Aspects of Kentish Local History

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

Thomas Tomlyn WEST 1777

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN
I Thomas Tomlyn West the elder of Chatham in the county of Kent shipwright being of sound and perfect mind and understanding do revoke all former will by me heretofore made and do hereby make publish and declare this my last will and testament as followeth that is to say I request and direct my executors hereinafter named as soon as conveniently may be after my decease to sell and dispose of my household goods furniture and implements of household in the best manner they can and I do give and bequeath the money arising thereby and therefrom and all and every my ready money securities for money monies in the public funds credits chattels effects and personal estate whatsoever which I shall die possessed of intitled unto or interested in after payment of my just debts funeral and all incident charges unto my son William James West at his age of twenty one years if he shall live to attain that age and in the mean time or as soon as conveniently may be after my decease I direct my said executors to place lay out and invest all such monies which shall arise by and out of my personal estate in some or one of the public stocks or funds or on governmet mortgage or other real securities at interest and to pay apply and dispose of the yearly interest dividends and produce arising therefrom for and towards the maintenance education cloathing and placing out of my said son William James West during his minority and to pay advance or lay out any part of my said personal estate in the placing of my said son out to any profession or business which may be judged beneficial and advantageous to him and in case my said son William James West shall happen to depart this life before he shall have had attained his said age of twenty one years then I give and bequeath all my said personal estate unto my son Thomas Tomlyn West his executors and admons. and I do nominate and appoint Thomas Fisher of the city of Rochester bookseller and Thomas Belshar of Chatham aforesaid shipwright joint executors of this my will and guardians to my said son William James West during his minority and it is my will and direction and I do authorize and empower my said executors to reimburse and take to themselves out of my said personal estate all their reasonable charges which they shall sustain or be put unto in the execution and performance of this my will and that they shall not be answerable or charged or chargeable for or with any more of my personal estate or monies arising therefrom or the yearly interest dividends or produce thereof than shall actually come to their respective hands or for any involuntary loss which may happen therein or in the securities to be taken for the same or any part thereof nor shall the one of them be answerable for or chargeable with what shall come to the hands of the other of them but each his own respective acts and receipts and in case any loss shall happen by or through the willful neglect or default of either of them my said executors then he only who shall be guilty thereof shall be answerable for the same and I do declare this to be and contain as and for my only last will and testament in witness whereof I the said Thomas Tomlyn West the testator have to this my last will and testament set my hand and seal this fourth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six Thos. Tomlyn West signed sealed published and declared by the said Thomas Tomlyn West the testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who in the presence of him and of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto John Hopper Thos. Tomlyn

Proved 3rd July 1777