The horrific history of the Habgoods of Latton, London and Cricklade

[judith...@googlemail.com]

Hello, I'm new to this group. I wondered whether anyone might be
interested in the horrific story of one branch of the Habgood family
of Latton, London, Cricklade, and several nearby villages. The story
involves suicide, the inheritance of a large fortune by three young
children, terrible family quarrels, a court case in Chancery which
lasted for ten years, seduction, bigamy, bankruptcy, imprisonment,
elopement with a ward of Chancery, illegal marriage, more
imprisonment, almost certainly a murder, election to Parliament, the
insolvency of the bank owned by the MP, eviction from a manor house,
possibly another suicide, and death in the workhouse. The story
starts with William Habgood and his wife Mary (whose 1803 grave at
Latton is a listed building), describes the incredible life and death
of his two daughters, and also his son Thomas Habgood, who was
Cricklade's first veterinary surgeon, who is also buried in Latton,
and has 2 church windows to commemorate him. In all this, the
Habgoods were the innocent party; the perpetrator of much of this
horror was an MP, JP, and owner of two manor houses.

If you are interested, the story can be read at http://habgood.no-ip.org/habgood

All best wishes
Judith Habgood-Everett
judith...@googlemail.com