Collapse of John Pearmain’s Property Empire

John Pearmain 1823-1901, was of a prominent farming family in Steeple Morden and he steadily built a property portfolio, mainly in Steeple and Guilden Morden, although some were in Bassingbourn and one was in Wrestlingworth. Licensed premises were a bit of a speciality.

He appears to have over-stretched himself with the building of North Brook End House in 1870 right at the start of the probably the worst agricultural depression ever, certainly it was long-lasting. John survived only eight years, before his mortgagees foreclosed. Interestingly most of his property portfolio consisted of private houses and licensed premises and he was not unduly exposed to agricultural land, apart from his own farming activities, so might have been expected to fare better?

Below is a copy of the complete particulars for the sale of his properties, held in Royston 12 June 1878. In summary:

Page 2 Lot 1 is North Brook End Farm, described as a Pleasure Farm with North Brook End House

Page 3 Lot 2 Plot of Arable Land on Shingay Road, Lot 3 Dwelling House, Little Green, Guilden and Lot 4 Plot of Arable Land, Tadlow Bridge Field, Guilden.

Page 4 Lot 5 Seven Tenements in High Street [Church Street] and Lot 6 a further Ten Tenements adjoining in High Street [Church Street], Guilden.

Page 5 Lot 7 Dwelling house with Tenements [Merry’s Farmstead] in Hay Street, Steeple, Lot 8 Double Tenement in Hay Street, Steeple and Lot 9 Beer Shop Wagon & Horses with Three and Four Tenements adjoining.

Page 6 Lot 10 Three Single Tenements [all occupied by members of the Watts family!] Church Street/Station Road, Steeple, Lot 11 Beerhouse, The First and Last. Hatley Road, Wrestlingworth and Lot 12 Dwelling House, The Crown Inn, Bassingbourn.

Page 7 Lot 13 Enclosure of Land with Coprolites at Fen Bridge, Bassingbourn, Lot 14 Range of Four Dwellings at The Cross, Bassingbourn, Lot 15 Dwelling House, High Street, Bassingbourn and Lot 16 Double Tenement formerly the Poor-House, High Street, Bassingbourn.

Page 8 Lot 17 Beer Shop The Cherry Tree [The Broadway], Bassingbourn.

Page 9 Terms & Conditions, Pages 10, 11 and 12 Maps and Page 13 cover page.