Catalogue description Belle Vue House, 132 Kings Road, Brighton, purchased by J D Whitaker in 1885

The history of the title before 1829 relies largely on a schedule of documents handed to a mortgagee in 1888 (AMS6454/55/14), and some of the statements in the next two paragraphs are based on a constructive interpretation of its contents

The property lay on land granted by the duke of Dorset to Charles Callis Western, which was conveyed to John Smith on 24 and 25 March 1793, and by Smith to Charles Heath on 2 and 3 September 1793. Heath had already contracted to sell a portion of the land to Francis Hanson on 7 Aug, and the conveyance was executed on 9 and 10 September 1793. Hanson mortgaged the property to Austin, Mason and others on 2 June 1807, perhaps suggesting a building campaign; the property was reconveyed on 2 June 1812 (AMS6454/55/14)

On 15 June 1807 Elizabeth Braune of Holborn, Mx, furrier, bought a £300 annuity from Francis Hanson of Brighton for £3000; Hanson granted a right of distrain on his freehold and leasehold property, which was conveyed to Henry Dunster of the Inner Temple gent on behalf of Mrs Braune; that consisted of a capital messuage, coach-houses, stables and gardens on the west side of Brighton, and the Three Daggers public house at 9 Cateaton Street, London (AMS6454/55/1,2)

On 19 January 1811 Mrs Braune raised £1000 by the grant of an annuity of £100 to John Newman of Clophill, Beds, esq, charged on the £300 annuity which she received from Francis Hanson. She agreed to purchase the property on 11 August 1812 and it was conveyed to John Melhuish and W Bradley in trust for her on 29 and 30 July 1813; they conveyed to her absolutely on 7 and 8 August 1823 (AMS6454/55/3, 14)

By her will of 4 July 1829 Mrs Braune, of Hornsey Road, Islington, widow, bequeathed the freehold to her sons-in-law James Bailey of Holborn, furrier, and George Gellard of Budleigh Salterton in Devon, Wesleyan minister, in trust for Bailey for life, with remainder to her grandchildren; she died on 5 December 1829, was buried in the Wesleyan Burial Ground in City Road and the will was proved in PCC on 16 December 1829 (AMS6454/55/5)

James Bailey was buried at Rode in Somerset on 10 November 1853, and on 15 December 1856 Maria Elizabeth Edwards of Manchester Terrace, Islington, widow, one of Elizabeth Braune's three children, made a detailed declaration concerning the family. All the children of her two sisters died in the lifetime of James Bailey, who was survived by Maria's own children Charles Marshall Edwards of Montague House, Hammersmith, Elizabeth Braune Edwards, wife of John Geary of Lower Edmonton, Mx, gent, and Caroline Rowley Edwards, wife of George Robinson of Stoke Newington, gent (AMS6454/55/5)

The property descended in equal third shares in the hands of Maria Edwards's children and their mortgagees; in 1855 it was leased to John Pearmain at an annual rent of £190, and in 1863 to his executrix Susan Baker widow, whose rent was increased to £220 by a new lease from 24 June 1869 which was executed on 23 August 1872 (AMS6454/55/4). The property was managed by John Geary of 3 Beresford Road, Highbury, on behalf of his wife, his sister-in-law Caroline Robinson and brother-in-law Charles Edwards, a person of unsound mind, who died a bachelor and intestate on 9 June 1873 (AMS6454/55/5)

The property was sold to Alfred James Waterlow of Great Doods, Reigate, Surrey, esq, in 1874 for £5700, and the conveyance executed on 11 January 1875. An abstract of title was drawn in Oct, requisitions drafted by Henry Casson of Lincolns Inn and answered by Thomas H Harrison for the vendors on 21 November and further requisitions and answers of 30 November and 7 December 1874 all specify the descent of the title, and provide further details about the several families involved (AMS6454/55/5-8)

Waterlow granted Susan Baker an annual lease on 15 June 1883, and on 30 December 1884 agreed to sell Belle View House to John Dyson Whitaker of Scarborough, refreshment house proprietor, for £7000, of which £4000 was to be borrowed from the vendor by mortgage. An abstract was drawn by Fitzhugh Woolley and Baines of Brighton, and the conveyance executed on 27 February 1885 (AMS6454/55/9-14)

A folder of plans contains a drawing by Robert C Baxter of the redevelopment of the land between Belle View House and Preston Street as premises for the [Brighton] New Club [for records relating to which see HOW 61, 62], showing its effect on Belle View House, in January 1875, and three sets of undated plans by James Woodman of Brighton, architect, for A J Waterlow, showing alternative schemes for rebuilding Belle View House. Also present are tracings from the third set annotated with objections by the client (AMS6454/55/15-31)