Aspects of Kentish Local History

Wills of 17th Century Chatham Shipwrights
Prerogative Court of Canterbury (P.C.C.) Wills 1603 - 1699)

George WIGGINS - 1656

In the name of God amen the two and twentieth day of August in the yeare of our lord God accordinge to the accompt and computation of the church of England one thousand sixe hundred fifty and three I George Wiggins of Chatham in the countie of Kent shippwright beinge at this present well in my bodye and of good and perfect memory thankes be given to almightie God doe therefore ordayne and make this prestes to be and and conteyne my last will and testament in manner and forme followinge that is to say first and principally I comend my soule into the hands of almightie God my maker hoping and most stedfastlie believinge to be saved by the only merritts of Christ his blessed death and passion and my body I committ to the earthto be buryed at the discretion of my executrix hereafter named and as touching such worldlty substance as God of his infinite mercy hath bestowed upon me I give and bequeath the same in manner and forme folowinge vizt first I give and bequeath unto my eldest sonne George Wiggins after the decease of my now wife Anne Wiggins & to his heires the house that I now dwell in and to his wife for terme of her life and then for want of issue to returne to the sister of the said George Wiggins the younger and to theire heires for ever and also I doe give my said sonne George Wiggins free egresse and regresse to a well to draw water and fetch water for his occasions for ever which well is under a tenement of myne in the tenure and occupation of one John Attawell in Chatham and also my will and pleasure is that the tenement the which the aforesaid John Attawell shall have free egresse and regresse to go through the aforesaid George Wiggins his yard to the waterside to fetch and carry upp and    ?    such goods as they have to carry for ever my meaninge is the same yard which belongeth to the house which I have disposed of to my eldest sonne George Wiggins Item I give and bequeath unto my second sonne Tho. Wiggins after the decease of my now wife Anne Wiggins the house and garden platt and all the apputenances belonging thereto that one Tho.Batt now liveth in at Chatham and to the said Thomas his wife for her life and to the heires of the said Thomas lawfully begotten for ever and for want of such issue my will and pleasure is that my youngest sonne Michael Wiggins shall have it and the said Michael's wife for her life and the said Michael's heires for ever Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne in law Edward Goodinge after the decease of my now wife Anne Wiggins all that my messuage or tenement with garden platt and all the appurtenances belonging thereunto which he the said Edward Goodinge now liveth in at Chatham and to his wife for her life and theire heires for ever for want of such issue to his wife's sisters and theire heires for ever Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne in law John Attawell after the decease of my now wife Anne Wiggins the house which he now liveth in at Chatham and to his wife for her life and theire heires for ever and for want of such issue to the sisters of the aforesaid John Attawell' wife that nowe is and to theire issue for ever Item I do will and bequeath unto my eldest daughter Joane Baker the wife of Tho. Baker two and twentie shillinges to buy her a ringe to be paid in sixe months after my decease by my executrix all the rest of my money and goods my debts beinge paid and my funerall discharged I give and bequeath unto my nowe wife Anne Wiggins whom I make sole executrix of this my last will and testament conteyninge in this one sheete of paper I the said George Wiggins have hereunto sett my hand and seale dated the day and yeare in this one sheete aforesaid in the yeare of our Lord God 1653 signumn the marke of George Wiggins read sealed and delivered as the act and deede last will and testament of the said George Wiggins in the presence of James Baker Oliffe Jerman Tho. Baker

Proved 9th July 1656