HORNE, ENGALL AND FREEMAN, STAINES [SOLICITORS]

ACC/0809

HORNE, ENGALL AND FREEMAN, STAINES [SOLICITORS]

1618-1936

The archives and collections contained in this accession were deposited by the late Harry Scott Freeman, Esq., of the firm of Horne, Engall, and Freeman, solicitors, of Staines. They consist partly of the firm's practice papers, partly of records deriving from clerk ships and other official capacities (as described more fully in the next paragraph), and partly of Mr. Scott Freeman's personal records and private collections. The material relates chiefly to Staines, but covers also neighbouring parishes, e.g., Ashford, Stanwell, Cranford, Egham, and Feltham.

Also included in the deposit is Mr. Scott Freeman's very fine collection of maps and prints of Middlesex (to be known as The Scott Freeman Collection) (ACC/0809/MP and PR), as well as printed material on the history of Staines (ACC/0809, Section F).

A writing-case containing letters sent to a soldier serving in the Boer War (ACC/0809/HSF.7-19) is not available for consultation until the year 1998.

Manorial (1) Ashford ACC/0809/MA/1 - 201

(2) Stanwell and Hammonds ACC/0809/MST/1 - 118

(3) Staines ACC/0809/MSS/1 - 772

(4) Milton, Surrey ACC/0809/MM/1

(5) Kennington (Surrey) and Harleston

Title Deeds (1) Egham, Surrey ACC/0809/D/1 - 60

(2) Chebham, Surrey ACC/0809/D/1 - 60

Professional Staines (1) Staines Bridge ACC/0809/BR/1 - 721

(2) Staines Independent Chapel ACC/0809/IC/1 - 376

(3) Staines & Egham Gas Co. ACC/0809/GC/1 - 203

(4) Staines Local Board ACC/0809/LB/1 - 320

(5) Staines Scientific & Literary Society ACC/0809/SL/1 - 12

(6) Staines Miscellanea. ACC/0809/MISC/1 - 68

Non-Staines (1) Hampton - Staines Turnpike Trust ACC/0809/TP/HAM/1 - 76

(2) Bedfont - Bagshot Turnpike Trust ACC/0809/TP Bed/1 - 372

(3) Cranford Sewer Authority ACC/0809/CS/1 - 22

(4) Feltham School Board ACC/0809/FSB/1 - 37

(5) Spelthorne Militia ACC/0809/MIL/1 - 47

(6) Spelthorne Parliamentary Elections ACC/0809/PE/1 - 57

(7) Tax Commissioners ACC/0809/TCS/1 - 6

Private Professional (1) Apprenticeship Indentures ACC/0809/AI/1 - 10

(2) Practice Papers ACC/0809/PP/1 - 61

Scott Freeman Miscellaneous ACC/0809/HSF/1 - 43

Printed Material (a) with collection ACC/0809/PM/1 - 72

(b) transferred to Reference Library.

Scott Freeman Collection (a) Maps & Plans ACC/0809/Mp/1 - 55

(b) Prints and photographs. ACC/0809/PR.177

English

7 sub-fonds

A certain number of recent personal papers found in the deposit were returned to Mr. Scott Freeman.

Of the firm itself, it should be said that the partnership of Randolp Horne and John Engall covered much of the latter half of the 19th century, while Mr. Harry Scott Freeman became a partner in 1900, having been articled to Mr. Engall. The latter retired about 1910, Mr. Horne having retired some twenty years earlier.

The firm or one of its members acted as clerk to many public bodies, e.g., the Staines-Hampton and the Bedfont-Bagshot Turnpike Trusts (for the relevant documents, see ACC/0809/TP Ham, and TP Bed.), the Staines Bridge Commission (see ACC/0809/BR), the Cranford Sewer Authority (see ACC/0809/CS), the Staines Local Board (see ACC/0809/LB), and the local Tax Commissioners (see ACC/0809/TCS). Private companies and institutions, e.g., Staines Independent Chapel (ACC/0809/IC) Staines and Egham Gas and Coke Company (ACC/0809/GC), and the Staines Scientific and Literary Society (ACC/0809/SL) also appear in these archives, as does also the Spelthorne Militia (ACC/0809/MIL). Another group of records resulted from Mr. Scott Freeman's having served as Deputy Acting Returning Officer for the Spelthorne Division in the 1918 and 1922 General Elections (see ACC/0809/PE).

Messrs. Horne and Engall were both stewards of local manors, and it is no doubt due to this fact that these archives first came to include court rolls, court books, surveys, and a large number of copies of court rolls for the manors of Staines (ACC/0809/MSS), Ashford (ACC/0809/MA), Stanwell (ACC/0809/MST), and Hammonds and Milton in Surrey (ACC/0809/MM). However, Mr. Engall acquired the lordship of the manor of Ashford in 1890, and Mr. Scott Freeman subsequently became lord of all the Middlesex manors just mentioned, thus becoming owner of the relevant manorial documents.