Mary Page of Littleport, concerned for the plight of her three orphaned grandchildren, petitions the Bedford Level Corporation (the body responsible for the drainage of the Great Level of the Fens) for the restoration of the family home at Low Bank, Welney.

Petition of Mary Page

Their mother Susan Page died in November 1826, their father John, a shoemaker less than a month later; both burials are recorded in the Welney parish registers. The children were then forced out of their cottage by their uncle (who later claimed this was only because he was concerned to see it kept in repair for them!)

Mary made further approaches to the Corporation in June 1827 requesting she be leased the cottage on behalf of the children. Their final ruling was that until the children came of age, the lease was to be granted to the Overseers of Littleport and the rent used to support them. Once they were older, they were to have equal shares in the property.

Source:

The original of this document is one of an extensive series of petitions to the Bedford Level 1652-1878, held at Cambridgeshire Archives, document reference S/B/SP1333.