Title
Extracted copy from the Registry of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury of the will of Charles Higgins of the parish of Saint Stephen, Coleman Street, London, grocer. The will was made 15th May 1792 and proved at London 10th January 1793.
Gives to his cousin Bartholomew Higgins of Weston Underwood of Weston Underwood, his estates and farm at Turvey known as Pixhill in the occupation of [ ] Allbone and Elderswell in the occupation of [ ] Pearson comprising 454/3/14 being lot 5 in Mr. Skinner's sale of Lord Peterborough's land on 22 November 1786.
Gives to his niece Sarah Higgins of Weston Underwood for life, his half of the great tithes of Turvey, remainder to his nephew John Higgins of Weston Underwood in fee.
Gives to his niece Sarah Higgins his leasehold house at Weston and £4000.
Gives to his nephew John Higgins the remainder of his estates and possessions at Turvey and his lands on the other side of the river in Buckinghamshire, reciting that he has purchased [estate; ?all that given here] from the Hon. Lord Peterborough in November 1786 for upwards of £16000 (which he paid him in bank notes by the hands of the testator's attorney George Pitt Hurst of Newport Pagnell) and - after explaining how he has come to mistrust Hurst whom he feels has retained documentary evidence of title relating to this purchase, although he denies the same - declares that if Hurst has any signed instruments in the testator's favour, then it was not his intention that this should be so.
Gives to his cousin Simeon Warner now living in Deptford Road all his freehold estates in Sussex known by the name of Hainswards [?] Place Farm with the water cornmill and the lands on the other side of the river subject to payment to his son Jacob Warner of £1000 and to his daughter Mary Warner £1500 on her 21st birthday or sooner if she marries with the consent of her father.
Gives as follows:
- to his brother Thomas Higgins of Weston Underwood £5000.
- to his cousin Ann Varnham, wife of John Varnham, £3000.
- to John Varnham, husband of the above named Ann Varnham, £1000.
- to Ann the daughter of John and Ann Varnham, £1500.
- to Mary the daughter of John and Ann Varnham, £1500.
- to George the son of John and Ann Varnham, £2000.
- to the other children of John and Ann Varnham, £4000 to be vested in public funds the interest of which is to be the property of their father John Varnham during their minority, payable upon attaining their majority.
- to his niece Ann Greaves, wife of John Greaves, of Mark[?] Lane £4000.
- to John Greaves, husband of niece Ann Greaves, £1000.
- to Ann the daughter of John and Ann Greaves, £1000.
- to Sarah, another daughter, £1000
- to the other children of John and Ann Greaves, £3000 to be 'placed out or vested in' some of the public funds and to be divided amongst them as they attain the age of 21 years, the interest during their minority to be the property of their father and in other respects to be disposed of in the same manner as the money given to John and Ann Varnham's children.
- to his cousin John Higgins of Turvey, £1000.
- to the Governors of the hospital of Bethlem, £1000 for the use of the said hospital.
- to the Governors of the London Hospital in White Chapel Road, £1000 for the use of the said hospital.
- to the Minister and Churchwardens of the Parish of Turvey, £1000 in trust that they invest the same in the public funds, his nephew John Higgins and his cousin John Higgins to be Trustees, the interest to be annually laid out in clothing for twenty poor women of the Parish of Turvey for ever in the month of December.
- to the Minister, Churchwardens and Overseers of the Parish of Weston Underwood, £500 to be placed out on government security in trust, the interest to be annually laid out in December for clothing for ten poor women of Weston Underwood.
- to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Parish of Turvey, £300 to be laid out in government security and the interest to be paid to any person who shall and will 'diligently' instruct the children belonging to the Sunday school to read, but on the proviso that other subscribers will make up the salary to the schoolmaster to £20 per annum, but in case of neglect or failure in the Parish of Turvey making up the sum of twenty pounds as before directed the legacy to be revoked and the residue to sink into his effects.
- to the Reverend Mr. Ormondson, late curate of Crosthwaite near Keswick in Cumberland, £200.
- to the Reverend Mr. Hurst of Newton Blossomfield in Buckinghamshire, £500.
- the five daughters of Rev. Mr. Hurst, £500 to be shared equally between them.
- to the Reverend Mr. Twigg, minister of Saint Stephen Coleman Street, £100.
- to the Reverend Mr. Newton of Coleman Street Buildings, £100.
- to Phillapina Bullen, now living with Mrs. Higgins in Fore[?] Street, £1000.
- to the Reverend Joseph Hall of Bartlow[?], £1000.
- to his maid Mary Mitchell, if living with him at the time of his death, £500.
- to his man Richard Wood if living with him at his decease, £300.
- to his cousin Joseph Warner of Rood Lane, grocer, £1000.
- to Mrs Warner, the wife of his cousin Joseph, £1000.
- to his cousin Ann Kilpin [?] of Northampton, £200.
- to 'old' William Higgins of Emberton, Buckinghamshire, £100.
- to his godson Frampton, son of his late friend William Frampton of Leadenhall Street, £500 to be at the disposal of his mother Harriet Frampton.
- to his goddaughter, Mary Ann Le Messurier, £500 to be at the disposal of Mrs. Paul de Messurier.
- to his old friend Mark Cramer an annuity £100 to be paid every six months during his life with the first payment due one month after Higgins's demise.
- to Mrs. Ann Thompson, relict of his late friend Robert Thompson, £200.
- to Mrs Hinton who used to live with his neighbour Hall, but now lives with her mother somewhere about Whitechapel Church, an annuity during her life of £20, the first payment to be made one month after his decease.
- to John Wolley who is living with him in the capacity of book keeper, £500.
- to the men and maid servants living with him at London Wall and at Turvey, £10 each for mourning.
- to all his friends that his executor thinks he would wish to have, a common mourning ring.
Wills that his executor may withhold the payment of any of the legacies for up to 5 years at their discretion paying at the rate of four percent in the first year after his decease and five percent for each year after; and recommends that all sums under one thousand pounds and those to charitable institutions or to those where a match is descending are paid.
Gives the residue of his possessions to his cousin Thomas Higgins of London Wall, grocer, whom he appoints as executor.
Witnesses to the will: John Bowman, William Allen, Stephen Shere, Jacob Warner.
Probate: London, 10th January 1793 [PCC]
An inscription at the foot dated 6 July 1795 refers to an action in the Common Pleas between Richard Roe on the demise of John Harper Stokes, plaintiff, and John Higgins and [ ] the younger, defendant, at which this office copy of the will was allowed to be read as evidence to support the defendant's title to the premises in question. Signed by W Townsend of Staple Inn, attorney for the lessor of the plaintiff.