Finding Mr Wright

I've got some details of the 3/4 storey Georgian home with a large garden of a Mr Wright 1738 only it just mentions Coventry, which is a very large area. I'm thinking that it might be Little Park Street or at a pinch Much Park Street. Could any of those clever people with access to records find such a person at around that time? I'm thinking it could be one of the large plots running between LPS and the Cheylesmore road. It would be up or down from the Chequers Pub. Thanks in advance.

A search of the digitised "Warwickshire parish registers 1535-1963" collection at familysearch.org shows for this period only Laurence/Lawrence Wright, born about 1690 who married Margaret Yardley in 1713 at St. Michael's, Coventry. It's doubtful though if the registers are complete from this period. A Lawrence Wright was one of the churchwardens of St. Michaels in 1711. Possibly he is the Lawrence Wright who was left the sum of 5 pounds in the 1729 will of Samuel Edwards, the former Sheriff of the city.

Thanks for that. It would be very fitting if a Yardley was involved There are various references to Wrights at British History Online but nothing tangible. The building has similarities with The Castle and Kirby House. It also echoes parts of Banner House and Bridgeman's but the timelines and fine detail don't support it being one of them. Only if Bridgeman's was partially demolished and refurbished could it be that location. There are a couple of other possibilities for locations but there's a strong likelihood it's not inner Coventry.

In the cathedral record of monuments and tombs on the internet there is an entry for a Laurence Wright died April 17 1737, his wife died Oct 1751, so I would assume that his wife continued to live in the house after his death, not that that helps to locate the house.

Hi Helen. Up pops the "Yardleys" again! Lawrence Wright is a good contender. You will find him mentioned in a couple of documents if you search "Coventry Collections" in connection with Much Park Street. His wife Margaret Yardley was the daughter of John Yardley who was Mayor in 1689/90 and Katherine Fairbrother whose father was also at one time a sheriff. There is a document dated September 1749 in which Margaret, now a widow of Stoneleigh of Laurence Wright, transferring a 1/6 share of "Bishop Blaze" for £20. This is described as having a 4.75 yard frontage, 7.5 yard backside, 2.5 bays and a garden 84 yards at the lower end tenanted by Thomas Smith, and 2 tenements on the southern side of Gosford Street "without the gate" occupied by Baker. The Bishops Blaze is mentioned in another document I have from the Coventry Collections which mentions several names all of which are connected to my family tree. At the end of the document it says "subject to the interest of Laurence Wright (of Coventry, brazier); covenant to levy final concord". (I do not understand a lot of these documents). They had one daughter, Anne who married Joseph Gibbs in 1733. I have mentioned a lot of names to see if they tie up with the document you have, it sounds interesting. Do you have any other information on it?

Just found another reference on a document in the Warwickshire County Record Office which mentions a messuage on the north side of Earl Street formerly of Lawrence Wright and adjoining messuage with a little garden next to the drapery, now Half Moon Inn.

I've now got a copy of the book and have been able to scan the picture. You can see what I mean about it looking like Little Park Street. I can't find where it's referenced in the text. The author may have just thrown it in as an example of that era. Laurence Wright popped up in my searches too. There was something about Hawkesbury but I think that probably refers to a half timbered manor in that area. There is nothing there that suggests a Georgian pile.

There is a view of Mr Wright's House 1738 listed in a book on Google Books, A catalogue of Maps Prints and drawings belonging to King George fourth given to the British Museum but this one is credited to someone called Beighton.

Found it at the British Library, thanks to Anne. View of a house previously belonging to one Thomas Wright, the elegant rectangular house with high windows to the piano nobile and above, a balustrade to the flat roof, a pediment supported by pillars above the front door, a courtyard extending behind the house, outbuildings and gardens to the right and behind the house, a wall to the foreground. Accompanied with an advertisement pertaining to the sale of raffle tickets to win the house. Titled 'View of Mr. Wright's House at Coventry, by Beighton' in the Catalogue of Maps, Prints, Drawings, etc., forming the geographical and topographical collection attached to the Library of his late Majesty King George the third, etc., London, 1829. Citation/references note: British Museum, Catalogue of Maps, Prints, Drawings, etc., forming the geographical and topographical collection attached to the Library of his late Majesty King George the third, etc., London, 1829 From other details I get the writing on the right is Toms sc. W.H. Toms, (William Henry), approximately 1700-1765, printmaker. Ashton may have copied the original Given the details being in George III's possession, I wonder if he entered the competition? Who bought and Georgianised the little palace yard?

I think it must be Henry Beighton who was an engineer and map maker who was born in Chilvers Coton and lived at Griff

Versions of this advert appear several times between 1732 and 1739. The one in 1739 says to apply to Mr William Neale, Ironmonger, Coventry

So Mr Wright died on or before 1732 and it looks like the lottery was a last resort. Funny to see a Georgian house described as 'new'. My sister is visiting Friday so I might get on the Ancestry site and hunt him down. Alternatively I may get to the British Library at some point. Thanks Anne. The property may have been bought, demolished or turned into a factory by the time I've got maps.

I think he was still alive when the ads were placed. It says his business is in London except on the 1739 but that does not say the "late" as they usually do. There is a will on Ancestry for 1748 for a Thomas Wright but again no address. It is very frustrating, good job they did not have a postman then! Yes, I thought it might have been transformed. I don't think it is right in the centre of the city as most of them have a frontage right on the pavement. It is so like the ones in Little Park Street.

Kirby House wasn't/isn't right on the pavement - in fact the distance from the street in the picture above is not dissimilar to Kirby House

It's also similar to 7 Little Park Street. It has an extra floor but could have been a later addition. Also found the Thomas Wright who died in 1748 married his second wife in London.