Reference
AN28/14
Title
Attested copy will of Humphrey South of Bednall [Bethnel] Green [Middlesex], merchant, formerly of Saint Olave, Hart Street, London “being in the seventy ninth year of my age … whilst I am of sound mind and memory to set my house in order before I die”:
Date free text
4 April 1715
Production date
From: 1715 To: 1716
Scope and Content
- “as to my immortal Soul I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against the Day when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe”;
- bequeathing all household goods, furniture, linen and plate, coach and coach horses and a third of the residue of his estate to his wife Elizabeth;
- “I have married my daughter Elizabeth twice” giving her “a considerable portion” each time and having given her and her husband several large sums of money “I hereby declare she hath been fully advanced and she shall have no further or other part of my Estate than I have hereinafter given unto her”;
- testator was entitled to an annuity of £14 per annum for 96 years 25 January 1695 [1696] first purchased for the life of his daughter Elizabeth and to an order for the same dated 11 June 1695 Number 438 and to a Tally relating thereto and he bequeathed annuity and tally and all money accumulating after his decease to his son Thomas upon trust to provide an annuity for Elizabeth for her life for her own separate use and after her death for division equally amongst Thomas and the testator’s sons Humphrey, Robert, Sampson, John and Joseph;
- testator was entitled to another annuity of £14 per annum for 96 years 25 January 1695 [1696] first purchased for the life of his daughter Elizabeth and to an order for the same dated 11 June 1695 Number 437 “and to a Tally relating thereto” which he bequeathed to his grandson Benjamin Grosvenor junior (son of his daughter Mary [who died in 1707]) when he became 21, if he died before that then it was bequeathed equally to testator’s sons Humphrey, Thomas, Robert, Samson, John and Joseph;
- testator was entitled to an annuity of £50 per annum for 99 years from 25 June 1708 and to an order dated 2 October 1708 Number 273 and to a tally relating and he bequeathed it to his son-in-law Benjamin Grosvenor senior [Baptist minister (1676-1758)] until Benjamin Grosvenor junior became 21 when it should pass to him but if he died before becoming 21 the annuity should remain with Benjamin Grosvenor senior;
- bequeathing £200 each to every grandchild except Benjamin Grosvenor junior;
- bequeathing to Mary Parsons Aldersgate Street, London, widow £5 per annum for her life;
- bequeathing to John Short “pastor of the congregation to which I belong” £10 and £10 to the poor of the congregation;
- bequeathing the residue of his personal estate equally to his sons Humphrey, Thomas, Robert, Samson, John and Joseph “and I do hereby recommend Union amongst them all as becomes Brethren and do pray for a Blessing upon them”;
- appointing his wife and son Humphrey as executrix and executor, if his wife were dead then his sons Humphrey and Robert to be joint executors “and my will and mind is that my said sons or either of them shall not ny being made executors of this my will be discharged of or from ant debt or debts which shall at the time of my decease be due to me from them or either of them but shall pay the same notwithstanding”;
- witnessed by Samuel Cowls and John Busby;
- proved in PCC 14 March 1715 [1716];
- examined 6 April 1765 by Robert Nicholls and William Norton, clerks to Bristow and Winterbottom of Merchant Taylors’ Hall
Level of description
item