Aspects of Kentish Local History

Wills of 19th Century Chatham Shipwrights
Prerogative Court of Canterbury (P.C.C.) Wills  (Pre 1858)

Richard DOVE proved 1820

THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
of me Richard Dove of Chatham in the County of Kent Shipwright which I make in manner following that is to say I do hereby give and bequeath unto my good friends Jane Sommerton of Brompton in the County of Kent Spinster John Stubbs of Frindsbury in the County of Kent a Carpenter in the Royal Navy and William English of St. Margaret's Bank within the Liberty of the City of Rochester in the same County Joiner one of my Executrixes and and my Executors hereinafter named and appointed the Sum of one thousand and seven hundred pounds three pounds per cent consolidated Bank Annuities part of the Stock in that fund now standing in my name in the Books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England upon the several trusts and to and for the ends intents and purposes hereinafter mentioned that is to say upon Trust that they my said Trustees and the Survivor and Survivors of them and the executors & admons of such survivor do and shall permit and suffer and if necessary duly authorise & empower my dear Sister Susannah Down of Chatham aforesaid Widow one of my Executrixes hereinafter also named and appointed to receive and take the interest and dividends of the said Sum of one thousand and seven hundred pounds Stock for her own use and benefit for and during the term of her natural life And from and after her decease if in the minority of my Great Niece Jane English daughter if the said William English by my late niece Elizabeth English formerly Down then upon Trust and that they the said Jane Sommerton John Stubbs and William English and the Survivors and Survivor of them and the Executors and Admons of such Survivor do and shall receive and take the Interest and Dividends of the said Sum and use pay and apply the same in such way and manner as may be most eligible and they in their discretion shall think proper for and towards the support maintenance education and placing out in the World of my said Great Niece Jane English until she attains the age of twenty one years and any surplus money or monies which may remain in the hands of my said Trustees shall when and as the same amount to a proper and competent Sum be placed out at interest in the same or one of the Public Funds or Stocks or on some Real or Government Securities in the joint names of them my said Trustees ad the Survivors and Survivor of them and Executors and Admons of such Survivor as on accumulating fund on the said one thousand and seven hundred pounds Stock and go as I have hereinafter bequeathed the same And from and after my said Great Niece arriving at such age then upon Trust to receive and pay to or otherwise duly authorise and empower her my said Great Niece Jane English to receive and take the said Dividends and Interest for and during the term of her natural life independent of any husband with whom she may intermarry and not to be subject or liable to but free from his and their debts undertakings and engagements whatsoever And I do hereby declare that her Receipt & Receipts whether married or sole and not withstanding her    ?    shall be a good and sufficient discharge for such Dividends and Interest respectively And from and after the decease of my said Great Niece Jane English either before or after her attaining the said age then upon Trust that they the said Jane Sommerton John Stubbs and William English and the Survivors and Survivor of them and the Executors and Admons of such Survivor do and shall stand possessed of of the said one thousand seven hundred pounds and any accumulation? that may have been made as aforesaid for the only proper use and benefit of all and every the child and children of my said Great Niece Jane English lawfully begotten if more than one in and by equal parts shares and proportions as Tenants in Common and not as Joint Tenants and if but one then to such only or   ?   surviving Child and in case any of her Children at the time of her decease shall have departed this life leaving issue of his her or their body or bodies lawfully begotten then upon Trust and my mind and will is that such issue shall have and be entitled to the part and share or parts and shares which his her or their respective Father or Mother Fathers or Mothers would have been entitled     ?     in the like division proportion and    ?    