Scope and Content
Probate of Will granted to Samuel Whitbread, esquire
will of Samuel Whitbread of Cardington, the place of my birth, and of Bedwell Park, Hertfordshire
to be interred in the same vault with my 2 wives
all my estate except that in a marriage settlement of 1788 (W3315) and those parts of the brewhouse
and appurtenances as are freehold to my son in law James Gordon junior of More Place, Hertfordshire,
and my nephews Jacob Whitbread of Lowdham Park, Suffolk and John Wingate Jennings of Harlington, esquire
in trust for son Samuel Whitbread for life and then for grandson William Henry Whitbread, and his heirs
male for want of such heirs, then to heirs male, successively, of grandson James Adam Gordon, other sons
of daughter Harriot and James Gordon, sons of daughter Emma Maria Elizabeth Lady St. John and Lord St. John,
except their eldest son, sons of daughter Mary Grey, and then to heirs female of the above, then to Jacob
Whitbread, and John Wingate Jennings and their heirs
if any female inherits the estate then her husband is to take the name Whitbread within a year of such
inheritance or it is to be void
if Jacob Whitbread inherits then £20,000 is to be raised and paid to John Wingate Jennings; if John Wingate
Jennings inherits then £20,000 to be paid to my niece Elizabeth, wife of Sir Thomas Miller, baronet
- leasehold of rectories of Cardington and Shillington to said trustees, in trust as before
power of sale, purchase and exchange, except for estates in Bedfordshire and Thurrock, Essex
power to grant leases of not more than 21 years
my reversion of the settled estates to son Samuel Whitbread and then to grandson William Henry Whitbread, in trustees
- brewhouse in St. Giles without Cripplegate and St. Lukes, Middlesex,
and buildings and appurtenances, part freehold & part leasehold;
the freehold and the leasehold (the cooperage buildings and 18 dwelling houses I have lately built
adjacent to my brewhouse), and all my stock in trade and household goods in my dwelling house next the brewery:
to Samuel Green the elder for many years my principal brewer, and Jacob Yallowley and Robert Sangster, my
principal and confidential clerks, in trust for my son Samuel Whitbread to carry on the business and to convey
it to son Samuel Whitbread when he requests it, and then to grandson William Henry Whitbread
- the leasehold house in Portman Square to son Samuel Whitbread
to daughter Mary Grey a tontine which cost £500 secured by the Irish Parliament
to grandaughter Elizabeth Whitbread 1,000 guineas at 21 or marriage
to grandson William Henry Whitbread 1,000 guineas at 21
to daughter Harriot Gordon 1,000 guineas a year after my death
to son in law James Gordon junior 1,000 guineas 2 years after my death
to grandson James Adam Gordon 1,000 guineas at 21
to grandaughter Anna Maria Gordon 1,000 guineas at 21 or marriage
to daughter Emma Maria Elizabeth Lady St. John an annuity of 100 guineas
as an addition to her pin money and £500 for mourning for herself and her children
to son in law Lord St. John £1,000 he owes me on a bond dated 14 July 1790; and as he also owes me by various bonds
a total of £10,000, these bonds to my trustees to be called in and invested in securities, to be used for the
education of the children of Lord and Lady St. John till they are 21 or married, and the residue to said children
to sister Elizabeth Jennings £5,000
to nephew Jacob Whitbread £5,000
to brother William Hayton and sister Lucy Hayton, niece Lady M[iller] and friend Joseph Leeds, esquire, 200 guineas each
to Thomas Shewell Bailward, esquire and his eldest son of Bradford, Wiltshire, 100 guineas, and to T.W.B. a picture in enamel
of my late friend and partner Thomas Shewell, esquire, his uncle
to my friends Mr. Docra and Mr. Haskins 50 guineas each
to my godson John Wescombe 50 guineas at 21 to purchase books for his library
to godson Samuel Hinde a bond of £100 with interest due to me from his brother Peter Hinde
to godson Samuel Warneford now a student at Edinburgh, £500 to finish his education as a physician, to be paid by my son
on the advice of my friend James Penrose of Hatfield, surgeon, in 5 years, as I think he will continue to merit my
protection and prove a very valuable member of that profession
to godson Samuel Rogers now a surgeon at Hendon, Middlesex 20 guineas for mourning
to godson Jamuel [?Samuel] Jepp of Shillington 50 guineas to be disposed of as my son shall think best for his use
to the faithful clerks in my brewhouse, Samuel Green senior, Jacob Yallowley and Robert Sangster, David Jennings,
