Edward John ALSTON [3763]

  General Notes:

Edward resided at Gt Bromley Hall Essex.
Ref 1851 ESS Census aged 39 bn Manningtree ESS (age does not fit, should be 33), described as a farmer of 350 acres employing 19 men. 461/GBY

Pigot's Directory 1835, Manningtree ESS - Edward Alston , Brewer.
Kellys Directory 1862 Manningtree ESS - Alston Edward John, Wine & Spirit Merchant, Malster, Brewer.

Sale of the Town & Port of Mistley.
A Mr Alston bought at this auction Lot 44. A Dwelling house upon the margin of Mistley Park, occupying a large site of ground, lawn, flower garden, kitchen garden, etc., three stalled stable, coach house, Harness house, and a house, Mr John Ayles tenant. Mr H. said the purchaser of this lot would have the opportunity on the sixth of September of buying a portion of the park adjoining it, and thus making it one of the most beautiful places in Mistley. - L710 Mr Alston.
Ipswich Journal 17 August 1844.
Conjectural placing.

EXTRACTS from the Tendring Hundred in the Olden Time by Watson 5/- To be had at Read & Bassett, Cornhill, Ipswich.
Gt. Bromley. The Hall is now in the occupation of Mr. Alston whose family have long been connected with the Tendring Hundred Essex.
The following entry relates to a meeting at a Mr. Alston's in connection with the "alefounders 1684" At the house of Mr. Edward Alston met ye 2nd March 1684.
It is ordered and agreed yt all ye weights scales, measures belonging to the alefounders alias aletasters be sufficiently repaired and amended fitting for their use and ye charges thereof to be disbursed by ye present treasurer for ye townlands and stocke and if ye said alefounders or ye succeeding alefounders shall neglect to execute their office, according to their oaths yt ye said treasurer Mr. Wm. Ellis present or indyte them at ye next assizes which seem most convenient to him.
Alstoniana Pg 369
This Edward Alston is unplaced in the family 2004

Essex Record Office D/DXk/39
DEEDS OF WIX AND MISTLEY
Series D/DXk 28-40 Deeds of Westlands Farm, Wix
Dates of Creation 19 May 1860.
Scope and Content Deed of Release and Convenants. 9i) Edw.John Alston of Great Bromley, brewer and merchant, & Charles Saml.Bawtree of Mistley, gent.: (ii) said Edward John Alston; & (iii) John Wenden of Great Bromley, farmer, & Eliz. [As in D/DXk 32]. [Schedule of 4 deeds, 1852-1857; giving parties only].

Essex Record Office
DEEDS OF LAYER-DE-LA-HAYE AND ABBERTON
Deed of Release and Covenant
Reference Code D/DVp 39 Dates of Creation 19 May 1860
(1) Edward John ALSTON of Great Bromley, brewer and merchant, & Charles Samuel Bawtree of Mistley, gentleman; (ii) said Edward John ALSTON; & (iii) John Wendon of Great Bromley, farmer, & wife Elizabeth. [As in D/DXk 32] [Schedule of 4 deeds, 1852-1857; giving parties only] Date From1860 Date To1860 Bottom of Form 1

Essex Record Office
Level: Category Estate and Family records
Level: Fonds DEEDS OF LAYER-DE-LA-HAYE AND ABBERTON
Reference Code D/DVp/19-39
Dates of Creation 11 May 1758 - 16 January 1849.
Scope and Content Mortgages and Assignments thereof and Releases. Some have Bonds, Leases for a year, etc. inside: these have not been numbered. Chief parties: Canning, Goodall, Alston and Lay families. Impropriate rectory and tithes, and Layer Fields [map of farm attached to last deed]

Essex Record Office D/P 103/28/6
Parish records GREAT BROMLEY, St. George
Dates of Creation c.1850
Scope and Content: Plan of Cold Hall Estate in the Parish of Great Bromley, Essex. E.J. Alston, Esqr. Propr. Surveyed by G.R. Jay' 26.6in. to 1m. 33.5 x 26 219a. in S.W. of parish between TM 079255, TM 078243 and TM 087248. Shows buildings, gardens, roads, woodlands and course of Bromley Brook where it forms boundaries. Distinguishes arable and meadow land by colour. Gives names of adjacent owners. Reference table gives field names and acreages. Both map and reference table have been heavily altered: field numbers, names and acreages having been much changed. Most fields have been marked with crudely-drawn ink lines, possibly representing drainage channels. Uncoloured cartouche and compass rose [George Rice Jay is listed in White's Directory of Essex , 1848, as
auctioneer, land surveyor, and agt. to Farmers' Ins. Co., resident in Great Bromley]

