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Anyone able to read old wills

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Chris

Chris Report 24 Aug 2006 11:24

I have a will dated 1838 that I downloaded from the records office. Parts of it I am finding impossible to understand. Anyone able to help please. Chris

KathleenBell

KathleenBell Report 24 Aug 2006 11:48

If you can scan it and email it I'm willing to have a go, but can't promise I'll be any better than you at reading. Let me know if you can and I'll send you my email address. Kath. x

Deb

Deb Report 24 Aug 2006 11:50

I'll also take a look if you like...I have been reading quite a few lately!! I'll PM you my email addy Deb

Zoe

Zoe Report 24 Aug 2006 11:50

if you can email the pdf file to me I can take a look - I'm having a very slow day at work today I'll PM you my email Zoe

Chris

Chris Report 24 Aug 2006 11:56

It's on PDF file and there is no problem E-mailing it Chris

Mandy

Mandy Report 24 Aug 2006 11:58

I've just received a copy of a will and would appreciate someone looking at it too! It just looks like complete and utter gobbeldy gook! Can I jump on the bandwagon of this thread? Sorry to hijack it. Many thanks!

Deb

Deb Report 24 Aug 2006 12:17

Mandy..I have sent you PM Deb

Zoe

Zoe Report 24 Aug 2006 12:19

anyone had email from Chris yet? my 'refresh email' finger is getting tired

Mandy

Mandy Report 24 Aug 2006 12:27

Thanks Jim and Deb for your help:) Email on the way

Chris

Chris Report 24 Aug 2006 12:30

Sorry it took so long ladies. Now sent. Mandy no problem join in Chris

Mandy

Mandy Report 24 Aug 2006 12:34

Thanks Chris, Obviously the 'Will Angel' was looking on me at that point in time...the email came through with the will, and so did your thread! Mandy

Zoe

Zoe Report 24 Aug 2006 12:34

This is the last will and testament of me Henry Lockett of the town of Swansea in teh county of Glamorgan Esquire (?) Barrister of Law. I give devise and bequeath unto my beloved wife Catherine Lockett all my freehold and leasehold estates respectively situate in the parish of Abberley (?) in the county of Worcester and in Grays Inn in the county of MIddlesex and all other the real estate of or to which I am or may be seized (?) possessed or entitled at the time of my decease. And also all my personal estate or every description to hold the same estates landed her to the natures tenures and legal qualities thereof respectivelyunto my said wife, Catherin Lockett, her heirs, executors, administers ?????? and assigns for ever and I hereby appoint my said wife executor of this my will hereby revoking all former and other wills and testamentory writings by me at any time heretofore made and ??????? this to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight. **Henry lockett** signed sealed published and declared by teh above named henry Lockett as and for his last will an dtestament in teh presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses **J Gwyn Jeffreys** Slr Swansea (could be I gwynn Jeffreys) **A C jenkins** Clerk to Messrs Jenkins and Jefrreys. Solrs Swansea PROVED at LOndon 5th April 1848 before the worshipful Robert Joseph Phillimore Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the oath of Catherine Lockett widow the relict the sole Executor to whom admon was granted having been first sworn duly to administer Hope thats matches with everyone else Z xx

Kate

Kate Report 24 Aug 2006 12:38

Not that I have seen it, but that 'administers?????' will be 'administrators', and the other ???????? might well be 'declare'? Kate.

Zoe

Zoe Report 24 Aug 2006 12:42

do you know something - I've just remembered HOW much I love reading old wills and transcribing them does that make me just 'peculiar' or 'dead peculiar'? Z

Kate

Kate Report 24 Aug 2006 12:46

I enjoy it too, Zoe, and I would have offered on this thread if there hadn't already been so many offers before I got back on the computer. That ?????? after 'the widow' will most likely be 'the relict'. You can tell how many of these I have transcribed, can't you?! I do have my favourites among my family ones, I must say. I particularly like the ones with codicils. Kate.

Zoe

Zoe Report 24 Aug 2006 12:49

ah - you're right - it's relict I'll update above You'd LOVE my 4x great grandfathers will then - he has 4 codicilis each getting more and more restrictive with his daughters he basically said my 3x great grandmother was a bit stupid and incapable of choosing a husband or keeping him and if she got married or had children she'd get no money (and there was a lot of it) She married one of the executors, had 10 kids, and contested the will for years before she got her share

Chris

Chris Report 24 Aug 2006 12:58

Thank you all very much. I was interested in the parish in Worcestershire. Henry Sockett defended in court Dic Penderyn who was hanged for his part in the Merthyr Riots of 1833. He was supposed to have stabbed a soldier in the leg, a crime that someone else confessed to years later on his death bed. It has taken me three years of reaearch to hunt down Henry and at last he is starting to emerge from the darkness. Thank you all once again Chris

Zoe

Zoe Report 24 Aug 2006 13:00

Sockett????!!! with and S? *goes red* I assure you the rest of my transcription is fairly reliable

Deb

Deb Report 24 Aug 2006 13:07

Sorry Chris and Mary..I had to dash off!!! Chris, I see that your will has been done and Mary, I'm having problems with the image...I'ts not very clear and is very faint in some areas.....is the original like that or is it the scan?? Maybe Jim is having more luck than me?? Deb

Mandy

Mandy Report 24 Aug 2006 13:08

Deb, It's an email from a scan! I've now received a better version of it, as it's been cleaned up somewhat! I can make out more of it than I could before, but still no idea who got what! I'll email it to you again! Thanks