500 guineas each
to Elijah Price, Thomas Phillips 200 guineas each
to Samuel Green junior, William Hodgson and Edward Brown 100 guineas each
to John Shepherd, John Andrews, Samuel Morlidge and Thomas Docker 50 guineas each
to the boy Samuel Sloper 20 guineas
to my private clerk Abraham Harman 500 guineas
to John Thompsom my bailiff at Cardington £50
to William Barnes junior my bailiff at Bedwell £30 and to his father £10
to my butler John Chrimes £100
to my servant John Shepherd £20
to all my other family servants 1 years wages each
to all my old servants in the brewhouse that Messrs. Green, Yallowley and Sangster approve of 1 or 2 guineas
to Mr. Delafield many years my clerk and Mr. Maysey son of my late friend Broughton Maysey 100 guineas each for mourning
to the rector of Essendon 20 guineas, and the poor of the same 20 guineas
to my poor friend and neighbour William Eckelso 20 guineas
to my son Samuel Whitbread a silver box inclosed in a rosewood box with papers therein which I esteem of great value
and which I beg him to keep in the family
residue to son Samuel Whitbread who is executor with nephew Jacob Whitbread
executors for trade Samuel Green senior, Jacob Yallowley and Robert Sangster
witnesses. Thomas Tompson
John Shepheard servant to Mr. Whitbread
Peter Earnshaw, Red Cross Street, London
24 June 1795
Codicils to will of Samuel Whitbread
1. if my son Samuel Whitbread wishes to sell the trade and Jacob Yallowley, Robert Sangster and Samuel Green junior
wish to purchase he is to give them credit to enable them to do so, no one to have more than 1/3 of it,
and total limit of loan of £100,000
witnesses. as before
24 June 1795
2. to Treasurer of the charity schools for boys and girls in St. Lukes, Middlesex, £500 for said 2 schools
to Treasurer of Middlesex Hospital, St. Marylebone
£1,000 to be invested and used for the benefit of the patients in the ward particularly appropriate for the
cure of cancerous disorders, residue for any other hospital purpose
to Treasurer of the City of London lying-in Hospital in St. Luke, Middlesex, £500
to Treasurer of ancient Hospital called Bethlem, London, £500 for use of charity for poor lunatics
to Treasurer of St. Bartholomews Hospital, London, where my brewhouse servants have very often had relief, £1,000
to Treasurer of Smallpox Hospital, St. Pancras, Middlesex, £500
to Treasurer of St. Georges Hospital, Hyde Park Corner, £500
to Treasurer of Swifts Hospital for Lunatics in Dublin, £300
to Treasurer for Simpsons Hospital, Dublin, for the blind and gouty £300
as there is no hospital in Bedford for the sick and lame as there are in Northampton and Leicester, £8,000 to son
Samuel Whitbread and nephews Jacob Whitbread and John Wingate Jennings in trust;
when it is agreed to build a hospital in Bedford £4,000 to be given for building it and £4,000 for its use;
but if a hospital is not built within 7 years of my death, then trustees to use the money for some other charitable purpose
The Gaol in Bedford is in a deplorable condition and the late Mr. Howard wished to persuade the proprietors of land there
to build a new one, and plans have been made; I believe an Act for that purpose will be obtained; £500 to same trustees
to be used after an Act is passed toward building a new gaol
to Mary Shewell, daughter of late William Jolliffe Shewell and wife Mary, of Surlington [?Surlingham], Norfolk, 50 guineas per annum
to be spent weekly on her maintenance as my executor directs until she is 21, and then she is to have £500
to John Belsham an additional annuity of £10 per annum, and to his 2 sisters Ann and Elizabeth Belsham 50 guineas each
to Thomas Hensman of Bedford £80 per annum; to his daughter Miss Hensman 100 guineas at 21 or marriage,
and I recommend my son to help in apprenticing his 2 sons:
all the last 7 persons are grandchildren or great grandchildren of my late friend Thomas Woodward esquire
to Mrs. Mary Nesbit £100 per annum to assist her in the support of my later brother's children, and I recommend my son to be her friend
to Elizabeth, Charlotte, Emily and Georgina Mason, daughters of John Mason of Bath and wife Elizabeth, £100 each
to my friend Reverend Thomas Clarkson 50 guineas
to Reverend Mr. Murgatroyd curate of Ashwell 50 guineas
to Reverend Mr. Wilkinson curate of Shillington 50 guineas for his particular attention to poor children of that parish
to my private clerk Abraham Harman a further 400 guineas
to my late servant John Emmott £10 per annum
2 of my Sierra Leone shares to my grandson James Adam Gordon and 2 more to his sister M.E.
