Dairyman Rents Castle and Estate

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6667, 21 July 1928, Page 3 (Supplement)

Dairyman Rents Castle and Estate

a debtor who was said to have renteid a castle and 2,500 acres of Shooting, appeared in Bath Bankruptcy Court recently. The mfm, Geoffrey James Playfair Pitchford, a farmer and dairyman, of Colernei i (Wiltshire) and Bath, and / formerly of Flint, Hockwold (Suffolk), Folkestone, Isle of Wight and Newport.'(Pembroke) i was in charge of an escort of two warders. He was stated by the Official Receiver to be at. prfesent undergoing sentence of a year and eight months’ imprisonment for obtaining credit without disclosing that he was an un- , discharged bankrupt. Fitch ford’s liabilities were £6,742, with ap ; estimated deficiency of

£4,167.; Asked whether he was adjudged bankrupt.at Chester in March, 1909, while living at Flint in the name of De'- Pitchford, the man replied that it- had Cost him three years and £60,000 to deny that bankruptcy. r ANOTHER BANKRUPTCY. With .regard to bankruptcy proceedings against him at Shrewsbury ju. 1921,, -When liabilities were £5,092,

v Bankruptcy “Specialist”

Pitchford said he thought his discharge had gone through, otherwise he would not be in the position he now was in. \

He admitted that since 1923 he had taken Newport .Castle, Newport Pembroke, for two years, with 2,500 acres of shooting.- , Questioned regarding the purchase, in the name of Playfair, of Christmas Hall Farm, Hockwold, Suffolk, he said he valued it at £2,000, and would be surprised to hear that the bank from which he obtained a loan would consider themselves lucky if they could obtain £SOO for it. Pitchford admitted that in June, 1926, without any capital, he entered into a contract to purchase Buncombe Farm, Colerne, Wiltshire, for £4,700. With regard to an attempt which he made in 1924, to purchase Hazel Manor, Compton Martin, Somerset, for £16,000, Pitchford declared he was acting for' a firm of timber merchants.

The Official Receiver reported that the owner brought an action *pr recission of the contract and possession, '