Freehold Land Societies: Their History, Present

Name: Freehold Land Societies: Their History, Present Position, and Claims
Author: James Ewing Ritchie

James Ewing Ritchie's book, Freehold Land Societies: Their History, Present Position, and Claims, is a comprehensive look at the history and current state of freehold land societies in England and Wales. The book begins with a brief overview of the history of freehold land societies, tracing their origins back to the Middle Ages and the rise of the manorial system. Ritchie then examines the various types of freehold land societies, including their structure, purpose, and legal status. He also looks at the various claims made by freehold land societies, including their right to hold land in perpetuity, their right to manage their own affairs, and their right to receive compensation for any losses incurred due to changes in the law. Finally, Ritchie examines the current state of freehold land societies in England and Wales, discussing the various challenges they face and the potential solutions to those challenges.

By James Ewing Ritchie · First published 1853 · Genre: Non-Fiction, History, Law · 9 chapters · 9,363 words

First lines

Some time back the "Times" asked scornfully, as Pilate of old did concerning truth, what was a Freehold Land Society. We reply, viewed in a business light, it is simply a society for the purchase of land. It involves two commercial principles well understood -- that purchasers should buy in the cheapest market, and that societies can do what individuals cannot. Till the movement originated, the purchaser of a small plot of ground had to pay in lawyer's expenses connected with the purchase frequently as much as he paid for the plot itself. A society buys a large piece of ground. They make roads through it; they drain it; they turn it into valuable building-land; they thus raise its value; and they divide it amongst their members, not at the price at which each allotment is worth, but at the price which each allotment has cost. Being also registered under the Friendly Societies Act, the conveyance costs the purchaser generally from 25s. to 30s.; and thus a plot worth 50 pounds is often put into the fortunate allottee's hands for half that sum. Of course, different societies have different rules, but they all aim at the same end, and effect that end in pretty nearly a similar manner. Thus a member generally, if he subscribes for a share of 30 pounds, pays a shilling a-week, and a trifling sum a-quarter for expenses. With the money thus raised an estate is purchased. It is then cut up into allotments, and balloted for. If the subscriber has paid up, he, of course, takes the land, and there is an end of the matter. If he has not, the society gives him his allotment, but saddled with a mortgage. In some societies the members are served by rotation, and "first come" are "first served." The more generally-adopted plan, however, is division by ballot. There has been some doubt as to the legality of the ballot; the Conservative Society have taken the opinion of eminent counsel upon this matter, and their opinion is, that the ballot is perfectly legal. The rotation societies offer no inducements to new members to join them; so division by ballot has come to be almost the universal rule. In the National, for instance, there was a ballot daily for all subscribers of three months' standing. This has recently been altered. A ballot takes place every day, to which all are eligible whose subscriptions are paid up. If you join the National, you may go to the ballot immediately.

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Work type: Article
Author: James Ewing Ritchie
Date: 1853 CE
Language: English
Genres: Non-Fiction, History, Law, Politics, Economics
Length: 9,363 words
Structure: 9 chapters, 26 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

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Genres

Non-Fiction — This book is a factual account of the history, present position, and claims of freehold land societies.
History — This book provides an in-depth look at the history of freehold land societies.
Law — This book examines the legal implications of freehold land societies and their claims.
Politics — This book discusses the political implications of freehold land societies and their claims.