Scope and Content
Attested copy will of Thomas, 1st Baron Trevor
- Reciting: R6/7/1/1;
- appointing all lands in R6/7/1/1 to the use of Francis Cudworth Masham of Inner Temple [London], esquire and Thomas Spence of Westminster [Middlesex], gentleman during the life of his son Thomas upon trusts to preserve contingent remainders and after his death in trust for his sons successively in order of seniority;
- in default of any issue to the use of the testator’s second son John for life, to the use of Francis Cudworth Masham and Thomas Spence to preserve contingent remainders remainder to the use of his successive sons in order of seniority;
- in default of any issue to the use of the testator’s son Robert for life, to the use of Francis Cudworth Masham and Thomas Spence to preserve contingent remainders remainder to the use of his successive sons in order of seniority;
- in default of any issue to the use of the testator’s son Richard for life, to the use of Francis Cudworth Masham and Thomas Spence to preserve contingent remainders remainder to the use of his successive sons in order of seniority;
- in default of any issue to the use of the testator’s other sons, if any, for life;
- in default of any issue to the use of the testator’s nephew Thomas, son of his eldest brother John, deceased for life, to the use of Francis Cudworth Masham and Thomas Spence to preserve contingent remainders remainder to the use of his successive sons in order of seniority;
- in default of any issue to the use of the testator’s nephew Richard, son of his brother Richard, deceased for life, to the use of Francis Cudworth Masham and Thomas Spence to preserve contingent remainders remainder to the use of his successive sons in order of seniority;
- in default of any issue to the use of John, only son of the testator’s nephew John Morley Trevor, deceased for life, to the use of Francis Cudworth Masham and Thomas Spence to preserve contingent remainders remainder to the use of his successive sons in order of seniority;
- in default of any issue to the use of the heirs of the testator’s body;
- at the request of his son Thomas since the death of his wife Elizabeth left him without male heirs he had laid out £1,200 “and odd” in purchasing a house and land in East Barnet [Hertfordshire] for his son’s use in part performance of the covenant in R6/7/1/1 that he would lay out £10,000, thus leaving £8,800;
- directing that if his son Thomas accept his goods and lands in Camberwell [Surrey] in full satisfaction of the remaining £8,800 they are devised to him;
- if Thomas did not accept the land in Peckham [then a hamlet in the ancient parish of Camberwell] in satisfaction of the £8,800 then it was to be sold and the money added to his personal estate;
- any younger son or nephew in possession of his Bedfordshire lands was enabled to lease them for up to £500 to any woman as her jointure [as his eldest son had no heirs – see R6/7/1/1];
- declaring that R6/7/1/1 was made in satisfaction of the testator’s own marriage settlement on 27 May 1690 and if his sons Thomas or John refused the Bedfordshire lands they were to pass to the next potential recipient as if Thomas and John were dead;
- devising to his second son John Oyster Farm in Semley [Wiltshire];
- bequeathing to John an annuity of £14 per annum payable out of the Exchequer during the life of the testator’s son Thomas as he had helped advance] £1,000,000 towards prosecuting war against the French under William III and Mary II [the War of the Grand Alliance];
- bequeathing an annuity of £14 per annum to his daughter Anne arising from the same cause;
- bequeathing an annuity of £14 per annum to his son Richard arising from the same cause;
- bequeathing all household goods which belonged to his mother-in-law Anne Lane to his wife [Anne Bernard];
- bequeathing £5,000 to his eldest daughter Anne as her portion if she married after his death;
- bequeathing £5,000 to his youngest daughter Elizabeth as her portion if she married after his death;
- bequeathing £2,000 to his son John;
- bequeathing £2,000 to his son Robert;
- bequeathing £2,000 to his son Richard;
- reciting: the testator had recently bought from Sir Nicholas Carew of Bedington [Surrey], baronet several lands in Odell and adjoining parishes he now devised them to his son John for his life, remainder jointly to the testator’s sons Richard and Robert remainder to the testator’s son Thomas, remainder to Francis Cudworth Masham and Thomas Spence as trustees to preserve contingent remainders; remainder to Thomas’ sons in order of seniority, remainder to the sons of the testator’s son Robert in order of seniority, remainder to the sons of the testator’s son Richard in order of seniority; remainder to the sons of the testator’s son John in order of seniority;
