321
THE ESTATES GAZETTE
February 25, 1899.
efforts of Mr. J. A. Harman (Messrs. Harman Bros.), who realised £2,760 for a shop and premises in Aldersgate-street, E.C., let on repairing lease at £815 per annum, and held for 60 years unexpired at a ground rent of £120 ; £2,700 for 18 leasehold houses in Mansfield-plaee, Heath-street, Hampstead, total rental £858 16s., lease 60 years, ground rent £28, and £760 for a long-leasehold modem residence, No. 18, Gloucester-road, Finsbury-park, net rental £54 10s. Seven long-leasehold dwelling houses in Beaumont-road, High-road, Leyton total net rented £143 12s., were sold by Mr. David Burnett (Messrs. David Burnett and Co.) for £1,020, whilst a detached long-leasehold residence, known as Clapham Lodge, Sutton, with about six acres, was also disposed of by the same auctioneer, acting in conjunction with Messrs. Morgan, Baines and Clarke, for £700. An old-fashioned country house of the Georgian period, distinguished as the Hawthorns, Hare Hatch, near Twyford, Berks, with grounds of about acres, came under the hammer of Mr. Charles T. Watson (aoting for Messrs. W. R. Nicholas and Co.) and was sold for £2,300.
Wednesday
A total of £88,000 was
Small realised this afternoon as the Investments. re8U,t Qf aQ exc9״enfc dematH
for properties of the smaller class. A very satisfactory supply consisted almost entirely of leasehold investments, the heaviest batcu being in the hands of Mr. George Pearce (Messrs. George Pearce and Sons), who succeeded in selling 27 lots, compris¡׳ g freehold and long-leasehold dwelling houses and ground rents in Hoxton, Stoke Newington and other districts, for a total of £9,405. The Hoxton auctioneer was acting under an order of the Chancery Court in “ Re James Hickisson, deceased— Rushbrook v. Friend.” The room was densely crowded throughout the proceedings, and the competition was brisk from start to finish. The prices fetched by some of the houses in Springdale-road, Stoke Newington, and St. John’s-road, Hoxton, were particularly good. Mr. R. McBean Tidey (Messrs. R. Tidey and Son) was the largest scorer with an aggregate of £9,450. Eight freehold houses and shops in Amhurst-road, Mare-street, Hackney, each let at £50 per annum, had been announced for sale by this firm, but I was informed that these had been disposed of privately in one lot for £6,400. It is only fair to say that this amount was included in the sale total. A very excellent price was obtained by Mr. Tidey for a leasehold house in Ockenden-road, Islington, estimated to produce £48 a year, 42 years unexpired, ground rent £6 10s., the bidding reaching £550. In thé room occupied by Mr. George Higgins (Messrs. Higgins and Son) four leasehold houses and shops in King's College-road, South Hampstead, 53J years unexpired, ground rent £32, total rental £310, were sold for £3,155. The competition for two shops and a double dwelling house, Nos. 21 and 28, in the thoroughfare just mentioned, producing a net income of £144 a year, was particularly interesting and long sustained. Two wel -known dealers were each as determined as the other to secure the property, with the result that it was bought for £1,865, which was generally regarded as a very high price. Mr. Henry Donaldson (Messrs. H. Donaldson) had on offer four freehold houses in Oowper-road, Matthias-road, Newington-green, N., together with a piece of land 42ft. by 96ft., producing a total rental of £132 14s., which fetched £1,875. The same auctioneer also sold four freehold houses in Grange-walk, Bermondsey, covering an area of 6,800ft., for £1,575. Other transactions included the sale by Mr. H. G. Beard (Messrs. Beard and Son) of a leasehold house, No. 5, Victoria-gardens, Lad-broke-road, estimated rental £45, 60 years unexpired, ground rent £4 5s., for £545 ; two leasehold dwelling houses in Dartmoor-street, High-street, Notting-hill-gate, 50J years unexpired, ground rent £10, for £770 ; a leasehold double-fronted dwelling house in Goldsmith-gardens, Kilburn, rental £23 a year, 45J years unexpired, ground rent £5, for £195, and 50 £1 shares in the West London Dairy Co., Ltd., for £192.
IWems from the jVlapt
Monday.
