Will of Thomas Clark of Shipton, yeoman, 1841 (proved 1853)

National Archives PROB 11/2180/397

This is the last Will and Testament of me Thomas Clark of Shipton in the Parish of Winslow in the County of Bucks yeoman made and published this Twentieth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one I give and devise all and singular my freehold and copyhold messuages cottages lands tenements and hereditaments situate and being in the Parish of Tingewick in the said County of Bucks devised to me by the Will of my late father together with the rights members and appurtenances thereto respectively belonging (subject nevertheless to the incumbrances affecting the same) unto my wife Mary Clark and her assigns for and during her life she and they keeping the said messuages cottages and other buildings in proper tenantable repair and condition and duly insured from loss by fire And after the decease of my said wife I give and devise the same freehold and copyhold hereditaments with the appurtenances (subject as aforesaid) unto my Son Edward Clark his heirs and assigns for ever subject also and I hereby make subject and charge the same from and after the decease of my said wife to and with the payment thereout of the weekly sum of three shillings to be paid to my eldest son George Lee Clark and his assigns (on Saturday in every week) for and during his life And I direct that in case the said weekly sum of three shillings shall anytime be behind and unpaid for the space of fourteen days next over or after any of the days whereon the same ought to be paid Then and so often it shall be lawful for my said son George Lee Clark or his assigns to enter upon all or any part of the said freehold and copyhold hereditaments so charged therewith as aforesaid and to distrain for the same or for so much as shall be in arrear and unpaid and all costs occasioned by the non-payment thereof and such distress to sell and dispose of in like manner as a distress for rent reserved by Lease or common demise And also subject and I do hereby make subject and charge the same freehold and copyhold hereditaments so devised as aforesaid with the payment thereout within six Calendar months next after the decease of my said wife unto my daughters Eliza Clark Sarah Weston Clark and Rebecca Flowers Clark of the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds a piece And I do hereby give and bequeath the same sums to my said daughters accordingly and do direct the same to be paid in to the respective hands of my said daughters [space fillers] for their own separate use independent of any husband and that their respective receipts alone or the receipt of such person whom they respectively shall by writing appoint shall be a sufficient discharge for the same And I give and devise all those my two cottages or tenements situate and being in the Parish of Little Horwood in the said County of Bucks with their appurtenances unto my said wife Mary Clark and her assigns for her life she  keeping the same in proper tenantable repair and duly insured from loss by fire And from and after the decease of her my said wife I give and devise the same unto my said three daughters Eliza Clark Sarah Weston Clark and Rebecca Flowers Clark their heirs and assigns as Tenants in common and not as joint Tenants And in case of the decease of any or either of my said daughters in my life time or in the lifetime of my said wife without leaving issue living at my decease or the decease of my said wife which shall last happen Then I give and devise the same Cottages or tenements with the appurtenances unto the survivors of them my said daughters their heirs and assigns as Tenants in common or the survivor of them her heirs and assigns as the case may be And as to all and singular my household goods and furniture arrears of rent monies rights credits and personal Estate whatsoever I give and bequeath the same subject to the payment of my just debts and funeral and testamentary expences unto my said wife absolutely And I appoint my said wife Mary Clark sole Executrix of this my will In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand the day and year first before written
                                                                                                                                                                                Thomas Clark

Signed Published and declared by the said Testator Thomas Clark as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other at the time of the execution thereof subscribed our names as witnesses thereto the interlineation of the words [illegible] being first made
Tho(mas) Hearn Sol(icitor) Buckingham John[?] Box[?] Clerk to Messrs. Hearn & Nelson

