A REMARKABLE ROMANCE IN HUMBLE LIFE.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 62, 11 August 1874, Page 3

A REMARKABLE ROMANCE IN HUMBLE LIFE.

Sir George Jessel, Master of the Rolls, has just decided a remarkable case which has excited great interest in Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and other counties. The result is that a poor blind man, living in an obscure house in Spring Lane, Sheffield, succeeds to the title and estates of Carnfield Hall, and other properties situate in the counties of Derby and Notts. The plaintiff was a man named Browne, commonly known as “ Blind Browne,” whose wife kept a small shop in Spring Lane ; and he claimed to be the direct descendant of Sir Thomas Revell, who was in the reign of Edward I. high sheriff of the county of Warwick. The details of the pedigree are too complicated to be given here ; but it may be stated that the argument of counsel on both sides was of the greatest interest, and occupied the attention of the Court for a long time. So clear did it seem that the Master of the Rolls did not even call upon Mr Chitty, Q.C., w'ho appeared for the plaintiff, to reply. Indeed, the defence was limited to the argument that the plaintiff’s claim was made too late, and was, therefore, barred by the statute of limitations. The Court has decided for the plaintiff. The estates are said to be worth £40,000 a year. Browne has two sons and one daughter, who is married to a member of the legal firm who instructed counsel in his behalf. Browne has not always been blind, the affliction having settled upon him during recent years. It is rather singular that, now that he has been successful, he will never see his grand mansion and his broad acres, which arc at present held by a family named Radford.