parish Llanover Upper £3000
To pay £150
17th July 1821
Paid by Col. Bird £163-2s-6d being the principal sum
T232
Fragmentary Diary of Charles Elias Bird, born 1783 service throughout the Penninsular War mainly in the fighting fifth.
He was at Waterloo and received the medal about 1846.
He and his elder brother Henry were accounted the two strongest men in the army.
Sent out to forage they returned carrying a cow between them.
Henry, the elder was not at Waterloo owing to the long war at Wellington with Lord Hill, most of the senior officers were owed pay after Elba? Leading the Duke to say ‘ I have an infamous army’.
Both Henry and Charles were the sons of Lt. Col. Hy. Bird who fought thro the American War of Independence, rescued Elizabeth Hicks who became his wife from Red Indians, and in 1800 died at sea on Sir R Abercromby expedition to Egypt.
He left 3 sons and 9 daughters
ORA Byrde
4 Cambray Court
Cheltenham
Fragmentary Diary of Chas Elias Bird b. About 1784.
(I think at Ty Cooke before the repairs to Goytre House were finished)
T256
Marriage Certificate
St Peter’s Colombo 1837
No 289
Between Henry Charles Bird, Lieut. Ceylon Rifles Regiment bachelor and Rebecca Mais spinster.
Married in Church by Licence.
5th January 1837.
T239
Owen Byrde
Birth cert Rachel Olivia d/o Owen Richard Augustus Byrde and Lesley Weddell of Halifax
Birth cert for Lesley Weddell 3rd November 1881 – 18 Clayton Park Square USD Newcastle – d/o George Weddell and Isabella Jacques
Marriage cert Owen R Augustus Byrde and Lesley Weddell 15th October 1910
29 – School master – father Richard Augustus Byrde clk in holy orders
28 – Spinster – George Weddell – director
Death cert Owen R A Byrde – 6th February 1946 aged 64 years
4 Cambray Court Cheltenham – retired school master
Cirrhoses of the liver
Obesity
Varicose veins
Informant- son C G Byrde, 28 Thirloe S London SW7
Birth Cert ORAB
20th June 1881 – Islington
20th June 1881
Richard Owen Byrde s/o Richard Augustus Byrde – mother Alice Mary Leyburne Byrde formerly Burne
T240
I devise and bequeath all the residue of my real and personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever to which I shall be entitled at my death unto my Trustees UPON TRUST that my Trustees shall sell, call in and convert into money the same or such part thereof as shall not consist of money with power to postpone such sale calling in and conversion for such period as my Trustees shall judge expedient. (with particular reference to the shares held by me in Cerebos Ltd) and out of the money so produced and out of my ready money shall pay my funeral and testamentary expenses and debts and the legacies, bequests by this my will or any codicil hereto and all invest the residue of the said moneys in any authorised trust, investments with power from time to time to vary such investments for others of a like nature and shall stand possessed of the residue of such moneys and the investments for/the time being representing the same (herein called “my Residuary Fund”) upon the following trusts:
IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand to this my WILL contained in this and the preceding sheet of paper this Twentieth day of November One Thousand Nine Hundred and Thirty Nine.
SIGNED by the said Owen Augustus Richard Byrde the testator as and for his last will in the presence of us both present at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.
Owen Richard Augustus Byrde
C Evans SRC Thomas Patson
The Old Bank House Park Avenue
Abergavenny Mon Abergavenny – Bank Clerk
– Bank Manager
T176
April 26th 1887
Letter to Miss H Chalklen
19 Richmond Crescent Barnsbury
The exact date is more than can be given (tho it might probably be ascertained) when Mary Martha, the pastor FW Durand wife woke in the middle of the night and distinctly saw the curtains of her bed drawn aside by the hand and beheld her beloved son Lieut Henry Durand stand by her and the figure one word he said – “Mother” she was not frightened but pleased to see him although he really was far distant – for he was on his return from the Mediterranean on board HMS Beller john for his Rgt., the 60th rifles had been engaged in some duty at Majorca or one of the adjacent islands.
In the morning Ms Durand began to think she must have had a dream – but sometime after sad news came that their lively young son officer, who have often said “he would like to have a short life and a merry one” was dead – and what estrayed of all was that at the very day and hour his mother had seen him at her bedside he had breathed his last with the word mother on his lips.
Lt. Henry Durand was younger than his sister Hester ja Coba afterwards Mrs de Fer, but probably older than Dr W Durands who died towards the close of the last century.
T172
Letter 1
From Lawford & Co., Solicitors
Court Gray’s Inn
London
To Major W Byrde
Red Lion House
Membury
Axminster asking him to collect a bust of Sam Byrde in a buff coloured coat with gold buttons signed and dated 1778. Also one half of the armorial porcelain from Bonham’s.
Signed
G L Meyrick
Letter 2
To dearest Petronella from daddy asking her to go to Bonham’s and collect the things.
Letter 3
29th September 1980
To Major WB Byrde from G L Meyrick
In which is stated Mr Charles Byrde has no objection to W B Byrde having the deeds etc., but would be interested in any references to the Peninsular war, also there is conveyance and deeds relating to the litigation over property in both Leicester Square and Oxford St. Suggests they meet at the solicitors and view the paper together.
T111
Copy of a Letter from Mr Edward Hazel to Henry Bird
Fredericksburgh 25th October 1784
Dear Sir
I yesterday received a letter from Mr McCormack wherein he mentions that I have sold 2 plane irons belonging to you which is a great mistake as I have them now in my care at this place. The Maple Board which you requested Mr McComb to send you is now at Detroit, had it been here I would have taken this opportunity to send it to you. Should you be inclined to dispose of your lower house and fifty or one hundred acres around it on reasonable terms I will buy it, and should be glad to know your proposals by the first opportunity. Mrs Hazel, myself and family are (with respect to you and Mrs Bird) all well & I am,
Sir,
Your humble servant
(Signed)
Edward Hazel
T???