- directing his executors to spend £12,000 on estates; a house and lands of yearly value £100 to the use of his wife for her life; remainder to their son Robert for life; remainder to their son Richard for life; the residue of the estates purchased by this money as follows: a moiety to their son Robert for life, remainder to their sons John and Richard equally for life; the other moiety to their son Richard for life remainder to their sons John and Robert equally; after the death of his wife the testator devised the whole estates so purchased to their son Thomas and his sons in order of seniority; in default a moiety to the sons of Robert in order of seniority and the other moiety to the sons of Richard in order of seniority;
- appointing his wife as guardian of their sons Robert and Richard during their minority;
- appointing as executors: his wife; his son Thomas; his brother-in-law John Borrett, esquire; his second son John and Francis Cudworth Masham;
- bequeathing £100 each to Francis Cudworth Masham and John Borrett;
- bequeathing £100 to his sister Anne Spence, widow;
- bequeathing the jewels of his late wife [Elizabeth Searle] given to his children to wear during his life to them;
- bequeathing £50 to his housekeeper Mrs. Sainte-Barbe if living with him at his death and to the rest of his servants living with him at his death a year’s wages in addition to those due;
- bequeathing his study of books to his son John;
- bequeathing his chambers at Inner Temple to his son John;
- bequeathing half his Peckham household goods to his wife and half to his son Thomas but half his plate was bequeathed to his wife for her life and the other half, as well as his wife’s half on her death, to Thomas; and except “the furniture and goods in my wife’s closet and such pictures and books as are usually kept there” which he bequeathed to her solely;
- bequeathing all jewels worn by his wife to her and his best coach and four to be chosen by her;
- bequeathing £1,000 to his wife;
- bequeathing to his wife £600 “formerly put out on Bonds from the East India Company though the security for the same should be changed”;
- bequeathing his peers’ robes and robes worn at the coronation of George I to his son Thomas ;
- bequeathing all household goods except plate at Bromham to his son Thomas;
- bequeathing £100 to his God-daughter, daughter of his brother Richard, deceased;
- bequeathing £100 each to his daughters-in-law Anne and Mary Bernard;
- bequeathing “the diamond ring I usually wear” to his son Thomas;
- bequeathing his ring set with a green stone and silver toothpick case “with my seal on it” to his son John;
- bequeathing his gold snuff and brass sphere “made by Mr. Glynne” to his son John;
- bequeathing his walnut “scrutore” with looking glass “that stands in my study next the garden at Peckham” and a pair of globes to his son Richard;
- bequeathing £20 to each of his children to buy mourning;
- devising newly purchased lands in Biddenham and Stagsden to his son Thomas, remainder as the Bromham estates in R6/7/1/1 subject to charges below;
- reciting the Curate of Biddenham was entitled to a stipend of £8 per annum and the testator had allowed him a further £12 per annum which he charged on his Bromham lands (“provided a further increase of Tenn punds per Ann for the same purpose can be obtained from the Commissioners for the Bounty of the late Queen for augmenting small Vicarages and Curacies”);
- bequeathing £10 each to Stagsden, Biddenham and Bromham for distribution to the poor;
- bequeathing £20 to “my Cousin Bowden’s son who is Clerk to Mr. Brockett”;
- bequeathing £200 to his granddaughter (daughter of his son Thomas) to be paid at marriage or age 21 whichever came first;
- bequeathing £10 to the poor of Camberwell;
- devising the rectory and tithes of Bromham, held by lease from the provost and fellows of Eton College to the same uses as his Bromham estates in R6/7/1/1;
- “since I have in my hands” £800 of his daughters-in-law Anne and Mary Bernard he directed it be paid to them, the interest being used for their education;
- bequeathing £500 to his brother Richard’s son Richard;
- bequeathing the residue of his personal estate equally to his sons John, Robert and Richard;
- desiring to be buried in the chancel at Bromham “in the most private manner” and for his executors to erect a monument not exceeding £200 in value;
- willing that if Thomas did not except the lands in Camberwell £8,800 be laid out in purchasing estates as in R6/7/1/1;
- witnesses: Edward Bangham; Henry Barnes junior; John Grubb;
- attested by James Parfitt and A. Hodgson, clerks to Horne & Rogers of Lincoln’s Inn Fields [Middlesex on 4 August 1814