There was a very satisfactory . beginning to a busy week at Price. Tokenbouse-yard for the prices realised during the day amounted to over £71,500. Considerable interest was manifested in the sale by Mr. Peyer (Messrs. Alfred Thomas, Peyer and Miles) of the Lion Brewery, Princes Ris-borough, Bucks, comprising the home premises, with residence and cottages, and 80 hotels, public and beerhouses, of which 62 are freehold and copyhold and the remaining 18 leasehold, in High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Dunstable, Luton, and other towns and villages in the district. The spacious " A ” Room chartered for this sale was crowded with brewers’ agents and others interested, and as a result of a capital competition the brewery changed bands at £59,500. Another licensed property disposed of comprised the Grapes public-house in Milton-street, E.C., which is freehold, and is let on lease expiring in 1946, at £150 a year. This was in the hands of Mr. Matthew Miles, and was sold to Mr. H. Marks, on behalf of a client, for £4,975. Mr. William Houghton succeeded in selling a number of small freehold and leasehold investments at Richmond, Clapton and Walthamstow, for a total of £4,505, whilst a batch of long leaseholds at Lewisham, Ilford, Crouch-hill and other suburbs, were dealt with by Mr. Sim (Messrs. Sim and Randall) with a fair measure of success.
Tuesday.
M r. Edward Tewson (Messrs. Ground* Debenham, Tewson, Farmer Rents. an^ Bridgewater) was engaged upon a heavy task this afternoon, for his catalogue contained no fewer than 91 lots, comprising freehold ground rents amounting in the aggregate to £4,749 8s., per annum, secured upon private residences, dwelling houses, shops, &c., at Crouch End, Holloway, St. John’s-wood, and Brixton-bill, with reversion to the rack rents now estimated at about £24,000 per annum, in from 60 to 91 years. They were described by the auctioneer as a representative ground rents of the olden times, being secured one-fifth, one-sixth, and in some eases one-seventh of their actual rack rental value. I need hardly say that the various lots were dealt with in a very business-like manner. The spirited characler of the bidding enabled Mr. Tewson to sell with very little ceremony. An average of of about 3113־ years’ purchase was obtained for rents arising out of houses in Cecile-park, Crouch-hill, 113 modern residences on the Fairfield estate, and a similar number on the Middle-lane estate, near Crouch-end and Hornsey stations. A few ground rents on an estate of 99 private residences and dwelling houses and 17 shops at Drayton-park, Holloway, bad to be withdrawn, but those on the Raleigh estate, Brixton-hill, were sold at 80 years’ purchase. Altogether the prices realised at this important auction amounted to £91,120. Other freehold ground rents submitted to-day included a batch amounting to £170 per annum, secured upon four double-fronted blocks of weekly flats in Tenby-road, Stratford, with reversion to the total rack rental £720 in 80 years. These were sold by Mr. H. Bloss Taylor (Messrs. Browett and Taylor) in one lot for £4,125.
Mr. Taylor also sold a shop Building and dwelling house, No. 3, Edmonton. Bedfordbury, Strand, producing a total gross rental of £203 per annum, and leased for 75| years, at a ground rent of £47 a year, for £975, and two long-leasehold houses in Rabbits-| road, Romford-road, Manor-park, producing £53 6s. per annum, net rental £43 lls., for £325. Mr. George F. Harrington succeeded in finding a buyer for a freehold building estate of 12 acres at Lower Edmonton, at £4,300, and also sold six leasehold houses in Hinton-road, Cold-harbour-lane, Camberwell, producing from quarterly and weekly tenants a total rental of about £218 a year, and held for 68 and 66 years unexpired at ground rents amounting to £34 a year, for a total of £1,615.
׳ Considerable success also attended the
and tassels. Of course, you are to remember that since those days there has been a great change in fashions as well as in metropolitan suburbs. Dear me, to think of the old times when Notting-hill was a village, with green fields and cows and a blacksmith and a turnpike ! You had sometimes to be careful about : getting home at night, but on such occasions, perhaps, a pistol that you could find was more useful than a policeman that you couldn’t. Garotters were rife in the district—but this is matter of ancient history.”
