1838: Tithe Map shows the later Ashburton Road land as being farmland owned by Mr Joseph Knott.

1852 November 6th: Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle announces death of Mr Joseph Knott on October 31st in Portsmouth at the age of 81 leaving a widow and ten children.

1858: June 12th: Portsmouth Times & Naval Gazette advertises the public auction of the Knott land.
August 14th: Portsmouth Times & Naval Gazette advertises the private sale of the Knott land.
October 2nd: Portsmouth Times & Naval Gazette advertises the private sale of the Knott land.

1858 – 1871: Research continues [in 2017] for land sales in this period.

1869 June 7th: Sarah Knott and Alfred Knott sell No.4 Ashburton Road to Thomas Wilde Powell.

1871 August 26th: a conveyance for the Ashburton Court Land between [1] William Clark Loe & William Gordon Maclean and [2] James Griffin, Thomas Burt & John Sapp. Source: HM Land Registry HP112756Covenant restricting no weekday school, shop or place of business. This is thought to be the transfer of the land to the Trustees acting for the Congregational Church later named as Christ Church.

1872 March 24th: a conveyance for No.3 Ashburton Road between [1] William Grant Chambers and [2] William Clark Loe and William Gordon Maclean and a Conveyance of further land dated 6th June 1873 Between [1] William Grant Chambers and [2] Thomas King. Source: HM Land Registry HP386154
Covenant restricting the use of land only for private villa residence [not less than £500 in value] or two semi-detached [not less than £800 in value – £80kin 2017] – no taverns or trade other than legal or medical.

1872 April 26th: a conveyance for No.1 Ashburton Road between [1] William Grant Chambers and [2] William Clark Loe and William Gordon Maclean. Source: HM Land Registry PM6089/ HP109136

1873 August 30th: conveyances for No.5 , No.7 and No.9 Ashburton Road between [1] Sutton John Elliott and [2] Elias Evans. Source: HM Land RegistryHP518752
Covenant restricting the use of land only for private villa residence [not less than £500 in value] or two semi-detached [not less than £800 in value – £80k in 2017] – no taverns, trade other than legal or medical.

The actual wording is identical to that in the conveyance above dated 6th June 1873 meaning the same solicitor employed or the phrase had been used in earlier [not recorded] conveyance[s]

1871 – 1954: Research continues [ 2017] for the transfer into the name of the Congregational Church.

1954 December 21st: The Evening News advertises the sale by the Congregational Church of “Ashburton Court” land for £2,750 [2017 £69k according to B. of E.] solicitors: Blake Lapthorn, Stoke Rd., Gosport.

1955 September 16th: Conveyance of the land between Hampshire Congregational Union [w.i.p. as charity number 24099] and a Mr Albert. T. Pitassi for the sum of £2,750 but when Mr Pitassi´s business ran into difficulties in December 1955 the land passed to C A Claxon Limited, the developer of the land at Ashburton Court.

1962 July 5th: Conveyance of the land at Ashburton Court from the Claxon family controlled companies to Ashburton Court Management Company Limited whose first Company Secretary was Sir Alfred Blake KCVO. Source: HM Land Registry HP147054 – Charges Register 2

1962 August 17th: First of the nine new flats at Ashburton Court each sold as “Freehold” with the freehold ownership of the common parts (gardens, stairways, lofts and landings) remaining with Ashburton Court Management Company Limited. Number 8 was sold for £2,950 [2017 £57,759 B. of E. inflation adjuster] Source: HM Land Registry HP 102157

2018 June 22nd HM Land Registry confirm that neither the Boundary nor the Gardens nor the Common Parts have yet been “Registered” in the name of Ashburton Court  Management Company Limited.  source: HM Land Registry letter22 June 2018

2021 April 14th Formal First Application made to HM Land Registry in order to register the Land [upon which Ashburton Court is built], Garden and Common Parts in the name of Ashburton Court Management Company Limited.  source: HM Land Registry letter22 June 2018.

2021 11th August HM Land Registry confirm “Possessory Freehold” rather than “Absolute Freehold”.
This response was based on HM Land Registry not being convinced that the evidence for the Conveyance of 5th July 1962 [as shown on HM Land Registry HP147054] was strong enough to justify “Absolute Freehold”.

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William Grant Chambers JP [1810 -1883] [Grocer/Tea Importer/Dealer] Mayor of Portsmouth [1862-1864] http://historyinportsmouth.co.uk/people/mayors/william-chambers.htm

Thomas King JP [1836-1900] [Auctioneer in partnership with Sir William King JP, no relation, also a Mayor] who was Mayor of Portsmouth in 1894. http://historyinportsmouth.co.uk/people/mayors/thomas-king.htm

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