Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    HN2/B3/19/17
  • Title
    ‘A memorandum to be put with my Will John Thomas Brooks.
  • Date free text
    2 Sept 1854
  • Production date
    From: 1854 To: 1854
  • Scope and Content
    1. Having, many years ago, - after full consideration and the best legal advice – made my will so as to dispose of my property to the utmost advantage of my family, I would gladly have taken no further steps in the matter. 2. But at the close of 1850, or the commencement of 1851 my dear son John Hatfield Brooks on his marriage in India signed settlements by which he engages himself as soon as he comes into possession of my property, to “raise” the sum of £9000 for funded investment out of my Estate – this act was done by him without any reference at all, directly or indirectly, to me, and it was done absolutely and entirely without my knowledge and without my consent. 3. Had I known this engagement of his marriage settlement I could not have consented to it – because (although my anxious wish & desire would have been to have done every thing possible for me to do for him & for his wife) I am advised that the effect of it would be to disarrange my family affairs long since made and settled, and because it would seriously injure my younger children – as well as himself – and because it would greatly damage my Estate which I wish transmitted in succession without the slightest encumbrance on it by way of mortgage or otherwise. 4. For these reasons it is my express wish and earnest desire that the marriage settlement of my eldest son John Hatfield Brooks should not be carried into effect as far as my Estate is concerned to the injury or detriment of my property in any way. 5. And I therefore make this codicil (without intending to revoke my will in any part whatever) solely for the purpose of expressing my desire that the provision of my will maybe exactly carried out – the effect intended being that my dear wife Mary Brooks should have all and everything that I hoped during her life – and that after her death the whole of my property in lands and houses including the contents of the family mansion at Flitwick just as it is left – should go to my eldest son John Hatifeld Brooks and that my two younger sons George Henry Brooks and Thomas William Dell Brooks should receive all my property in money equally between them which I hope will produce for each of them £5,000. 6. As I also leave to my eldest son inheriting my land the stock and crops of my Farm in hand (worth at this time, at least £3500 it is my wish that my executors should make good from this source, if they should deem it desirable so to do, any deficiency in my younger sons portion in case any such deficiency should, at the time of my death, exist = which I do not at all anticipate - In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this second day of September 1854. ‘ Witnesses Charles Philip Wynter of Flitwick, bailiff to Mr Brooks, and James Miller of Flitwick gardener to Mr Brooks.
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