“Yes,” I said, “and to practical men the prospects of the present and the future will always be of more interest than stories of the past. How do you think the neighbourhood of Shepherd’s-bush and Notting-hill will be affected by this new Central Railway?”
“Well, from my own experience, I can tell you that it has already brought about a boom in houses and apartments. When it is finished I scarcely think that it is too much to say that it• will make this, on the whole, about the most convenient suburb in London. As it is, the inhabitants have every reason to be satisfied. There is Miss Ellen Terry playing for them in the theatre over the way—the Coronet, which is ־wonderfully well managed and promises to be a big success—and—but if you are a native of the district I need not speak at large on its amenities.”
Mr. Swain looked at his watch, and, taking the hint,
“ Well, I think I have taken up quite enough of your time by now,” I observed. “I am much obliged for what you have said, and with regard to your firm my sentiments are “ Flereit et florebit.”
I reflected as I left Mr. ,Swain that he was a very good example of a somewhat rare combination—that of the business man and the student. He has a fine library, and h's offices are decorated with diplomas from which it may be gathered that he is an Associate of King’s College, a Fellow of the Surveyors’ Institution, a member of the Institute of Estate and House Agents, a Fellow of the Geological Society, and a member of the Geologists’ Association of London and the Quekett !Microscopical Club. He takes great delight in his miniature farm in Buckinghamshire. Of his three sons, his eldest, and junior partner, Mr. Alfred E. Swain, after being educated in England, spent some years in the United States, where he gained a considerable experience of men and manners. He promises to make a man of business in every way worthy of the honourable traditions of the old and prosperous firm of Swain.
FURNITURE, PICTURES, BOOKS, ETC.
FEBRUARY.
MONDAY, 27.—By Christie, Manson and Woods, at their rooms, King-street, St. James’s-square, at 1 o’clock —Pictures, water-colour drawings, etc.
By Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge, at their rooms, 13, Wellington-street, -trand, W.C., at 1 o’clock — Piinted hooks, manuscripts, etc., and following days.
By Piotheroe and Morris, at their rooms, 67 and 68, Cheapside, E.O., at 12.30 o’clock—Engravings, etc., and following days.
TUESDAY, 28.—By George Brinsley. 30 and 31, New Bridge-street, Ludgate-eircus, E.C., at Selmeston, Thuilow-park-road, Wesd Dulwich, at 1 o’clock— Furniture, et״.
By Fryer, Cooper and Co., at their rooms, 3, Redcross-street, Fore-street, E.C., at 1 o’clock—Furniture, etc.
By Phillips, Son and Neale, at their rooms. 73, New Bond-street, atl o’clock—Decorative furniture, etc., and following day.
By Chris tie, Manson and Woods, at their rooms, King-street, St. James’s-square, at 1 o’clock— Decorative furniture, etc.
MARCH.
WEDNESDAY, 1.—By Christie, Manson and Woods, at their 100ms King-street, Sb. James’s square, at 1 o’clock—Engravings, etc.
By J. W. Boden and Son, 133, Finchley-road, N.W.. at Wellington Hall, Eyre Arms, St. John’s Wood, N.W., at 1 o’clock—Furniture, etc.
By W. and F. C. Bonham and Sons, 65, Oxford-street, W., and 11,12 and 13, Leicester-street, W.C., at 54, Ru88ell-square, W.C., at 1 o’clock-Furniture, etc.
By Messrs. Foster, at their gallery, 51, Pall Mall, at 1 o’clock—Pictures, drawings, etc.
THURSDAY, 2.—By Rogeis. Chat man and Thomas, 78, Gloucester-road, South Kensington, S.W., and 50, Belgrave-road, South Belgravia, S.W. (in conjunction with Geo. Ravenshear, 49, Broadway, Ealing, W.), at 7, Castle bar-road, Ealing Broadway, at 1 o’clock—Furniture, etc.
By Phillips, Son and Neale, at their rooms, 73, New Bond-street, at 1 o’clock—FumiUre, etc., and following day.
By Christie, Manson and Woods, at their rooms, King-street, St. James’s-square, at 1 o’clock— Engravings, etc.
By Robinson and Fisher, at their rooms, King-street, St. James’s-square, at 1 o’clock—Pictures, drawings. etc.
