Aspects of Kentish Local History

Wills of Rochester Shipwrights 1652 - 1837
Prerogative Court of Canterbury (P.C.C.) Wills  (Pre 1858)

John STEEL 1733

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN
I JOHN STEEL of the City of Rochester in the County of Kent Shipwright being indisposed and Ill in body but of sound and perfect mind memory and understanding (Thanks be to Almighty God for the same) Doe make and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say in the first place I recommend my Soul to Almighty God my Saviour and giver thereof hoping that thro his precious death and suffering I shall receive Everlasting Life in the world to come and my body I commit to the Earth to be decently buryed at the sole discretion of her my now Wife SUSANNAH STEEL And as to what worldly Estate it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me with in this world I give and dispose thereof as followeth And also I give devise and bequeath All that my Estate situate and being at Redish in the parish of Lymm in the County of Chester which now goeth for at the yearly Rent of fifty five pounds and upwards and which is now in the Tenure or Occupation of one JOSEPH WALTON unto my beloved Friend and acquaintance RICHARD HOWARD of Horton in the Parish of Runchorne in the County of Chester aforesaid Farmer and PETER GANDEY of the parish of Lymm aforesaid Maltster and THOMAS BARKINGSALE of the Parish of Lymm aforesaid Yeoman In Trust and to be by them or some of them solely? and carefully managed and carried on to and for the several uses intents and purposes and in manner herein after mentioned (that is to say) that so soon or immediately after my decease as they conveniently can Then they my said Trustees or some of them shall enter into and upon my said Estate at the Parish of Lymm as before mentioned and take the possession thereof and so to receive the Rents issues and increase thereof as it shall renew and become due and payable either half Yearly of Yearly from the Tenant or Occupier thereof and the same shall apply and pay half yearly or yearly as it shall be by him or them or any of them received in the manner following (that is to say)
   My Will is that I charge my Estate in the Parish of Lymm as above with an annuity or Yearly Rent charge of Twenty pounds per Year to commence from the Quarter Day next after my decease to be paid unto my now loving Wife SUSANNAH STEEL out of such my Estate at Lymm as aforesaid Yearly during the Term of her natural life as for so long time as she shall continue to be my Widow without any manner of Reduction or abatement to be made thereout on any account or for any matter or thing whatsoever and from and immediately after her decease or day of marriage which shall first happen then such annuity to cease and to be void as if it had never been charge on such my Estate at Lymm as aforesaid
   And my Will is that I also charge my Estate at the parish of Lymm as aforesaid with the further payment of the sume of five hundred pounds which money is to be raised and paid Yearly by my Trustee before mentioned or by some of them out of the Overplus of the Yearly Rent to be by them received (after the Annuity of twenty pounds Yearly given by me to my said Wife SUSANNAH STEEL for life or for so long time as she shall continue to be my Widow being first paid to her) out of my said Estate at the Parish if Lymm as aforesaid Yearly (to run from the Quarter day next after my decease) after King's Taxes repairs and other deductions being first taken thereout then the neat money yearly to be divided into seven equal shares and to be paid as follows to and amongst the six Children of my late Sister SARAH WALBERTON late of the Parish of Lymm aforesaid deceased (that is to say)
   That RICHARD WALBERTON of the City of Rochester aforesaid Husbandman shall have two shares thereof out of the seven shares and my reason is that as he? lent to THOMAS RAWLYSON late of Carrington in the County of Chester aforesaid Blacksmith the sume of fifty pounds or thereabouts out of some money that he must be accountable for to his said Sisters and Brothers if in case the said THOMAS RAWLYSON does not pay it to him which is to be believed he never can be able to doe And that Debt may come the easier to him if he should ever be called on to pay it and the other five shares to be paid to MARY the now Wife of RICHARD HARRISON of New Castle Underlyme in the County of Stafford Hatter CHRISTIAN the now Wife of RICHARD HOWARD of Horton in the Parish of Runchorne aforesaid Husbandman (one of my said Trustees) JOHN WALBERTON of the said Parish of Lymm aforesaid Blacksmith THOMAS WALBERTON