to my friend Peter Earnshaw 50 guineas
- estates at Ludhill [?Ludwell], Wiltshire, and Herne and Buckland, Kent to son Samuel Whitbread free of all trusts, to sell
- estate at Shillington: provided it shall not be thought expedient to renew the lease of the Rectory of Shillington
in view of the exorbitant rent demanded by Trinity College Cambridge, power to sell the Shillington estate and
invest in other lands in Bedfordshire
witnesses. as before
24 June 1795
3. all outstanding mortgages and charges on estates purchased of George Lord Viscount Torrington to be discharged
out of personal estate
witnesses. as before
13 July 1795
4. to son Samuel Whitbread and trustees of Cardington almshouses £500 to invest in securities, to pay out of the interest
£10 per annum for a Sunday School in Cardington for the children of the poorest people there; residue to provide
clothing at Christmas for the poor inhabitants of the almshouses
to Samuel Whitbread and successors as owners of the manor of Cardington £300 to invest, income to provide a warm suit
of clothing at Christmas for 4 poor persons living in 4 houses I have lately rebuilt on the south side of
Shillington church
to son Samuel Whitbread, rector of Essendon, Hertfordshire and one other substantial inhabitant of Essendon, as trustees,
£533..6s..8d 3% reduced Bank annuities, producing £16 per annum: £10 per annum to be spent on bread
- 16 quartern loaves to be distributed to the poor of Essendon on 15 Sundays in the year following the 10 Sundays
when Mrs. Meliora Priestley's gift is distributed, and if £10 is not enough then loaves of inferior quality are to
be bought; the remaining £6 is to be paid to the Rector of Essendon on New Years Day, provided he has administered
the sacrament 8 times in the year (the sacrament having usually been administered 4 times) without any further expense
to the parish
to the trustees of the Old Meeting House, Bedford, £500 to buy 3% Consols, and the interest to buy 24 quartern loaves
of plain bread to be given to 24 poor people of the said meeting after divine service every Sunday morning from
October to May
to my friend Mr Penrose £50
to my friend and neighbour Mr. Gaufett 20 guineas
to Dr. Stevens 20 guineas
I forgive to Mr. Thomas Smith of Bedford £100 and interest he owes me
to my friend Mr. Berry £50
to Mrs. Nesbitt £100 to put out her nephew apprentice
to Mr. David Jennings £100 to put out Mr. Hensman's son apprentice
to Mr. Elijah Price £100 to help release Mr. Robert Young from prison
to my servant Thomas Thompson £100
to my servant John Shepherd £50 more
witnesses. as before
13 July 1795
5. £10,000 due from son in law Lord St. John vested in trustees for benefit of children of Lord and Lady St. John
to be increased by £2,400 due on 2 further bonds from Lord St. John
witnesses. as before
13 July 1795
6. to James Berry 100 guineas more
to my servant Thomas Thompson late servant to Mr. Howard an annuity of £40 per annum
to my servant John Shepherd an annuity of £20 per annum
witnesses. George Wood, Peter Earnshaw
19 November 1795
7. to my housekeeper at the brewhouse £100 more
4 December 1795
8. to Mrs. York, my housekeeper at Portman Square 20 guineas
to Samuel Rogers of Hendon £20
12 December 1795
9. £1,000 due from Lord St. John and bequeathed to him is conditional on his giving a security to trustees
for payment of the monies due on the other bonds
28 December 1795
sworn testimony of Robert Sangster and Peter Earnshaw that codicils 7-9 are in hand of Samuel Whitbread
22 June 1796
proved Prerogative Court of Canterbury
28 June 1796