lol everyone!
OC, Joseph Grout must have 'adopted' James Williams a long time before James married, if he paid for his education, so I think there's some chance there was some sort of blood tie! Sadly I have not been able to find any legitimate children for Joseph Grout in order to discover his whereabouts when James Williams was born.
Jess, I agree there's no mention of Joseph grout in the history of Tring Park. I think he was there before the Rothschilds got hold of it.
Mary, I added the brother of Elizabeth Grout to my tree yesterday (Joseph 1816), but hadn't researched him yet. OH will want him to be a relative if he was a cricketer! lol I just looked at the connection to The Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal - doesn't seem it did Fanny any good as she died soon after.
Phoenix, I will only investagate land tax stuff if these people turn out to be my relatives, as I don't know that yet!