Aspects of Kentish Local History

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

Charles HANDLEY 1713

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN
I Charles Handley of Chatham in the county of Kent shipwright being sick and weak in body but of sound mind and disposeing memory doo for the quieting of my mind and setting that estate that it hath pleased God to bless me with make and declare this my last will and testament in writing in manner and forme following that is to sayin the first place I commend my soul to God that gave it and my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried in the church yard of Herne Hill near Canterbury in the county of Kent at the discretion of my executrix herein after named item I give and devise unto my loving wife Katherine Handley and her assignes for and during the terme of her naturall life all that my freehold messuage or tenement with the yards garden ground and appurtenances thereto belonging situate lying and being in Westcourt Street in the parish of Chatham aforesd. and from and after the decease of my said wife Katherine I give and devise the same messuage or tenement and premisses aforesaid with their appurtenances unto Peter Sturges of the city of Canterbury aforesaid shoemaker his heires and assignes for ever upon trust and confidence that he the said Peter Sturges his heires or assignes or some of them shall and will as soon as conveniently may be after my said wife's decease sell and dispose thereof for the best price that can be gotten for the same and out of the moneys ariseing by such sale pay or cause to be paid the severall legacies to the severall persons here after named that is to pay the sume of twenty pounds of lawfull money of Great Britain to Barbary Starkes wife of William Starkes of the city of Canterbury aforesaid house carpenter and the like sume of twenty pounds of like money to Alice Gray her sister but in case the said Alice Gray shall happen to depart this life before my said wife then I will the said sume of twenty pounds before by me given to the said Alice Gray unto the said Barbary Starkes her executors administrators and assignes for ever item I give and bequeath unto Thomas Gray of the city of Canterbury aforesd. gardener and to Margery Henwood of the city of Rochester in the said county of Kent widow and to John Butler of the same fisherman and to John Dickeson of the same (now apprentice to with Matthew Webb hatter) and to Sarah Bennett wife of Hugh Bennett of St. Euly's ? Street London dyer and to every of them the sume of tenn pounds of like money to be all paid out of the moneys ariseing by sale of my said house and after the severall legacies before mentioned are paid to the severall persons before named I give and bequeath the residue of the money ariseing by sale of the messuage and premisses aforesaid unto Mary Rook and Elizabeth Blogg the two daughters of Charles Gray or the city of Canterbury aforesaid butcher to be equally divided between them item from and after the decease of my aforesaid loving wife Katherine I give and devise all that my freehold messuage or tenement with the yards garden and appurtenances belonging wherein I now dwell situate lying and being on Smithfield Bank in the parish of Chatham aforesaid unto the aforesaid Charles Gray and Mary his wife and the survivor of them for and during the terme of their naturall lives and from and after the decease of the survivor of them the said Charles Gray and Mary his said wife I give and devise the same messuage and premisses wherein I now dwell unto their said two daughters Mary Rook and Elizabeth Blogg and to their heires and assignes for ever equally to be divided between them item from and after the decease of my said loving wife Katherine as aforesd. I give and bequeath all that my leasehold messuage or tenement with the yard garden backside ground and appurtenances thereto belong situate lying and being on Saint Margaret's Bank in the parish of Saint Margaret's next the city of Rochester aforesd. now in the occupation of Mr. Richard Wood brewer unto Mary Sturges wife of the aforesaid Peter Sturges Alice Buckwell of the city of Rochester aforesd. widow and Hannah Steer of the same spinster and to their executors administrators and assignes equally to be divided between them but in case it shall happen that the said Hannah Steer shall depart this life before she be marryed then I give and bequeath her part or share to and amongst her two sisters Mary Sturges and Alice Buckwell widow aforesaid equally item from and after the decease of the said Charles Handley the testator I give and bequeath all those my two leasehold messuages or tenements with the yards gardens and appurtenances to them severally belonging situate lying and being in Saint Margaret's Street in the parish of Saint Margaret's next the city of Rochester aforesaid unto the said Margery Henwood of Rochester widow and to her executors administrators and assignes item I give and bequeath unto Margarett Martin of London spinster the sume of fifty pounds of lawfull money of Great Britain to be paid her at her age of one and twenty or day of marriage which shall first happen upon condition that she the said Margarett Martin within one month after my decease signe seale execute and deliver unto my said wife and executrix a generall release of all debts dues and demands whatsoever item from and after the decease of my said wife Katherine I give and bequeath unto the said Margarett Martin the further sume of fifty pounds of like lawfull money of Great Britain and my two headed cane couch and all belonging to it and I forgive her all such sume and sumes of money as are due to me for her board upon condition she signe seal and execute such generall release as aforesaid to my executrix but in case she the said Margarett Martin shall refuse or neglet upon reasonable request to signe seal and deliver such a generall release then my mind and will is that the said bequests of fifty and fifty pounds and of the two headed cane couch and furniture thereto belonging before by me bequeathed to her and the bequest of her board shall be utterly void and of none effect either in law or equity item I give and bequeath unto my said loving wife Katherine Handley the summe of sixty pounds of lawfull money of Great Britain to dispose of to such person or persons and to such use and uses as she shall think fitt ? as for my wearing apparrell I dispose of the same in manner following that is to say my best hatt best Great coat two suites of apparrell two shirts two neckclothes and two paire of stockings I give and bequeath to the aforesaid Peter Sturges of Canterbury shoemaker and the residue of my apparrell both linen and woollen I give and bequeath to William Starke of the city of Canterbury aforesaid house carpenter item all and every the rest and residue of my ready money debts credits goods chattells and personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever (after my own just debts legacies and funerall expences and charges fro proving this my will are fully paid and discharged) I give and bequeath the use of the same unto my said loving wife Katherine Handley for and during the terme of her naturall life and after her decease I give and bequeath the same unto the aforesaid Peter Sturges his executs. administrators and assignes for ever he paying my said wife's funerall charges and I doe hereby nominate and appoint her my said wife Katherine Handley full and sole executrix of this my last will and testament for and during her life and after her decease then I nominate and appoint the aforesaid Peter Sturges full and sole executor of this my last will and testament hereby revokeing and making void all former and other wills and testaments by me at any time made spoken or published before the publishing of theses presents in witness thereof I the said Charles Handley the testator have to this my last will and testament set my hand and affixed my seale this present twenty nineth day of January in the twelth yeare of the reigne of our Sovereign Lady Anne by the grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland Queen Defender of the Faith etc. anno domini 1713 the marke of Charles Handley the testator signed sealed and declared to be his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto William Hoyn Thomas Dalling Jno. Sheafe

Proved 3rd March 1713 (1714)
Note in margin dated October 1722: administration granted to Peter Sturges