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CALEB VINES 1793 - 1866

Caleb Vines was a solicitor and investor in London, the 5th child of David Vines and Martha Patty Bushnell, born 1793 at Reading Berkshire. He married a widow, Mrs Bowen who was born Rebecca Moore, and had two children, Caleb a solicitor who died young  and Sophia who developed a mental illness. 
A transcript of his will is given in the book by Harry Parker Ward "The Life Of Dr Isaac Blowers Ward (1800-1843) And Of His Wife Ann Vines (!803-1852)" but is too long to reproduce here. Caleb was, according to Harry Ward, "a most peculiar and stubborn man, almost cruel in some things. He would not for ten years forgive his sister Sophia for being a legal witness to the marriage of his step daughter Rebecca Bowen to Frederick the son of his brother Jabez Vines." However Caleb took an interest in the welfare of his youngest sister and her family on their migration to Ohio, their father David being embittered by Ann's marriage to Isaac Blowers Ward.

The following is a summary of his assetts.

  • 1 An estate of 5 freehold houses, 1- 5 Holborn Buildings, between Furnivals Inn and Grays Inn Lane, Holborn. Ground rent £70 per year.                                                                                                 £350
  • 2 An estate of 17 freehold houses 39 - 55 James Place Stepney Causeway Commercial Rd East. Ground rent £25-10-00 per year.                                                                                                                   £433.5
  • 3 An estate of 21 freehold houses in North Street and Harvey Street Limehouse Fields. Ground rent £38-10-00 per year.                                                                                                                          £808.5
  • 4 An estate of 12 freehold houses, the whole of Lansdown Place Cherry Tree Alley Whitecross Street near Bunhill Row. Ground rent £30-00-00.                                                                                               £360
  • 5 An estate of 5 freehold houses, 1 - 5 Manchester Street Bethnal Green. Ground rent £18-00-00 per year.                                                                                                                                                 £90
  • 6 A leasehold estate of 12 houses, 1 - 12 Albion Place Dorset Street Balls Pond Islington. Ground rent £36-00-00 per year.                                                                                                                          £432
  • 7 A leasehold estate of 9 houses, 13 - 21 Albion Place Dorset Street Balls Pond Islington. Ground rent £27-00-00 per year.                                                                                                                          £243
  • 8 A leasehold estate of 2 houses Back Church Lane Whitechapel and 3 houses at the back in Gowers Walk net ground rent £30-00-00 per year.                                                                                                £150
  • 9 A leasehold Tavern called Norfolk Arms Half Moon Crescent near White Conduit Tavern Pentonville. Net ground rent £40-00-00 per year.                                                                                                       £40
  • 10 A leasehold estate  of 20 houses in and near North Street Whitechapel Rd. Net ground rent £24-00-00 per year.                                                                                                                                              £480
  • 11 A leasehold estate of 19 houses in Bell Alley and Parsons Court Goswell Street. Net ground rent £44-00-00 per year.                                                                                                                         £836
  • 12 A leasehold estate of 2 public houses, the White Swan in Keate Street Spitalfields, the other nearly adjoining in Keate Court. Net ground rent £42-00-00 per year.                                                       £ 84
  • 13 A leasehold estate of 2 houses 22A and 23A in Upper Giffard Street Caledonian Rd Islington net ground rent £16-00-00 per year.                                                                                                                   £32 
  • 14 A leasehold of 11 houses in Pott Street and Pitt Street Bethnal Green. Net ground rent £24-00-00 per year.                                                                                                                                              £264
  • 15 A leasehold estate at Hackney Wick. Net ground rent £30-00-00.                                                £30
  • A residence at 28 Canonbury Square rent costing £52-10-00, with furniture and all fittings..
  • Some cash, generally £100 to £200, banknotes, gold and silver in the drawers of desk.
  • Brighton Railway shares,   £2700, current price in 1866 @ £120 = £3240, in drawer of desk.
  • Panama Railway 7% bonds, 8 @ £225 each = £1800.                                                                     £126
  • Central Michigan Railway 8% bonds, 5 @ £200 each = £1000.                                                        £ 80 
  • Central Michigan Railway 8% bonds, 10 @ £225 each = £2250.                                                     £180
  • In addition to silver plate in use, more in drawer in bedroom.
Caleb lived at 28 Canonbury Square, Islington, from 1830, soon after the house was built, until his death in 1866, but also had a country residence at Bushey, 25 miles north west of London, where he was buried.
Canonbury Square is in Islington, one of the inner northern suburbs of London, these days a very expensive residential area for central London workers. Number 28 where Caleb lived is next to the house of George Orwell, 1940s author of "Animal Farm" and "1984", while Evelyn Waugh, author of "Brideshead Revisited", lived nearby in the late 1920s.

Calebs income from rents and bond interest alone as shown above exceeded £5000 per year. He was a very rich man from what were most probably slums.