Aspects of Kentish Local History

Wills of Rochester Shipwrights 1652 - 1837
Prerogative Court of Canterbury (P.C.C.) Wills  (Pre 1858)

William COCKERELL 1731

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN
I WILLIAM COCKERELL of the City of Rochester in the County of Kent Shipwright being sick and weake in body but of sound and disposing memory and understanding (praised be God for the same) do make publish and declare that this is my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following (that is to say) Imp. I give and bequeath unto my loveing Wife SUSANNA COCKERELL her Executors Administrators and assigns all and every my personal Estate (be the same or consisting of) ready money rings plate jewels household goods and utensils and implements of household debts due to me from the King's Majesty or any other person or persons Government Annuities stock in any of the Trading Companies of Great Brittaine or of any other nature or kind whatsoever Upon Trust and Confidence that she my said Wife shall and doe for so longtime of her natural life as she my said Wife shall continue a widow and unmarried maintaine and keepe my two blind children PETER and ELIZABETH And immediately after the decease or marriage of my said Wife which shall first happen Then in Trust that she my said Wife her Executors Administrators or Assignes shall pay or cause to be paid unto each of my three Sons WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER and BENJAMIN respectively and to their respective Executors Administrators and Assignes the sume of fifty pounds of lawful money of Great Brittaine apiece Upon Trust and Confidence And my will is that they my said son WILLIAM and his said brother CHRISTOPHER COCKERELL and the survivor of them and his Executors and Administrators of such survivor shall as soon after they have received the said sume of one hundred and fifty pounds as conveniently may be put the same out att interest upon the best security that can be gotten for the same And the interest thereof Shall apply towards the maintenance of my said children PETER and ELIZABETH and the survivor of them for and during their naturall lives and the natural lifr of of the survivor of them And my will and mind is that if the said sume of one hundred and fifty pounds so to be putt out at interest as aforesaid or any part thereof shall happen the less   ?   ?  of equally and proportionately both? my aid son WILLIAM and said Brother CHRISTOPHER nor either of their Executors Administrators shall be anywise answerable for the same or charged therewith And upon this further Trust And my will further is that the said sume of one hundred and fifty pounds shall immediately after the decease of my children PETER and ELIZABETH be called in by my said Son WILLIAM and Brother CHRISTOPHER COCKERELL or by the survivor of them or his Executor or Administrator of such survivor And be by them paid and divided unto and equally between them my said Sonns WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER and BENJAMIN and the share of him or them of my said last named Sonns who may happen to be then dead shall be aid to his or their Executors or Administrators respectively Item I give devise and bequeath unto my said Wife SUSANNA All those my three several Messuages & tenements or dwellings formerly one Messuage with the several Yards Backsides Gardens ground and appurtenances to them severally belonging or appertaining or with them now or heretofore usually devised letten occupied or enjoyed situate lying and being in the parish of St Nicholas within the Liberty of the said City of Rochester and now or late in the several tenures or occupations of me the said WILLIAM COCKERELL THOMAS EVERSFIELD* and THOMAS HOTTING? or one of us or one of our Undertenant or Undertenants And also all other my Messuages lands tenements or hereditaments whatsover and wheresover whereof or wherein I the said WILLIAM COCKERELL am seized of any Estate of in heritance in Fee Simple or otherwise with their and every of their appurtenances To have and to hold unto her my said Wife SUSANNA for and during so long time of her naturall life as she my said wife shall continue a widow and unmarryed she my said Wife Keeping the same in good repair and committing no waste Upon Trust and Confidence nevertheless that she my said wife shall during the said time maintain and keepe my said two Children PETER and ELIZABETH and from immediately after the decease or marryage of my said wife which shall first happen or immediately after the refusal or neglect to maintaine and keepe my Said two Children PETER and ELIZABETH or either of them then I give devise and bequeath all those my said Messuages tenements and premisses aforesaid with their appurtenances unto them my said Children PETER and ELIZABETH to have and to hold unto them my said Children PETER and ELIZABETH for and during the termes of their naturall lives and the naturall life of the longest lived of them and from and immediately after the decease of them the said PETER and ELIZABETH and the survivor of them then I give devise and bequeath the said Messuages tenements and premisses aforesaid with their appurtenances unto my said Son WILLIAM COCKERELL and to the heires of his body lawfully begotten and to be begotten And for want of such issue I give the same unto my aforesaid Son BENJAMIN COCKERELL and to the heires of his body lawfully begotten and to be begotten And for want of such issue I give and devise the same to the right heires of me the said WILLIAM COCKERELL the Testator for ever And I do hereby name make ordaine and appoint my said Wife SUSANNA and my said Sonn WILLIAM Executors of this my said Will until she my said Wife shall dye or be marryed and after the decease or marriage of my said Wife which shall first happen I name make ordaine nominate and appoint my said Son WILLIAM and my said Brother CHRISTOPHER COCKERELL Executors of this my Will and likewise Guardians of my said two Children PETER and ELIZABETH And lastly I do hereby revoke disannaull and make void all former Wills and Testaments by me att any time heretobefore made or published And I do declare these presents to be my only last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I the said WILLIAM COCKERELL the Testator have to this my last Will sett my hand and Seale the one and twentyeth day day of February in the seventh yeare of the reigne of our Sovereigne Lord George by the Grace of God of Great Brittaine France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith etc Anno Dni 1720 the mark of the said WILLIAM COCKERELL his hand being guided in the making the same by the direction he being very weake by Mr HENRY RONDEAU* Signed and Sealed by the above named WILLIAM COCKERELL the Testator published and declared to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our names as witnesses hereunto in the presence of him the said Testator HEN. RONDEAU FRA. WARNER FRA. ROMNEY

Proved 16th November 1731 Power reserved to Christopher Cockerell
Proved again 23rd June 1732 Also granted to Christopher Cockerell

*Thomas Eversfield: See Monumental Inscriptions of Bredhurst on this website. 
Henry Rondeau: See Monumental Inscriptions of Rochester Cathedral on this website.