New York October 27 1788
sent to Cpt. H Bird Goytre Nr Pontypool
Dear Sir
The pleasing period being at length arrived when u were to touch the fortune left you. I have taken the liberty of sending your bond and account carried to my friends Mrs Phelps Ellias of no. 27 Mark Lane London for payment and request you will pay to them and their discharge shall be an acquittance from Alex Macomb, the amount of our demand 1st May back is £1135 2s 11d New York currency to which interest until payment will be added.
We need not urge the cheerfulness with which we advanced this money nor the patience with which we have waited your convenience as motives to prompt you to repay us. We are perfectly assured of your honourable intentions and do not ? and doubt of your inclination to discharge our demand if you probably can we shall say no more on this matter.
The politics of this country have for some times been very fluctuating while the state were undecided on the subject of the new constitution in the place while peace and longevity appear throughout the union during the important deliberation at present things have every appearance of making that peace and tranquillity permanent from the above general concurrence of the states towards the new states of government which is to be organised in this city the first Wednesday in March next.
We promise ourselves much from its consolidation and energetic principals and we hope it will make the country respected as a nation and perhaps may be the means of inducing many respectable families from Europe coming to reside among us, in the number perhaps Capt. Bird.
I visited Detroit last summer and left in August last year – things are very much changed- indeed since your departure – half the houses in the main street empty and three fourths of the merchant banks and supply – your farms at Fredericksburg being very little advanced from what they were when you saw them tho Mr Hazel still lives there he has not enough clearing. The new settlements made by government on the Lawrence have increased astonishingly further sugar loaf increased in Lake Eve to Toronto. In lake Ontario is closely inhabited and from sixty miles west most of Cadgruguy?. Cedars is equally so and all thriving.
At Detroit farms on the same principal are laid out as far as point Pelee but few of them yet in occupation.
I shall be happy to hear from you & make my compliments to Mrs Bird and family,
I am, Dr Sir, yr obed servt
Alex Macomb
T???
Detroit 11 June 1797
Mr Major Bird’s American Claim
Mr Little forwarded to me some time ago power of substitution from you to act in Cpt. Bird’s matters here which I shall attend to.
I shall state to you the situation in which they now stand and shall be glad to have your advice in the business.
In the first place the lot of land of the mouth of this river claimed by Cpt. Caldwell, Col. Mcfee, Cpt. Elliot viz on an old morain grant and I believe verbally confirmed by the commander chief that at least I have never heard of any deed that was obtained from it. The front of Cpt. Bird’s farm unfortunately comes within the lines of defence of the garrison of Heratbury? Which also takes in three fourths of Cpt. Caldwell’s farm. Mr Hazel was disposed about 12 months ago when the fortifications were first about to be erected and both Cpt. Bird’s houses have been turned to military purposes, one of them is occupied by the Barracks Master and the other by an officer of the Rangers – Col Mcfee and Cpts Elliot and Caldwell finding that their Indian deed were insufficient have lately petitioned the administrator for a new deed which has been granted to the two first but 200 acres in the front of Cpt. Caldwell has been reserved until the Commdr Chief’s pleasure shall be known. Within a yard of the confines of the garrison. Capt. Bird’s land however lays nearest to that reserved for governmt and it is not probable that he will get a deed for that part as the blockhouses are built upon it. The back land will however be valuable but might be well obtained by the government for that the compensation for 200acres in point taken for the use of the govt. I am to ask of the four lots contains 1000 acres. This house and lot in this town stands in this situation, it was until by W Macomb to a Mr Tarry? Then who died, soon after let by his heirs to a Mr Martcliffe – Mr Macomb’s sudden death and the interval which was equally sudden, a person was empowered to act for his estate and rent being regularly made his affairs were put into the hands of Mr Macintosh a merchant who had made a demand some considerable time ago of rent from Mr Martcliffe who since the late change of Governt. In this place not only refused to pay unto or leave the house but won disputes. Capt. Birds letter to Mr Roux alleging that it was built by the Detroit Goods and belonged to Wm., states Mr Macintosh bought at auction against him but for the singularity or particularly of these counts such was suspended.
(The page now has pieces missing)
Must go to the Supreme Court
Alex Duff
Letter to Charles Blake
T???
May 14th 1790 – Capt. Bird. Mouth of the River Detroit.
Sir,
I have been informed by D Harffy of your kind intention of sending me a few goods to assist me in the support of my family.
I did not accept of your kind offer after last summer as I had some hopes of having the pleasure of you being in this country. At present I shall be much obliged to you to complete the Miland order that Mr Macombe has been good as to write for me and who has during your absence paid me and my family great attention. You will please to him the goods packed in small bales mkd with your own name HB and consigned to Robert Ellis HD merchnts Detroit who will take the trouble of paying the inland navigation and delivering the goods to me and then I can see them. I will deliver the package to Mr Macomb on your order. (I have not been able to clear more than about 30 acres of land on the 2 farms as you will know without money or assistance little can be done in this country. If you send me the above goods I shall be able to make some improvements on the land situated on the back creek.)
I have wrote you several letters and am happy to hear that yourself and family enjoy good health.
I have 3 children, Beth, Sally and Richard and if I have good luck this summer will produce a fourth.
My wife joins with me in your grand wishes to yourself, Mrs Bird and family
I remain Sir and with R
Your obedient servt
Edward Hazel