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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: londonscorpion on Wednesday 26 December 18 13:33 GMT (UK)
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I am having a problem reading some words in a 1755 will. There are three section and I will post three snippets in turn.
The following is my take on the following first snippet:
1 next after my decease also I give and bequeath unto
2 my said daughter Frances that Bed Bolster Blanketts
3 Curtains Valences and xxxxxx and all thereunto belonging
4 which she useth to lye upon and also three pair of
5 Sheets to be in goodness and value according as my
6 Sheets shall arise and also that chest of drawers which
7 now standeth in that chamber where she useth to lye
I read the missing word in line 3 as “Steadle” but that does not seem to make sense.
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My second problem is with line 8 in the following snippet. My take is:
1 Charging or demanding any money or other consideration
2 of her for her Board Clothing Education and Keeping
3 and if they cannot agree or my Executor hereafter named
4 should marry and a dislike happen on either side before
5 or after his Marriage or by his death or any otherwise
6 howsoever then and in such case my Will Mind and
7 Desire is that they should part by and at the approbation
8 and discretion of my said Will Richard Gibbons Ann
9 his now wife and my Daughter Frances or the survivor
10 or survivors of them or their assigns and after such
11 Parting (if any be) that he my Executor hereafter named
12 his heirs Executors or Administrators shall allow and
What is the sense of line 8 where “Will” immediately precedes “Richard”
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My third problem is with line 3 of the following snippet. My take is:
1 Executor of this my last will and Testament strictly charging
2 and requiring him to be kind to his sisters and more
3 Particular to his xxxx xxxx and I do hereby
4 revoke and make void all former Wills by me formerly
In line 3 I think I read Motherless xxxx but this not seem to make sense, if only because the “him” was not married at the time the will was drawn.
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Image 1: I agree that the word is Steadle. Someone may be able to shed light on the meaning.
Image 3: ...Motherless Neice...
ADDED:
Regarding your question about Image 2, I am assuming he is talking about the parting of two people rather than a parting in the sense of a division of assets.
I think he means that whatever conditions are set down in his Will are to be imposed first; and if any further decisions must be taken, then he relies on the judgement of Richard, Ann and ffrances to make those decisions.
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A very minor point, in the first snip, the second word in line three is valance not valances.
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First extract:
3 Curtains Valences and xxxxxx and all thereunto belonging
I read the missing word in line 3 as “Steadle” but that does not seem to make sense.
It's fine - a variant of staddle, meaning any kind of stand. In SE England it can specifically mean bedstead. See Joseph Wright's Dialect Dictionary - entry for staddle, definition no.8 (with examples noted from Kent, Surrey and Isle of Wight):
https://archive.org/details/cu31924088038421/page/n727
My second problem is with line 8 in the following snippet. My take is:
8 and discretion of my said Will Richard Gibbons Ann
What is the sense of line 8 where “Will” immediately precedes “Richard”
That's a bit tricky. On the face of it there might be a copying error, and it should really be something like "the said Richard..." or "the said overseers(?) of this my will..." but we really need some more context on this one.
Please could you post the whole of the sentence/clause that this is taken from? And has Richard Gibbons been mentioned before, and if so, how is he described?
And I agree with Horsleydown on Motherless Neice (ie Niece).
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Arthurk,
Richard Gibbons is identified twice before, qualifying Ann as being married to him.
These are the precedeing 9 lines and the whole of the text that completes the instruction:
1 and my Mind and Will
2 is that my executor hereafter named his heirs executors
3 or administrators they or one of them shall maintain
4 educate and bring up my said granddaughter Sarah
5 Wood until she shall attain unto the full age of eighteen
6 years or shall be by my said son Richard Gibbons and
7 Ann his now wife and Frances my said daughter or the
8 Survivor or survivors of them or their assigns adjudged
9 Capable for service act and do for herself without
0 Charging or demanding any money or other consideration
1 of her for her Board Clothing Education and Keeping
2 and if they cannot agree or my Executor hereafter named
3 should marry and a dislike happen on either side before
4 or after his Marriage or by his death or any otherwise
5 howsoever then and in such case my Will Mind and
6 Desire is that they should part by and at the approbation
7 and discretion of my said Will Richard Gibbons Ann
8 his now wife and my Daughter Frances or the survivor
9 or survivors of them or their assigns and after such
10 Parting (if any be) that he my Executor hereafter named
11 his heirs Executors or Administrators shall allow and
51 pay to her my said Grandaughter Sarah Wood five
52 Shillings Weekly and every week toward her mainten-
12 ance until she shall attain to the age aforesaid or be
13 thought fit to do for herself by the persons aforesaid and
14 I do hereby desire and strictly charge deputise appoint
15 and require my said son Richard Gibbons and Ann his now
16 Wife and my Daughter Frances and the survivor or
17 Survivors of them or their assigns to be over lookers
18 and to see this part of my Will rightly and duly performed
19 according to the true intent and meaning of the same
20 and further my Will and Desire is that
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4 and also three pair of
5 Sheets to be in goodness and value according as my
6 Sheets shall arise
Can anyone explain what is meant by "Sheets shall arise" in Snippet 1
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4 and also three pair of
5 Sheets to be in goodness and value according as my
6 Sheets shall arise
Can anyone explain what is meant by "Sheets shall arise" in Snippet 1
Often in old wills they would specify "the best pair of sheets", "the second best pair of sheets" and so on.
What he means by in Goodness and value according as my Sheets shall arise is that in this case the three pairs given to ffrances are to be given as they come, without such consideration or ordering.
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Many thanks Horseley, and a Happy Christmas to you all.
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And to you too, londonscorpion.
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I'm a little bit unclear as to the precise meaning of this section, but I think it's that the testator wishes his granddaughter Sarah Wood to be brought up by his son Richard Gibbons and Richard's wife Ann, and his daughter Frances, at the executor's (ie estate's) expense.
However, the parallel phrases strongly suggest that "Will" in the extract you posted is an error, and it should be "Son". I've cut down the quote below to show just those bits:
Arthurk,
Richard Gibbons is identified twice before, qualifying Ann as being married to him...
6 years or shall be by my said son Richard Gibbons and
7 Ann his now wife and Frances my said daughter or the
...
7 and discretion of my said Will Richard Gibbons Ann
8 his now wife and my Daughter Frances or the survivor
9 or survivors of them or their assigns and after such
...
14 I do hereby desire and strictly charge deputise appoint
15 and require my said son Richard Gibbons and Ann his now
16 Wife and my Daughter Frances and the survivor or
17 Survivors of them or their assigns to be over lookers
The style of handwriting here is typical of an office/registered copy of a will (PCC?), which would have been written out by a clerk as a copy of the original. Copying errors did sometimes occur, so it's likely that the original would have the correct wording, which would make better sense.
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That makes sense Arthurk. Many thanks.