of the said Parish of Lymm Tanner and MARTHA WALBERTON of Rochester aforesaid Spinster equally to be divided and shared to and amongst them and to and amongst such of them yearly only as shall be living at the several years and times of payment as they shall happen till such time as the full sume of five hundred pounds shall be raised and paid to them neat money and clear from all deductions or abatement whatsover exclusive of the said twenty pounds a year to be paid to my said Wife SUSANNAH STEEL for life or for so long time as she shall continue to be my Widow and if my said Estate in the Parish of Lymm as aforesaid And also all costs charges and expenses whatsoever that my said Trustees shall be put into in the due Execution of this my last Will and Testament being thereout to them first paid and satisfied. Then after the said sume of five hundred pounds as aforesaid so given by me to the several Children of my said Sister WALBERTON deceased herein before mentioned shall be fully paid and satisfied as aforesaid together with my said Trustees costs and charges allowed them
   I give devise and bequeath all that my said Estate at the Parish of Lymm aforesaid But still charged with the Annuity of Twenty pounds a year during the life of my said Wife SUSANNAH STEEL or for so long time as she shall continue to be my Widow only as before mentioned unto my beloved half Brother PETER STEEL of the Town of Manchester in the County of Lancaster Joyner for and during the term of his natural life only without Committment of Waste or power of Mortgaging Selling or Assigning the same to any person or persons on any account whatsoever and from immediately after his decease
   Then I give devise and bequeath the same unto the eldest Son or eldest Mail heir of my said Brother PETER STEEL lawfully begotten of his body that shall be living at the time of such his decease for and during the Term of his naturall life only with without Commitment of Waste or Power of Mortgaging Selling or Assigning the same to any Person or Persons whatsoever and from and immediately after his decease then
   I give devise and bequeath the same unto the second and so to the third fourth fifth or sixth etc Mail heir of him my said half Brother PETER STEEL for their separate lives only as aforesaid without impeachment of Waste or power of as aforesaid without power of Mortgaging Selling or Assigning the same to any Person or Persons whatsoever as before
   And for want of such Male heirs of my said Brother PETER STEEL at the time of his decease or after the death of any of them so there is no Male heir surviving of the said PETER STEEL lawfully begotten of his body
   Then I give devise and bequeath my said Estate in the Parish of Lymm aforesaid unto the Eldest Mail heir of my said Sister SARAH WALMBERTON as aforesaid deceased that shall be lawfully begotten who shall be living at the time of the decease of the said PETER STEEL if in case there shall be no heirs or heirs living at the time of his decease or at the decease of such his heirs for and during his naturall life only without impeachment of waste or power of Mortgaging Selling or Assigning the same to any Person or Persons whatsoever And so after the like Manner to the second third fourth fifth and sixth male heir lawfully begotten of her my said Sister SARAH WALBERTON as before is limited and Declared and to their Male heirs for ever
   And also I give and bequeath to my Kinsman RICHARD WALBERTON herein before mentioned my Watch and all my wearing apparel of what nature or Kind soever that I shall be possessed of at the time of my decease to be delivered unto him by my Executors herein after named within one Month next after my decease
   And also I give and bequeath unto my Kinswoman MARTHA WALBERTON herein before mentioned the sum of One hundred pounds of lawfull money of Great Britain to be paid to her by my Executors herein after named within Six Months next after my decease to be applyed to her sole and only use and benefit And also I give and bequeath unto her my said Kinswoman MARTHA WALBERTON my Silver Tankard marked with S holding by measure one quart and also the Clock belonging to the house wherein I now dwell J S to be delivered to her by my said Executors immediately after my said Wife's decease but not before And my Will is that if my said Kinswoman MARTHA WALBERTON should depart this life before she shall happen to be Marryed not leaving any issue of her body or such heirs as a husband then living at the time of such her decease then it is my Express Will that such sum of One hundred pounds so to be paid to her as aforesaid together with her said share of the said five hundred pounds that shall not have been by her received out of my said Estate at Lymm as aforesaid together with the Tankard and Clock to be delivered to her after my said Wife's decease shall descend etc be paid and delivered by my Executors herein after mentioned unto my Kinswoman before mentioned and to her heirs or Assignes as she shall think most fitt
