Aspects of Kentish Local History

Wills of 18th Century Chatham Shipwrights
Prerogative Court of Canterbury (P.C.C.) Wills 1706 - 1799)

John CROWCHER  1793

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN
I John Crowcher of the parish of Chatham in the county of Kent shipwright being somewhat indisposed in body but of sound perfect memory and understanding do revoke all former wills by me heretofore made and hereby make publishe and declare this my last will and testament in manner following in the first place I commend my soul to Almighty God my creator hoping to be saved by and through the only merits of Jesus Christ my Savoiour and my body I commit to the earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my executors hereafter named and as to my worldly estate I dispose thereof as follows that is to say I give and bequeath all and every my household goods plate china rings linen and implements of household of every kind and quality unto my dear wife Elizabeth Crowcher for and during her natural life and from and immediately after her decease I give and bequeath the same to and amongst my four daughters Sarah Masterman Mary Hutton Susannah Kettle and Elizabeth Kentish equally to be divided between them share and share alike I also give and bequeath unto my great grandson John Crowcher my gold watch to be taken possession of by him when he shall attain the age of twenty one years item all and every of the rest residue and remainder of my leasehold houses and personal estate as ready monies securities for money monies in the publick or government funds stocks or securities chattles and leaseholds and personal estate whatsoever which I shall die possessed of interested in or intitled unto (after payment of my funeral expences and other incident charges) I give and bequeath unto George Hutton Esquire of Deptford in the county of Kent my daughter Mary Hutton his wife and my daughter Susannah Kettle (whom I appoint my trustees) upon trust that they my said trustees George Hutton Mary Hutton and Susannah Kettle or the survivors or survivor of them shall and do as soon as conveniently may be after my decease sell and dispose of all my leasehold estate and all such of my personal estate as shall not consist of ready monies and call in and get into their hands all such debts and sums of money that shall be due or owing unto me at the time of my decease and lay and place out the same to the monies that I have now placed in the publick stocks or funds commonly called the the five per cent annuities and which together there shall remain and continue one capital stock upon trust that they my said trustees George Hutton Mary Hutton and Susannah Kettle or the survivors or survivor of them shall and do permit and suffer and if need be authorize and empower my said wife Elizabeth Crowcher to receive and take to her own use the yearly interest dividends and produce arising out and from the same for and during her natural life and from and immediately after her decease then upon trust that they my said trustees George Hutton Mary Hutton and Susannah Kettle or the survivors or survivor of them shall and do pay out of the said capital stock the sums as follows that is to say unto my daughter Sarah Masterman the sum of one hundred pounds sterling money to her two sons and daughter John Masterman William Masterman and Sarah Urivint ? the sum of ten pounds apiece sterling money to Elizabeth Beet the sum of ten pounds sterling money to my daughter Mary Hutton the sum of one hundred pounds sterling money to George Hutton Esquire aforesaid the sum of ten pounds sterling money to Mrs. Mackie daughter of the said George Hutton the sum of ten pounds sterling money to my daughter Susannah Kettle the sum of fifty pounds sterling money to my daughter Elizabeth Kentish the sum of ten pounds sterling money to my grand daughters Mary and Rebecca Crowcher the sum of ten pounds apiece sterling money to my grandson John Silverton the sum of ten pounds sterling money and a corner cupboard to my grandson William Silverton the sum of ten pounds sterling money and a wainscot bureau to my grand daughter Lady Jane de Rossing the sum of fifty pounds sterling money and to the wife and children of my grandson John Crowcher the sum of fifty pounds sterling money which said sum of fifty pounds shall be kept in the hands of my said trustees and be applied bestowed and laid out for the wife and children of the said John Crowcher as they my trustees shall think fit and not otherwise and from and immediately after the said legacies are paid then in trust to pay or transfer the residue and remainder of the said capital stock to or amongst my four daughters Sarah Masterman Mary Hutton Susannah Kettle and Elizabeth Kentish equally to be divided between them share and share alike I do order and direct my said trustees to take to themselves the part or share of the monies which shall become due to my said daughter Elizabeth Kentish and out and from the same pay her the sum of five pounds per annum until her said part or share shall be entirely paid and given to her and it is my further will and desire that my said trustees George Hutton Mary Hutton and Susannah Kettle the survivors or survivor of them shall and lawfully may at all times reimburse and take to themselves out of the said trust monies dividends and produce thereof all their reasonable charges which they shall sustain in the execution of the trusts hereby in them reposed and I do constitute and appoint the said George Hutton Mary Hutton and Susannah Kettle executors of this my will and declare this to be and contain my last will and testament in witness whereof I the said John Crowcher the testator have to this first sheet of this my last will and testament contained in two sheets of paper set my hand and to the last sheet thereof set my hand and seal this fifteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety three Jno. Crowcher signed sealed published and declared by the said John Crowcher the testator to be his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other set our names as witnesses thereto Wm. Hayler Isaac Best Jno. Sommerton

Proved 27th August 1793 power reserved to Mary Hutton and Susannah Kettl