This is a Codicil to the last Will and Testament of me Thomas Clark of Shipton in the Parish of Winslow in the County of Bucks Yeoman made this first day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty and my said Will bearing date the twentieth day of January in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty one I appoint my Son Edward Clark and my Son in Law George Jennings Executors of my said Will and this present Codicil jointly with my wife Mary Clark and from and after the decease of my said wife I make subject and charge the hereditaments at Tingewick in the County of Bucks devised[?] by my said will with the payment of the further weekly sum of three shillings to be paid to my eldest son George Lee Clark or his assigns on Saturday every week during his life in addition to the weekly sum of three shillings by my said will directed to be paid to him my object being to give him six shillings per week during his life instead of three shillings per week as mentioned in my said will and I direct that my said son George Lee Clark and his assigns shall have the same powers to recover the said additional weekly sum as are given by my said will with respect to the weekly sum therein mentioned I revoke the devise in my said Will contained of my two Cottages or tenements in the Parish of Little Horwood in the said County of Bucks with the appurtenances from and after the decease of my said wife and from and after the decease of my said wife I give and devise the said Cottages or tenements with the appurtenances unto my daughter Rebecca Flowers Clark her heirs and assigns for ever And I give and devise all that my Copyhold close of land in the Parish of Little Horwood aforesaid now in the occupation of Richard Brise with the appurtenances and all other (if any) my freehold copyhold and leasehold messuages cottages lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever unto my said wife Mary Clark and her assigns for her life and from and after her decease I give and devise the same unto my said daughter Rebecca Flowers Clark her heirs and assigns for ever I revoke the bequest of my household goods and furniture plate linen china and books to my said wife absolutely and instead I give and bequeath to her the use and enjoyment thereof only during her life and upon her decease I give and bequeath the said household goods and furniture plate linen china and books to my said son Edward Clark and my said daughter Rebecca Flowers Clark in equal shares In all other respects I ratify and confirm my said will In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day and year first before written
                                                                                                                                                                                Thomas Clark

Signed by the said Thomas Clark and declared by him to be a Codicil to his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who being present at the same time have in his presence and in the presence of each other subscribed our names as witnesses thereto
George Cowley Surgeon Winslow                              Geo(rge) Nelson Solicitor Buckingham

This is a second Codicil to the last Will and Testament of me Thomas Clark of Shipton in the Parish of Winslow in the County of Bucks Yeoman made this fifth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty three I give and bequeath to my daughter Rebecca Flowers Clark in addition to the provision made for her by my said will and former Codicil the further Legacy or sum of two[?] hundred and fifty pounds and I charge the same on my estate at Tingewick in the said County of Bucks devised by my said will I revoke the bequest of my household goods and furniture plate linen china and books so far as concerns[?] my son Edward Clark and upon the decease of my said wife I give and bequeath the whole of my household goods and \furniture/ plate linen china and books to my said daughter Rebecca Flowers Clark absolutely And in case my residuary personal estate shall be insufficient to pay and satisfy my just debts and my funeral and testamentary expenses I charge the deficiency on my said estate at Tingewick I revoke the appointment of my Son in law George Jennings as an Executor of my said Will and Codicils and in his stead I appoint Mr George Nelson of Buckingham in the said County of Bucks an Executor of my said Will and Codicils to act jointly with my said Wife and my Son Edward Clark In all other respects I confirm my said Will and Codicil In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day and year first before written
                                                                                                                                                                                Tho(mas) Clark

Signed by the said Thomas Clark and declared by him to be a Codicil to his Will in the presence of us who being present at the same time have in his presence and in the presence of each other subscribed our names as witnesses thereto the same having been first read over to the Testator and he appearing fully to understand the same
George Cowley Surgeon                                Geo(rge) Nelson

Proved at London 29th November 1853 by the oaths of Mary Clark Widow and Edward Clark Executors   

Notes

Thomas Clark's death was registered in the third quarter of 1853, aged 66. In the 1851 Census he described himself as "proprietor of land" and gave his place of birth as White Cross Green, Bucks. He was living in Swanbourne Road, Shipton, with his wife Mary aged 70 (born at "Kirdlington", Oxon) and daughter Rebecca Flowers Clark aged 28, a dressmaker born at Westcott. In the 1841 Census he was of independent means, living with his wife, son Edward aged 24 a shoemaker, daughter Eliza aged 26 a milliner, and daughter Sarah aged 20. In both Censuses his house is the next one after Rands Farm. Thomas apparently didn't own it himself, but he bought two copyhold cottages in Little Horwood in 1840 (when he was described as yeoman of Shipton). His wife Mary was the sister of Joseph Weston of Little Horwood, and in 1842 she transferred to Thomas the land there which she had inherited from Joseph.

Most of the children were baptised at Steeple Claydon: George in 1814, Eliza in 1815, Edward in 1816, Sarah in 1818. George appears to have been a bricklayer in Steeple Claydon in 1851 with a wife and children. Edward was a widower living in Kentish Town in 1861. Sarah married George Jennings at Winslow in 1848. Rebecca also moved to London and in 1861 was living in Ferdinand Terrace, St Pancras.