FOURTH GENERATION

19. Matthew PEARCE ⁽¹¹²⁾⁽⁷¹⁾ (photo) (see family photos) was born on 10 Aug 1801 in Chapel Brampton, Northampton Co..⁽¹¹³⁾ He was christened on 8 Oct 1801 in Castle hill-independent, Northampton, Northampton, England. He signed a will on 14 Jul 1875.⁽¹¹⁴⁾ Will proved (with 4 codicils) 14 July 1883 at Gloucester. He resided Lagarie Croft, Rhu nr Helensburgh outside Glasgow in 1879. Sale notice on internet 2003:

Armadale
House for Sale in Rhu, near Helensburgh
Guide Price: Freehold, Excess of £495,000

3 reception rooms, 5 bedrooms, kitchen, laundry, workshop/boiler room, cloakroom/WC. Master bedroom and guest bedroom both en-suite. Extends to around 1.9acres of enclosed mature gardens.

Armadale is a fine Victorian home of considerable character built of rendered rubble and whinstone under a slate roof. Constructed from a croft in 1835 and upgraded over the years, it offers flexible family accommodation which for its size is very manageable.

The grounds of Armadale were feued from Sir James Colquhoun of Luss by way of 4 grants between 1835 and 1841 to a Mr Matthew Pearce, a merchant in Glasgow. At that time, the property was known as Laggarie Croft. Part of the agreement was that the existing farmhouse had to be upgraded and extended in line with the standards expected of that era.

The property was extended by building up the hipped gable to the west to a full gable and by adding chimney stacks and a grand entrance to the east but today's house is still very similar to the drawings of 1835. It is an exceptionally elegant gabled building offering spacious but manageable family accommodation, on a plot of 1.9 acres, a great deal larger than most properties in the area. The present owners are only the 4th owners since 1835.

Armadale is entered through a covered entrance vestibule with pediment above which is supported by an ornate iron frame. This leads to a magnificent grand hallway which has a ceiling height of 23 feet, the original stone flooring (presently covered with carpet) and a sweeping stone staircase. Both the reception hallway and the formal drawing room boast splendid Adam style fireplaces.

Opening off the grand hallway are the drawing room and dining room, then the breakfasting kitchen and cloakroom/WC. A door leads to an inner hall with sitting room, laundry and boiler house. The drawing room is particularly grand with a substantial bay window affording charming aspects over the enclosed formal gardens.

The accommodation on the upper floor of Armadale offers 2 substantial bedrooms to the front, both with en suite facilities. To the rear of the property are a further 3 bedrooms and a family bathroom. On this level are a airing cupboard and a linen store.

Mileage: Helensburgh 4km (1.5 miles) Glasgow Airport 37km (23miles) Glasgow 48km (30miles)
(All mileages are approximate)
He was a in 1881 in Retired Merchant. He appeared on the census in 1881 in Hatherley Road Brampton, Cheltenham, Gloucester, England. He died on 12 Mar 1883 in "Brampton" Hatherley Road, Cheltenham, Co. Gloucester.⁽¹¹⁵⁾

He was married to Euphemia RANKEN (daughter of Andrew RANKEN and Hannah SMITH) on 9 Jul 1829 in Baroney, Co. Lanark.⁽¹¹⁶⁾ Euphemia RANKEN⁽¹¹⁷⁾⁽⁷¹⁾ (photo) was born on 23 May 1811 in Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland. She died on 30 Mar 1885 in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, England. Matthew PEARCE and Euphemia RANKEN had the following children: (see family photos)

25 i. Janet PEARCE⁽¹¹⁸⁾⁽⁷¹⁾ (photo) was born on 16 Jul 1830. She was christened on 23 Sep 1830 in Barony, Lanark, Scotland. She appeared on the census in 1881 in Hatherley Road Brampton, Cheltenham, Gloucester, England. She Never Married.⁽¹¹⁸⁾ Died unmarried.
+26 ii. Hannah PEARCE.
+27 iii. Col. Edward PEARCE.
+28 iv. Mary Reid PEARCE.
+29 v. John PEARCE.
+30 vi. Euphemia PEARCE.
+31 vii. Andrew Ranken PEARCE.
+32 viii. Alfred King PEARCE.
+33 ix. Lucy PEARCE.
34 x. Margaret PEARCE⁽⁷¹⁾ was born on 30 Jul 1841. She was christened on 24 Sep 1841 in Row, Dunbarton, Scotland. She died in 1849.
35 xi. Irene PEARCE⁽¹¹⁸⁾⁽⁷¹⁾ (photo) was born on 2 Oct 1842 in Barony, Lanark, Scotland. Died unmarried.
36 xii. Jane PEARCE⁽⁷¹⁾ was born on 2 Feb 1844. She was christened on 26 Mar 1844 in Barony, Lanark, Scotland. She died in 1845.
+37 xiii. Alexander PEARCE.
38 xiv. Caroline Louisa PEARCE⁽¹¹⁸⁾⁽⁷¹⁾ (photo) was born about 1851 in Manchester, Lancashire, England. She appeared on the census in 1881 in Hatherley Road Brampton, Cheltenham, Gloucester, England. Twin of Emily Edith PearceDied unmarried.
39 xv. Emily Edith PEARCE⁽¹¹⁸⁾⁽⁷¹⁾ (photo) was born about 1851 in Manchester, Lancashire, England. She appeared on the census in 1881 in Hatherley Road Brampton, Cheltenham, Gloucester, England. Twin of Caroline Louisa PearceDied unmarried.
+40 xvi. Elizabeth Lea PEARCE.
41 xvii. Christina PEARCE⁽¹¹⁸⁾⁽⁷¹⁾ (photo) was born about 1857 in Manchester, Lancashire, England. She appeared on the census in 1881 in Hatherley Road Brampton, Cheltenham, Gloucester, England. Died unmarried.

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