Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    HN2/B3/22/11
  • Title
    Copy will of John Thomas Brooks of Flitwick Manor House, gentleman:
  • Date free text
    8 Dec 1858
  • Production date
    From: 1858 To: 1858
  • Scope and Content
    - all manors, advowsons, messuages, lands tenements, hereditaments and real estate of every tenure except copyhold to use of John Green of Woburn, gentleman and Samuel Swaffield of Ampthill, gentleman for 1,000 years from the date of his death without impeachment of waste upon trusts as follows: to use of wife Mary for her life not without impeachment of waste; then to use of his son John Hatfield Brooks for his life without impeachment of waste; then to Sophia Margaret [Myburgh] Brooks, his wife for life as long as she remained a widow; then to children of John Hatfield Brooks in such manner as John directs, in want of such directions to their sons according to seniority in intail general; in default of sons to use of daughters in tail general; in default of any issue to use of testator's son George Henry Brooks for his life without impeachment of waste; then to use of Louisa Brooks, his wife, for her life as long as she remained a widow; then to George’s children as he directs or to use of their sons according to seniority; in default of sons to use of daughters in tail general; in default of any issue to use of testator's son [Thomas] William Dell Brooks for his life without impeachment of waste; then to use of Harriett Elizabeth Trevor Brooks, his wife for life as long as she remained a widow; then children as directed by William or to use of their sons according to seniority; in default of sons to use of daughters in tail general; in default of any issue to use of "testator’s own right heirs"; - power for trustees to mortgage for payment of debts and legacies etc.; - personal estate not specifically bequeathed to be primary fund for payment of debts and legacies, mortgage debts charge on real estate. ; - copyhold devised as near as possible as that of freehold properties; - property in Flitwick which he held under lease to his wife Mary for the unexpired term of the lease; - family and other pictures, prints, plate, books and furniture of Flitwick Manor also all "curiosities, articles and specimens deposited in or reported to belong to my museum or repository at Flitwick"; to wife Mary for life and then to tenant for life. - live and dead farming stock and agricultural implements, linen, china, wines, spirits and other liquors, provisions, hothouse and greenhouse plants, carriages and horses, gear, harnesses etc. at Flitwick Manor to his wife Mary absolutely; - profit, interest etc. of all stocks and investments to his wife Mary, then upon trust to pay a legacies of £5,000 (+ interest of 4% from death of Mary) each to George Henry Brooks and Thomas William Dell Brooks; - under his marriage settlement of 19 Apr 1816 Flitwick Manor House and lands and fee farm rents in Flitwick and Maulden were limited after the deaths of himself and his wife to John Hatfield Brooks, George Henry Brooks and Thomas William Dell Brooks as tenants in common in tail with cross remainders between them; testator now willed that if John Hatfield Brooks does not within one year after being in possession convey his share of settled estate to the uses of this will – the devise to himself sons & daughters to be void; the legacies given to George Henry Brooks and Thomas William Dell Brooks were given on the condition that they vest their shares in the settled estate to the trustees for the uses of this will within one year of decease of widow; - John Green and Samuel Swaffield to be executors; - power for appointment of new trustees; Witnesses John Thomas Green solicitor and C P Wynter, farm bailiff. 8 Dec 1858 Codicil. Legacies as follows to those in testator’s service at the time of his death: Charles Philip Wynter, farm bailiff £19.19.0, Mr Henry Nutt, head gardener £19.19.0, Mr Joseph Swales, butler £19.19.0, Mr John Smith, coachman £5, Mrs Mary Turner, housemaid £5, Mrs Mary Newberry, cook £5. Witnesses Thomas Chapman junr surgeon of Ampthill and John Thomas Green, solicitor. 8 Dec 1858 Annotated ‘testator died 22 December 1858 will & codicil proved … 15 March 1859.’ [for probate copy see LL17/24]
  • Level of description
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