Aspects of Kentish Local History

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

William FRENCH 1790

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN
I WILLIAM FRENCH of Saint Margaret next Rochester in Kent Shipwright being in a perfect sound and disposing state of mind but in a weak and languishing frame of bodily health and sensible of the uncertainty of this mortal life and in order to settle my Worldly concerns do make and Constitute this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say I give up my Soul into the hands of my Covinant God and Father whose mercies have been over me all my days hoping for Eternal life thro' the all sufficient merits of my blessed Redeemer the Lord Christ and my body to the Earth to be decently Interred at the discretion of my beloved Wife ELIZABETH FRENCH whom I make and Constitute my whole and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament and as for all those sundry Goods Clothes Linen Plate China of what sort soever I may be possessed of or may of right belong and as well as all sums of Money Bank stocks or Wages of every sort I give and bequeath to my beloved Wife ELIZABETH FRENCH aforesaid provided that my Wife ELIZABETH FRENCH aforesaid shall leave Two hundred pounds in the three per Cents reduced to be kept in the said Security from all alienation and at the death of my Wife ELIZABETH FRENCH aforesaid to be then given to my dear Children WILLIAM FRENCH and HARRIOTT FRENCH or the survivor of them at the time of such her decease to be theirs in common as it of right belonged to me but should it please God to take away my dear Wife before my Children have attained the Age of Twenty one years then I Constitute and appoint my beloved brother JOHN FRENCH and WILLIAM BLISSE Surgeon of the City of London as Guardians In Trust for my said Children to take over and in the best manner they can appropriate what may then be left over and above the Two hundred pounds aforesaid which all together to be in their disposal for the mutual support of my said Children or to the survivor of them but should it please God to take them likewise before they have arrived to the age of twenty one years then I will and bequeath what may then be left belonging to my said Children WILLIAM FRENCH and HARRIOTT FRENCH to my said brother JOHN FRENCH and WILLIAM BLISSE Surgeon of London to be theirs to be divided share and share alike or to the survivor of them at the time of my said Children's decease to have and to enjoy the same as my own Children would have enjoyed the same In Witness whereof as my last Will and Testament as contained on one Sheet of Paper in presence of the under mentioned Witnesses have set my hand and seal this 24th August 1790 WILLIAM FRENCH Witnesses THOS BURTON WILLIAM MULLINGER WILLIAM MANNERINGS

Proved 16th September 1790