Catalogue description Deeds of Drury House and adjoining premises.

In 1616-1618 by five different mortgages Roger Drury Esq. leased to John Yarner and Hamond Claxton for terms of 100, 22, 22, 99 and 1000 years part of the late dissolved House of Black Friars in the Southend of Yarmouth with houses, fishhouses, barfehouses, stables, gardens etc. The mortgages were not redeemed and subsequent titles were in the form of assignments of the terms created by them. In 1617 Yarner assigned to John Barne clerk and in 1629 both Barne's and Claxton's interests were acquired by John Wilde merchant who in 1634 conveyed the property following the marriage of his son Thomas to Elizabeth Chamber. Thomas's second wife Judith Cooper devised it to her son-in-law Richard Ferrier. In 1740 Elizabeth Ferrier widow sold it to Samuel Killett merchant, the property then being described as a capital messuage with fishhouses, barfehouses, malthouses, corn chambers, kilns, dryhouses etc. with quay W. In 1750 Killett's effects were assigned to use of creditors and in 1751 the property was purchased by John Smith Esq. who devised it to Robert Hales. Subsequent purchasers were Anthony Taylor Esq. 1777 and Jacob Preston shipwright 1777. In 1855 part of the premises (described as two dwellinghouses, a shipbuilding yard and wharf, and granary and wine vault with net chambers over) were sold by the trustees of John Preston deceased to John Goram Thompson. In 1711 a messuage with fishhouses, barfehouses, warehouses etc. was added by Richard Ferrier by purchase from Nathaniel Symonds jun. and in 1719 Ferrier bought two fee farm rents called Yarmouth Brotherhood (1s.8d.) and Brotherhood Lease (1s. 6½d.) charged on the property.

In 1790 Jacob Preston added ground and a dock bought from William Fisher Esq. (part of a property rebuilt in 1721 of which the title is taken back to 1593), in 1795 he sold malthouses and other buildings to Philip Mouse, and also in 1795 he purchased a malthouse with corn chambers etc. and a wine vault and granary, near Garden Lane, from Anthony Taylor's administrator, and in 1800 he bought from William Manning Esq. a quay or wharf lately belonging to a malthouse and fish house, all adjoining the main properties. In 1828 the whole was described as a capital messuage, two newly-built tenements, a tenement or cottage, several quays and wharves, a dockyard, and a granary and wine vault; the Oil Mill Yard is mentioned as an abuttal.

Documents include copy wills and will extracts of Judith Wilde dated 1680, Richard Ferrier sen. dated 1695, James Symonds merchant dated 1684, Elizabeth Symonds dated 1696, Richard Ferrier dated 1731, and John Smith dated 1754; sale particular 1855; and purchaser's bills 1856 inc. from (? F.) S. Hulley architect for surveying work. 1616-1856.

Found with the above, further mortgage by Henry Hastings to William Steward Esq. of walled-in garden with cottage and walled in garden with summerhouse near the road from Mr. Colby's Gates and the Town Wall, 1829 and Phoenix fire insurance policy on eight dwellinghouses on the Denes belonging to Hastings 1836; extract from will of Thomas Willcock Howes dated 1840; and printed report on financial state of the Evangelical Church of Lyons 1840.