At this point, the relationships between the persons mentioned in the documents and the property become increasingly confusing. Hannah Sadler appeared back on the scene and on 12th February 1823, leased the property for a year to Charles Hough, son of the former John James Hough. The following day, the property was released to him, for a peppercorn rent.
Charles was a stationer and printer like his father. He was made a freeman of the city of Gloucester in July 1805. John James Hough had died on 1st December 1821 leaving his estate to his youngest son, Arthur, according to the custom of Borough English. But Arthur died on 12th January 1822 having left a will leaving his estate to his brother Charles Hough. At some point in his career, Charles set up a partnership with Thomas Jew but this was dissolved in 1829.
Around this time, Charles moved to Monmouth where he established a partnership with Reginald J Blewitt, and purchased the Monmouthshire Merlin Newspaper from T A Stinson, the first edition of which appeared in May 1829.
Charles Hough was presumably not a very good businessman as he was made bankrupt in 1831; the partnership with Blewitt did not survive Charles’ bankruptcy and he left the newspaper business.
Less than two weeks after the Westgate Street property was transferred to Charles Hough, on 25th February, a mortgage for securing £550 was issued on the premises between James Abell, gentleman, his mother Ann Abell and his sisters, Ann, Maria and Caroline Abell. Was the property sold off because of Charles’ bankruptcy? There is mention in the documents of Elizabeth Martin and Thomas, her son, who inherited the property in the will of Thomas Martin, senior, in 1812, but there is no mention of Charles Hough!
James Abell inherited the property from his father according to the custom of Borough English. James believed that the house, etc., was intended for his mother and his sisters and was willing to fulfil his father’s wishes but his mother preferred to have an annuity of £27 10s and the sisters wished to share the sum of £550.