Mr Court was based at Blackstone, on the River Severn near Bewdley, and was much engaged in Enclosure work and auction sales over a wide area. He had taken over from his father Harry Court some years before.
George's notebooks from that time (specifically the one which is Box 1/034) show that he was involved in that sort of work. I think it must have been seen as good business to have George trained in this as Enclosure work was profitable and remunerative.
This comes from George's book and shows what I think must be a fictitious location, illustrating the kind of work he was able to do.
When his period of articles was over, George did some work for a man named Robert Harvey. I strongly think this was Mr Court's introduction. Robert Harvey and another gentleman, called Robert Harvey Wyatt, were the Commissioners appointed under an Act, passed in 1814 for the Enclosure of lands in Staffordshire, at Penkridge, Cannock, Berkswich, and Teddesley,
Papers in this archive (Box 1/019) in George's handwriting, show that he was working for Mr Harvey from October 1815 until February/March 1816. During the autumn he surveyed about 1,600 acres..... in the Manors of Otherton, Lyne Hill (he wrote Lynall), Pillaton (he wrote Pileton), and Penkridge, on account of the Teddesley Enclosure.
He also surveyed lands and farms belonging to Lord Willoughby de Broke, and (after Christmas) Thomas Swinnerton Esq, these no doubt also being Mr Harvey's clients, work which seems to be separate from Teddesley, which mainly belonged to E.J. Littleton Esq.
George's papers (summarised in the post which will follow this) detail what he did for Mr Harvey (particularly for Lord Willoughby and Mr Swinnerton) and include an account stating what George had spent out of his pocket and how much had been refunded to him on behalf of the clients.
There is also this copy letter, which is self-explanatory:
Penkridge February 5, 1816
Sir,
On the other side is an account of the money which I have expended on business also an account of the money I have received at different times from Mr Jas. Turner of Penkridge and Mr B. Harding at Butterton Hall by comparing the two accounts you will perceive that the balance of £5-17-5 is in my favour which I shall esteem a favor if you will remit together with some more money to carry on business as I have not resources of my own so to do.
I remain, Sir, Yours very respectfully G B
The back sheet reads: Bill and letter as sent to Robert Harvey Esquire February 26, 1816.
After this letter, George did continue to work for Mr Harvey for over another month, incurring more expenses and did receive a further £20, presumably from Mr Harvey. I don't know whether this is the whole story, and whilst George's account is muddly, ultimately I agree with his sums!! He recorded expenses totalling £37-18s-6d in total over the whole period, and that he was reimbursed a total of £43-0-0. This is just expenses. There is no information about wages.
No further dealings between the Beaumonts and Mr Court, Mr Harvey, or Mr Wyatt are known. Mr Court was soon embroiled in a case in which a Judge decided that his conduct in a particular matter had been (to put it bluntly) fraudulent, whilst a separate fraud case was also brought against Mr Wyatt some years later, after Mr Harvey had died. I will mention these cases in a later piece.
My feeling is that if I were George, I would have wanted out, as the saying goes.
It strongly appears that the 20-year old George returned to his father's house at Ashted (near Birmingham) in 1816. He worked there for a time, but his training and skills were better suited to a rural practice, and he went to Newark in Nottinghamshire. There, in September 1818, he set up on his own:
In commencing practice as a Land Agent and Surveyor in this Neighbourhood, I beg leave to rely implicitly on your patronage, trusting that my abilities,
combined with uniform attention and assiduity, may merit that support I most
respectfully solicit. I am, with the greatest respect, your most obedient servant,
George Beaumont
Market-place, Newark-upon-Trent, September 1st, 1818.
His family, particularly his three uncles Rev. Thomas Beaumont, Walter Beaumont, and Abel Beaumont, had many connections in Nottinghamshire and may have introduced him to potential clients and other useful contacts in Newark.
...........
Documents from this Archive:
1/105 The Agreement dated 27 March 1811 between Richard Beaumont, George, and Richard Court for George to be articled to Mr Court for four years, the period formally starting from George's 15th birthday 4 February 1811, though he started in December 1810.
1/034 A workbook kept by George during the time he was articled to Richard Court.
1/107 A pocket-book with jottings kept by George at same period.
1/019 George's account of his work for Robert Harvey in 1815-1816 (see next post).
1/084 The ode to and lock of hair of the dog "Pickle" (my post 26 Jan. 2014) show that George was back at Ashted by October 1816.
Other sources of information:
Wrightson's Triennial Directory (1818) lists George as a Land Agent at his father's address at Ashted.
The advertisement:- Stamford Mercury 4 and 11 September 1818.
Reports of the court cases which will be mentioned later.
Various items in Nottinghamshire Archives confirm that George was working at Newark by 1819. These include a Survey of the Balderton estate (near Newark) dated 1819, by “Beaumont” (DD/T/134/35/1) (or MP/BN/1/R), a map of Newark and surrounding lands with key to owners, “Surveyor: Beaumont,” dated 1820 (DD/T/193/1) (or MP/NE/10/L); and a farm at Screveton, surveyed 1820 (DD/T/134/35/9)… I haven't seen these, except in the catalogues.
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