   And I also give & bequeath unto my loving friends and acquaintances WILLIAM PEAN of the City of Rochester aforesaid Baker and one of the Common Council Men of the said City and unto DUKE NOBLE of the said City of Rochester aforesaid Barber and unto each of them the Sum of one Guinea apiece as a present or token to buy each of them a Ring
   And my Mind & Will is that after my decease neither my said Wife SUSANNAH STEEL nor any of my heirs or Executors or any other person or persons whatsoever which shall or may claim or pretend to have any Claim or Right to any of my Effects whatsoever that I shall dye possessed of at the time of my decease shall not charge either the said RICHARD WALBERTON or MARTHA WALBERTON herein before mentioned anything for their each or either of their Board or Boards or for their Meat Drink Washing or Lodging or any other necessary whatsoever or on any account whatsoever to the day of my decease
   And I do hereby Will that my said Wife SUSANNAH STEEL in Consideration of the Annuity of Twenty pounds to her by me given for her life or for such time that she shall continue to be my Widow And also in Consideration of the Goods Chattels Stock of Beer and household Goods etc by me herein after to her given give unto them my said Kinsman and Kinswoman as before mentioned Sufficient Meat Drink Washing Lodging and all other necessarys has they have heretofore had during out and for so long time that he or she or either of them shall Keep themselves Single or shall think proper to continue with with her my said Wife And Upon Condition that she my said Wife SUSANNAH STEEL shall keep forward the said Victualling House and Business she is now in and for so long time as she shall continue to be my Widow and not otherwise without rendering or paying anything whatsoever in lieu thereof unto her my said Wife SUSANNAH STEEL or to her Executors Administrators or Assigns or to any other Person or Persons whatsoever lawfully claiming or which shall or may lawfully claim by from or under her them or any of them But in case my said Wife should not keep forward the said Victualling House after my decease or should not continue to be my Widow Then my Will is that in rither of the Cases aforesd she my said Wife SUSANNAH STEEL shall not be charged with my said Kinsman's or Kinswoman's or either of them their boards any longer until such time that she shall so leave off the said Victualling Business or be Married to any other Person And also after my just Legacies Funeral charges and the probate of this my said last Will and Testament and all other incident charges and Expenses in the Execution of this my said Will being first paid and satisfyed together with the Board and Maintenance of my said Kinsman RICHARD WALBERTON and Kinswoman MARTHA WALBERTON being allowed to them as before mentioned
   Then I give and bequeath All and singular my Stock of Beer Household Goods Plate Linen ready Money and money at Interest and all other Debts due to me either on Bond Nots of Hand or on any other account whatsoever that I shall be possessed of or entitled unto at the time of my decease ( which has not been by me heretofore disposed or given to any person or persons) unto my loving Wife SUSANNAH STEEL and to her heirs and Assigns for ever
   And I do hereby nominate and appoint my said loving friends and acquaintances WILLIAM PEAN of the City of Rochester aforesaid Baker and DUKE NOBLE of the City of Rochester Barber joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament
   And I doe hereby revoke and make void all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made spoken published or declared and Declare this to be my only last Will and Testament contained in Six Sheets of Paper to each Sheet thereof Sett my Hand and Seal this Thirty first day of December in the seventh year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second over Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and so forth and in the year of our Lord One Thousand seven hundred and Thirty One JOHN STEEL Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said JOHN STEEL the Testator as and for 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
SAMUEL COPPIN THOMAS DUNNING HEN JACKSON

Proved 20th February 1733 (1734)