Description:The Manor of Longton was owned by a number of wealthy Landowners between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. J. H. Y. Briggs writes about the Foley family who were ironmasters from Birmingham. The Foleys acquired Longton Manor in 1651 until 1773 when the Lane family, coal mine proprietors, purchased Longton Hall from them. Briggs writes that Obadiah Lane 'had an important influence' in Longton. Lane's significance in Longton is reflected in documents in the Sutherland Papers.
As Lord of the Manor of Longton, Obadiah Lane held a Manor Court each year when tenants were required to appear and pay their respects to their Lord. Tenants also paid their rents and important local issues were debated.
The Sutherland Papers include a number of Court Papers from the Manor of Longton from 1696 until 1733. One document amongst these papers is a notice addressed to 'the Mannor of Longton' informing tenants that a Court was due to be held in the forthcoming weeks.
John Tittensor, Steward of the Manor of Longton, issued the notice to all 'inhabitants within the said Mannor of Longton' stating that 'the Court Baron of Obadiah Lane Esquire will be held for the said Mannor in Tuesday the 17th day of Aprill next'.
The Court would open at 'Nine of the Clock in the aforenoon' when 'such persons are required to be and personally appear to do and Performe their respective suites of Court'.
This document demonstrates the power and influence which the Lord of the Manor held over Longton people in the late eighteenth century. Not only did the Lord oversee the amount of rent which tenants paid, he could demand a show of deference at his annual Court where tenants were expected to pay rent and also to pay homage to their Lord.
Contextual information from: J. H. Y. Briggs, A History of Longton. 1.The Birth of a Community (Keele University Department of Adult Education: 1982)