as is hereinafter directed of and concerning the Children of the said Jane English and in either case in the event of Infant Children becoming entitled the interest and dividends of their respective parts to be paid and applied for and towards their maintenance education and placing out in the World as aforesaid and if my said Great Niece Jane English shall depart this life without leaving any Child or Children or the issue of any such then from and after my said Sister's decease upon Trust to transfer to or sell out pay and divide the said one thousand seven hundred pounds Stock and any accumulation thereon unto and amongst my Nephew William Wattle of Maidstone in the said County of Kent Shopkeeper Son of my late Sister Sarah Wattle deceased my Nephew Michael Dove Son of my late Brother Nicholas Dove deceased and my Great Nephew Richard Dove of Plymouth in the County of Devon Son of my late Nephew Richard Dove who was Son of my Brother Robert Dove deceased and to their respective Executors Admons in and by parts shares and proportions as Tenants in Common as aforesaid And I do hereby give and bequeath the Interest and Dividends of the Sum of five hundred pound three per cent consolidated bank annuities the residue of my stock in such funds unto my said Sister Susannah Down for and during the term of her natural life for her own use and benefit And from and after her decease then I give and bequeath the Sum of three hundred pounds stock part thereof unto my said Nephew William Wattle for his own use and benefit and the sum of one hundred pounds the residue thereof unto my said Nephew Michael Dove for his own use and benefit But if they my said Nephews William Wattle and Michael Dove or either of them shall depart this life in the lifetime of my said Sister Susannah Down then I direct the legacy or legacies of him or them so dying to fall into and become part of the residue of my Personal Estate and go as I have bequeathed the same and subject to and after the payment of all my just debts funeral and Testamentary Charges and Expenses I do herby give and bequeath unto my said dear Sister Susannah Down All and singular my ready money in the public stocks or funds or due to me upon mortgage bond bill note or otherwise household goods and furniture plate linen and china and also all the rest and residue and remainder of my Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind soever the same doth shall or may consist or which may be due owing or belonging to me at the time of my decease in by or through any right ways or ? whatsoever for her own sole and absolute use and benefit And I do hereby authorise and empower my Trustees and Executrix and Executors and each and every one of them at and upon all times and occasions whatsoever to reimburse themselves and each and every of them out of my said Estate and Effects or the Income or Produce thereof all costs charges and expenses which they or either of them shall pay expend or be put unto or which shall be occurred or sustained by them any or either of them in or about the execution of this my will or the Trusts thereof or any suit or proceedings act matter or thing whatsoever relating thereto And I do hereby declare that neither of my said Trustees and Executrixes and Executors shall be responsible or accountable for any more monies or any part or parts of my said Estate and effects or the income or produce thereof than shall be as ? received by them or coming to their respective hands by virtue of of this my Will or the Trusts thereof nor the one of them for the others or other of them but each of them for herself and himself and her and his own acts receipts and payments or disbursements only And I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said Sister Susannah Down and the said Jane Sommerton Executrixes and the said John Stubbs and William English Executors of this my Will and hereby revoking and making void all former and other Will and Wills by me at any time heretofore made do declare this only to be and contain my last Will and Testament In witness thereof I the said Richard Dove have to this my last Will and Testament contained in four sheets of paper wrote on one side thereof only set my hand to the first three sheets thereof and my hand and seal to this fourth and last sheet the thirty first day of October in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and ten Richard Dove Signed sealed published and declared by the said Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses hereto J Stephens W. P Morgan

Codicil
Whereas I the said Richard Dove have made and duly executed my last Will and Testament as herein before expressed since which the said Jane Sommerton hath departed this life Now I make this a Codicil to my said Will and do hereby revoke and annul the appointment of the said William English as a Trustee and Executor thereof and in his place and instead nominate and appoint Richard Pemble the Younger of Chatham aforesaid Carpenter to be a Trustee and Executor with the said John Stubbs and I do hereby give and bequeath to them the said John Stubbs and Richard Pemble the Younger the Sum of five pounds each as a token of respect for their care and trouble herein And I do hereby ratify and confirm my said Will and the Trusts thereof In all other respects than what the same is    ?    altered and changed In Witness whereof I the said Richard Dove have hereunto set my hand and seal the fifth day of May in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirteen Richd Dove Signed sealed published and declared by the said Testator as a Codicil to the foregoing Will in the presence of J. Stephens Joanna Stephens

Proved 31st July 1820