Conveyance of land to Alnwick National School 1897

This is a conveyance dated 20 March 1897 between Earl Percy (Henry George Percy) and The Minister and Churchwardens of Alnwick, under which Earl Percy conveys an additional piece of land for the Alnwick National School in Howling Lane.

The conveyance references certain Acts to encourage landowners to make land available to schools:

"...an Act passed in the 5^th year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria ... “An Act to afford further facilities for the Conveyance and Endowment of sites for Schools” and of an Act of the 8^th year of the reign of Her present Majesty explaining the same and to the intent that these Presents".

The document shows that there was a previous gift under a Deed Poll (referred to as the Principal Deed) dated December 1849 by Algernon Percy, the then Duke of Northumberland and the father of Henry George Percy, and that this additional land is now granted under the same terms:

"To hold the same unto and to the use of the Minister and Churchwardens of the Parish of Alnwick and their Successors for the purposes of the said Acts but nevertheless upon such and the like trusts and under and subject to such and the like provisions as are contained in and declared by the Principal Deed of and concerning the piece of land thereby conveyed as are now subsisting and capable of taking effect and to for and upon no other use trust or provision whatsoever".

The conveyance is signed “Percy”.

The site can be seen on this 1948 map, showing the position of the school. This land now appears to be the site of the Pottergate Centre. 

Henry George Percy (1846-1918) was the 7^th Duke of Northumberland. He was also a Conservative politician, being MP for Northumberland North, before the seat was abolished in 1885. He later joined the House of Lords, assuming his father’s Barony of Lovaine.

He married Lady Edith Campbell in 868 and they had 13 children.

His son Alan Ian Percy became the 8^th Duke of Northumberland, followed by Henry George Alan Percy (1912-1940), Hugh Algernon Percy (1914-1988) and Ralph George Algernon Percy (1956- ), the current and 12^th Duke of Northumberland.