James Coulton
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It is somewhat of a mystery as to why John James Coulton became owner of the manor of Charmouth. He appears to have been a successful Solicitor and Farmer living at Pentney, just outside Kings Lynn. He was elected three times as County Councilor for Norfolk and succeeded his father of the same name as Clerk to the Guardians of the Kings Lynn Union in 1840. His son Richard Calthrop Coulton continued in the same post in 1899. There is a photograph of him with a long straggly beard taken in 1901 when he would have been 83 years of age. He purchased the Manor from Sir John Hawkshaw on the 29th January 1873 after its failure to sell in the Auction five years before. It must have been a drain on his resources as the main asset was the Cement Works, which was never reopened and was left empty. A tenant farmer would have paid him little for the 60 acres of land. He did try in 1898 to develop a section of it in Higher Sea Lane, by offering for sale 55 small plots of land with permission to build a house on. Unfortunately for him there were few takers and in 1904 he tried again to sell the balance of 28 plots at Auction. This time no one turned up and he had to withdraw them.
Frustrated by his inability to get a return on his investment he manages to get a buyer for the remainder of the Manor in Alfred Capper Pass, a wealthy businessman from Bristol. Shortly after his death in 1908 his children sell his Charmouth property to the son, Alfred Douglas Pass,

 

 
John James Coulton (1818-1908)
The 1880 Directory for Charmouth showing John James Coulton as the Lord of the Manor
1898 Auction Catalogue Map of part of Charmouth Manor
1904 Auction Catalogue Map of part of Charmouth Manor
1898 Auction Poster for part of Charmouth Manor
1904 Auction Poster for part of Charmouth Manor
The Offices of J.J. Coulton in Historic King Street, Kings Lynn in Norfolk. A number of Solicitors still have offices here today. A record of J.J. Coulton`s transactions.
Charmouth Foreshore Acts of Ownership by John James Coulton 1871June1st License to W E Duncan for 6 years from 24th June 1871 1873 Aug 18 Lease to same for 10 years from 24June 1873 Both the above stake the boundaries 1875 July 17 Agreement for purchase with William Long Wrey 1880 Feb 22 License to Robert Hunter to use bathing machines 1885 May 15 Lease to Robert Hunter 1891 Sept 2 License to H.E.Wild to erect and use a bathing Tent 1896 Nov Poor Rates receipts Buildings and Foreshore 1895-6 Property Tax receipts as owner and occupiers of building and foreshore. 1883 Nov 9 Land tax Redemption, Map, Porters Letters, Map of Beach
A close up of the 1898 Auction Catalogue Map of Higher Sea Lane Estate.

The Cement Works about 1890 showing the building boarded up with Robert Hunter`s Bathing Machines and Wagon outside.