Essex Record Office D/P 103/28/7
Parish records GREAT BROMLEY, St. George
Dates of Creation 1853
Scope and Content:
Map of Cold Hall Estate in the Parish of Great Bromley, the property of E.J. Alston, Esq., 1853'. Surveyed by J.C. Harris 26.6in. to 1 mile 33.5 x 25 219a. in S.W. of parish between TM 079255, TM 078243 and TM 087248. Shows buildings, orchards, ponds, woodlands, a windmill and the course of Bromley Brook where it forms boundaries. Distinguishes arable and meadow land by colour. Gives names of adjacent owners. Reference table gives field names and
gross and nett' acreages. Date of map, estate owner's name and reference table are all crossed through and Lot Nos. 1-7 and a note
near Colchester' in the cartouche have been added in ink. Some pencil annotations have been made. Uncoloured cartouche and compass rose.

England Return of Owners of Land 1873. Essex.
Alston Edward J. Manningtree 255a 1r 29p gross estimated rental value. L1303/3s/0.

Deaths.
Alston - 29th altered ult., after a short illness, Edward John Alston, of Great Bromley Hall, aged 75 years.
Ipswich Journal 4 October 1886

Edward built a family vault/tomb in the churchyard of St George Gt Bromley ESS. Inscribed on the plinth across its four sides: "THE FAMILY VAULT OF EDWARD JOHN ALSTON ESQ OF GT BROMLEY HALL"
He is remembered with the inscription:
"Sacred to the beloved memory of EDWARD J ALSTON of Gt Bromley Hall who died Sept 29th 1886 aged 74 years
In Sure and Certain Hope"
Ref: Photographed and recorded by Mike Burn 2014.

The Will of Edward John Alston Esq of Gt Bromley Hall who died 29 Sept 1886 at Gt Bromley Hall was Proved at Ipswich 3 Dec 1886 by Alfred Ernest Alston and Edward Alston both of Manningtree brewers and sons of the deceased for L8948/4/2d

  Research Notes:

Image of Edward courtesy M Robinson 2011, but uncertain.

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 7 Jun 1841, Cold Hall Gt Bromley. Edward is recorded as aged 25 a farmer born Essex

2. Census: England, 30 Mar 1851, Gt Bromley Hall ESS. Edward is described as head of house aged 39 a farmer of 350 acres employing 19 men born Manningtree ESS

3. Census: England, 8 Apr 1861, Gt Bromley Hall ESS. Edward is described as head of house widowed aged 49 a brewer maltster and wine imported employing 17 men, born Manningtree ESS

4. Census: England, 2 Apr 1871, Gt Bromley Hall ESS. Edward is recorded as head of house married aged 59 a brewer landowner and farmer of 214 acres employing 8 men, born Manningtree

5. Census: England, 3 Apr 1881, Gt Bromley Hall ESS. Edward is recorded as head of house married aged 68 brewer and merchant (Partner) born Manningtree ESS

6. Edward John Alston: Map of village, Cold Hall, Gt Bromley Hall, Alston Tomb.
Edward and family first lived at Cold Hall then leased Gt Bromley Hall for more than 40 years (the records seem to suggest that the Hall remained in the ownership of the Ashburton family throughout this period).
It is interesting to note that though the family left the Hall in 1886, members of the family continued to be buried in the family vault. There are references on the Monument to Edith Caroline Alston [3949] who died in 1947 aged 77, and Ethel Violet [3950] who was buried there in 1950 at the age of 60.
When the Alston family left the Hall in 1886, an extensive sale of all of their possessions and artefacts was held. A total of 430 lots was offered for sale including "fine glassware, Spode, Lowestoft and other china", a light single Brougham, a Phaeton, a Gig and a "four wheel carriage (Char-a-banc)"....A Feather bed with two bolsters and two pillows realised £1-0-0, a harmonium £1-10-0, and a 6 -octave Pianoforte in mahogany case £6-10-0.The Sale Catalogue also noted that "The Residence with stabling, coach house, pleasure grounds, park-like pastures and lake" were to let.
Ref. "Our House" by Colin File, Seven Rivers Gt Bromley Essex.

Edward married Mary L KENNINGALE [3764] [MRIN: 1303] on 9 Aug 1837 in Tendring ESS. (Mary L KENNINGALE [3764] was born about 1819 in Bradfield ESS, died on 4 Dec 1857 and was buried on 11 Dec 1857 in Gt Bromley Church Family Vault.)

Edward next married Mary Louisa SPARKES [8105] [MRIN: 2626], daughter of Joseph SPARKES [23915] and Mary Ann [23916], on 30 Jan 1867 in St Mary in the Marsh Norwich NFK. (Mary Louisa SPARKES [8105] was baptised on 19 Jan 1830 in Walthamstow ESS, died on 6 Aug 1919 and was buried in Gt Bromley Church Family Vault.)