Memorandum of an agreement made the sixth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty seven Between William Bothams the younger of Curborough in the county of Stafford yeoman & Elizabeth his wife of the one part and John Sparrow of Newcastle under Lyme in the county of Stafford gentleman on behalf of the company of Proprietors of the Navigation from the Trent to the Mersey of the other part And first the said William Bothams & Elizabeth his Wife for the considerations aftermentioned do agree that they and all persons claiming under or in trust for them by virtue of any Lease or Leases or otherwise shall and will on or before the twenty ninth day of September now next ensuing at the proper costs and charges of the said company of proprietors sell and convey to or vest in the said company of proprietors their Heirs and Assigns pursuant to the Act of Parliament made for that purpose All such land or ground part of the estate of the said William Bothams & Elizabeth his Wife situate in Hansacre in the county of Stafford as shall be taken and used for the purposes of the said navigation at and under the yearly rent or sum of Thirty Shillings for every Statute acre and so in proportion payable as herein after mentioned and which price or value is agreed to be given on account of the Land or Ground to be taken and used for the purposes of the said Navigation not being subject to taxes or rates it being agreed that the owners of the remainder of the said Lands for time being shall pay the taxes and rates for the same as usual in such manner as if the said parcel of Land had not been seperated or taken from the same And the said John Sparrow doth agree to pay to the said William Bothams and Elizabeth his wife and her Heirs for ever the said Annual Rent or sum of thirty shillings per Statute Acre by two equal half yearly payments viz on every twenty ninth day of September and twenty fifth day of March the first payment therof to begin and be made on the twenty ninth day of September next ensuing the day of the date of these presents Witness their hands the day and year first above written

Signed by the said William Bothams & John Sparrow in the presence of

R. Williamson                                    William Bothams juner
                                                          JSparrow

Signed by the said Elizabeth Bothams in the presence of

Elizabeth Moss     X       her mark

Staffordshire: I, Thomas Fernyhough Clerk of the Peace for the said county of Stafford do hereby certify that the original of this Contract and agreement was inroled in my office the 14th day of June in the 16th year of the reign of our sovereign Lord King George the third and in the year of our Lord 1776

                                      By me TFernyhough
                   Clerk of the Peace for the said County

SRO Q/Run/1 (pages 11-12)