By Messrs. Foster, at their gallery, 54, Pall Mall, at 1 o’clock—Decorative furniture, etc.
FRIDAY, 3.—By Christie, Manson and Woods, at their rooms, King-btreet, St. James’s-square, at 1 o’clock-pictures, silver plate, etc
By Tjoth and Tooth, at their rooms, 187 and 189, Oxford-street, W.. at 12 o’c!ock—Furniture, etc.
By Wreford and. Harding, at their rooms, 44a, Wilton-road, Victoria station, at 6.30 o’clock— Furniture, etc.
By Me-srs. Foster, at their gallery, 54, Pall-mall, at 1 o’clock—Bronzes, etc.
By Robinson and Fisher, at their rooms, King• street, St. James’s-square, S.W., at 1 o’clock— Chased plate, etc.
SATURDAY, 4.—Bvi Christie, Manson and Woods, at their rooms. King-street, St. James’s-square, at 1 o’clock—Pictures, etc.
By Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge, at their rooms, 13, Wellington-street, Strand, W.C., at 1 o’clock — Manuscripts, etc.
HALF A CENTURY’S BUSINESS.
1AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. E. SWAIN.
Such suburbs as Kensington and Bayswater enjoy one great, amongst other, advantages. You need never bother your head as to how to get there, for the train and omnibus service is simply continuous. On Thursday afternoon last it took me but half-an-hour to get from the Tottenham-court-road to Notting-hill-gate per “ light green ” ’bus, and I was enabled to alight at the very door of Messrs. E. and A. Swain’s offices, which the exigencies of the Central London Electrical Railway recently compelled them to remove from 82 to 26, High-street, Nott'ing-hill-gate, at the comer of Linden-gardens. My object in seeking a short interview with Mr. Ernest Swain, the head of that well-known Bayswater firm was to congratulate him on the “ jubilee ” of his business, and to ask him if he would kindly say a few words appropriate to the occasion for the perusal of the readers of the Estates Gazette.
Mr. Swain received me with his usual quiet courtesy, and when I had taken a seat in his well-appointed private office, was not long in coming to the point with a “ Now, what can I tell you ? ”
“Well,” I replied, “as this is a ‘jubilee’ interview, you might begin at the beginning,
MR. R. T. SWAIN (Founder of the Business).
as somebody says somewhere, and let me know something of the origin of the house of Swain.” “ Certainly,” was the reply. “ My father, Mr. R. T. Swain—who, I am proud and glad to say, is still, at 88 years of age, in good health and spirits, and often gives us here the benefit of his acuteness and experience—came from Wood Cottage, Shepherd’s-bush, to Notting-hill-gate in 1848, and in the following year started the business which celebrates its jubilee this year at a house which was known as the Lodge, and which stood at the corner of what used to be known by the rustical name of Plough-lane. In 1866, I was taken into partnership by my father, whom I had previously been assisting for some years. In 1870, the Lodge was pulled down to make way for the present Campden-hill-road, and my father, who very much le-gretted the loss of his old quarters, then determined to retire. The office was removed to 82, High-street, Notting-hill-gate, and a younger son, Mr. Frank Swain, joined the firm, who for 26 years carried on business at the new premises, with—with—-—”
Mr. Swain hesitated, and to spare his blushes I hastened to interpolate, “ With a success to which you are too modest to allude.”
“ I am much obliged to you, I am sure,” said Mr. Swain, “and will resume. In 1896, you may remember that the Central London Electric Railway took our place at 82, amongst other sites along their route, and we came up higher, to 26—a convenient spot, is it not 1 ”
“I can think of none more so,” I replied, “and I was born and bred in this neighbourhood, and have lived here all my life.”
“Well,” said Mr. Swain, “with this second removal, Mr. Frank Swain retired from Die firm, and I took my eldest son into partnership, and here we are, Messrs. E. and A. Swain—• very much at your service.”
“ I seem to remember having heard of your father as a good, all-round sportsman,” I remarked.
“ He was a first-rate horseman, and insisted upon keeping up the habit until, as quite an old man, he met with a fall which broke his arm. He also took great interest in football, and was a capital skater. I can see him now cutting figures of three and that kind of thing in a dress coat and an old-fashioned cloak with silk cords