Sir Andrew Chadwick from Godley

Sir Andrew Chadwick – And The Great Chancery Claim.

Sir Andrew Chadwick was born in 1688 in humble circumstances in Godley, he went to London in search of a fortune, and just like Dick Whittington he found it…. BIG STYLE. 

He became very wealthy indeed, he was Knighted and died in 1768 without issue, whereupon his estate fell into the hands of the Chancery Court.  The value of his estate was millions… It was thought to comprise one-half of Regents Circus, London, all Golden Square as well as property around St Pancras. There was something like 1,100 houses on the different estates.

Sir Andrew’s wife, Dame Margaret Chadwick died in 1763 and left everything that she had to her husband.  Sir Andrew died 5 years later at his residence in Regents Park, on the 15^th of March 1768… he was 80 years old. One report stated the following  “Sir Andrew Chadwick, Knight, the oldest of the band of gentlemen pensioners.” 

Reports in the New York Times from August 1892, tell of the efforts of a claim on they believed was a $187,000,000 fortune was met with resistance… many English Lawyers and Agents were getting income from this estate and did not want to lose it the papers said. One lawyer who was instructeday since they were packed away there all those long years ago to lodge a claim disappeared, barristers would not take up the fight… For more than 100 years, we are told, the court and this bank (Bank of England) have held this enormous accumulation.  All this time, the Press says, “the lands and houses and the wealth of old Sir Andrew Chadwick have fattened on themselves within that seventh gate of legal Hades, the English Court of Chancery. In the vaults of the Bank of England are massive chests and trunks, containing untold wealth of massive plate and jewels which have never seen the light of day.

So if you have stopped by here today looking for any reference to your ancestors called Chadwick's who came from Godley,  and you had no idea of the vast wealth you may or may not be entitled to..... please remember where you read this.

 Updated 26/09/11

The money is real, the property houses ect were all claimed by desendants of the Chadwick family  of Carter Place, Haslingdon, Lancashire. 

The name Sir Andrew Chadwick can be found on the rolls of the Honourable Band of Gentlmen Pensioners- ( Queen Ann,s personal body guards )

There is a theory that a Ralph or Radalphus Chadwick of Godley,  Mottram in Longdendale was his father- records held at Cheshire Records Office, Chester.

Sir Andrew died 1768, address was – Broad Street,Westminster.  Ref, Public Records Office / Proceedings of the Court of Chancery.

Information sent in by Sidney Easton