Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    X168/68
  • Title
    Probate of Alexander Leith of Bedford, clerk
  • Date free text
    14 Feb 1727/8; proved 24 Apr 1739
  • Production date
    From: 1727 To: 1739
  • Scope and Content
    "I most humbly commend my soul..." to wife Martha, executrix, for life income from estate called Frailleys Field, Ravensden, in occupation of Thomas Risely also to wife Martha a farmhouse in Kempston in occupation of William Holmes; 9 acres arable; 3 acres meadow in East Mead; 2 closes; lately purchased of Thomas Bolton of St Albans, salesman; to be sold for funeral expenses also a tenement in Fenlake in occupation of Hanscombe; a cottage in Harrowden in occupation of Richard Kilburn; with 8 acres dispersed in the common fields of Harrowden, Fenlake and Eastcotts in Cardington; out of this she is to pay 10s per annum to the vicar of St Paul's for a sermon on Good Friday, according to the will of late sister-in-law Mary Reddall; residue to be settled on the teaching of 20 poor children in the parishes of St Paul and St Cuthbert; the master shall be "sound in his principles according to the religion established in the Church of England, sober in his morals, duely qualified for learning, temper and industry for teaching the poor and forming their minds to good discipline and honest manners, and particularly to serious and decent behaviour in divine worship, and that they may be well taught to read English, to write, to understand the church catechism, to meet duely at school every Sunday before morning and evening service, and to come decently in a body with their master to the public worship of Almighty God, and devotedly to join in his service and to be ready to repeat the church catechism in the public congregation when they be thereunto called, and that they be well trained up in such Christian manner as to make them fit to be honest and industrious servants and labourers and peaceable subjects according to the laudable intention of the said benefactress who bequeathed £210 to the charity above-mentioned and committed to my care the settling of the same"; as also did Letitia Haws, late of Covent Garden, who bequeathed £30 "both which sums have been within £5 laid out in paying for the said purchase". The said remainder, with about £25 given by another charitable hand "to augment the school's endowment" to son-in-law Reverend Dr Philip Oddy silver-headed Brazil cane to daughter Oddy a £5 piece of gold to kinsman James Whiteman £5 to buy a handsome plain brass candlestick for the pulpit one guinea given by Edward Field, schoolmaster, "in case I have not opportunity in my life" to buy coats for the children in the charity school £5 of which Mrs Launder, widow, gave 50s witnesses: S Hervey, Elizabeth Nelson, Mary Crouch 14 Feb 1727/8 proved 24 Apr 1739
  • Level of description
    item
Hierarchy browser