Book of maps, diaries

<span class="wrapper"><p>Almost all the estate shown in AMS5788/1, then owned by Michael and Robert Grace, is shown on an estate map of 1758 (AMS5737/1). From land tax returns it appears that Nesbit's major purchases occurred between 1760 and 1761, although he already owned the Winchelsea property in 1758. Nesbit was a partner in the English Linen Company, incorporated by act of parliament in 1763 (4 Geo III c37), and had apparently been responsible for the introduction to England of cambric manufacture at Winchelsea in 1761 (VCH 9. 258); another partner was William Grace. The account in VCH, based largely on Cooper's History of Winchelsea, fails to recognise the early part in the enterprise played by Novaille &amp; Co, who were already Nesbitt's lessees in 1767 (see 21 above). The volume was noted by W Homan in 1929 (AMS2392); it had been lent to him by John E Ray, solicitor and local historian. The estate was later bought by the Brisco family the rest of whose archive was deposited in Hastings Museum by messrs Phillips &amp; Cheesman, Solicitors of Hastings, in which firm the depositor's late husband was a partner</p> <p>Colour slides available</p></span>

Documents deposited 19 January 1981 (A 2653)