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Will of Francis Collins, grocer, 1770 (proved 1771)
National Archives, PROB 11/965/112
In the Name of God Amen I Francis Collins of Winslow in the County of Bucks Grocer being indisposed in Body but of sound and disposing Mind Memory and understanding (for which I bless God) and being desirous to settle my Worldly Affairs whilst I have Strength and Capacity so to do do therefore make and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say First I will that all such debts as I shall justly owe at the time of my decease and my Funeral Charges and
[p.2] Expences be in the first place paid by my Executors hereinafter named \and my Body I commit to the Earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my Trustees and Executors herein after named/ and as to such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased Almighty God to intrust me I dispose of the same as followeth First I give devise and bequeath unto my Servant Maid Elizabeth Newborn all that my Copyhold Messuage or Tenement situate and being in the Market Square of Winslow aforesaid wherein I now dwell with all and every the Appurtenances thereunto belonging and also all those my three Freehold Messuages or Tenements situate and being in Winslow aforesaid now in the several Tenures or Occupations of John Crockett William Bunce and Elizabeth Prentice Widow and also all that my Garden and inclosed Close of pasture Ground lying near or adjoyning to the said Messuages or Tenements and now in the Tenure or Occupation of me the said Francis Collins and John Dudley with their and every of their Rights Members and Appurtenances To hold all and every the said Messuages or Tenements Garden Close Hereditaments and premisses with their and every of their Appurtenances unto and to the use of the said Elizabeth Newborn her Heirs and Assigns for ever Also I give and bequeath unto the said Elizabeth Newborn my Servant Maid all and every my Household Goods and Furniture whatsoever and wheresoever and also all my plate Rings Merchandise and Stock in Trade of what Nature or kind soever to and for her sole use Benefit and disposal Also I give and bequeath unto Joseph Dudley of Winslow aforesaid draper all that my Copyhold Orchard or Close of pasture Ground situate and being in Winslow aforesaid with the Malting Barn Wheathouse and other Buildings thereunto belonging which I purchased of and from Joseph Cobb and now in the Tenure or Occupation of the said Joseph Dudley and Robert Gibbs with all and every the Appurtenances thereunto belonging To hold the same unto and to the use of the said Joseph Dudley his Heirs and Assigns for ever he permitting John Turnbull of Winslow aforesaid draper to have the Free use Benefit and Enjoyment of that peice of Garden Ground he now rents of the said Joseph Dudley in the said Orchard for the term of four years to be computed from the Day next after my decease without paying any Rent for the same Also I give and bequeath unto John Stevens of Winslow aforesaid Labourer all that my Reversion expectant upon the death of the longest Liver of Samuel Allen and Elizabeth his Wife of and in all that Cottage or Tenement with the Appurtenances thereunto belonging situate and being in Northmarston in the said County of Bucks now in the Tenure or Occupation of the said Samuel Allen To hold the same unto and to the use of the said John Stevens his Heirs and Assigns for ever Also I give and bequeath unto Robert Gibbs of Winslow aforesaid Maltster all that my Freehold Inclosed Close of pasture Ground lying and being in the parish of Winslow aforesaid called or known by the Name of Oxeye now in
[p.3] the Tenure or Occupation of the said Robert Gibbs with the Appurtenances thereunto belonging To hold the same unto and to the use of the said Robert Gibbs his Heirs and Assigns for ever subject nevertheless and I do hereby expressly charge the said Freehold Close of pasture Ground by me so devised to the said Robert Gibbs with the payment of the Sum of one hundred pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain which I do hereby give and bequeath unto the said John Stevens of Winslow aforesaid Labourer and also with the further payment of the Sum of fifty pounds which I do hereby give and bequeath unto John Bailey Son of John Bailey late of Winslow aforesaid Collarmaker deceased to be paid to them respectively within twelve Months next after my decease Also I give and bequeath unto Nicholas Bailey of Berkhamsted in the County of Hertford Collarmaker the Legacy or Sum of one hundred pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain Also I give and bequeath unto Thomas Bailey of Winslow aforesaid Cordwainer the like Sum of one hundred pounds of like Money Also I give and bequeath unto Ann Bailey late of Winslow aforesaid Spinster the like Sum of one hundred pounds of like Money Also I give and bequeath unto John Bailey Son of Philip Bailey of Drayton in the County of Middlesex Mealman the Sum of thirty pounds of like Money Also I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth the Wife of Thomas Morris of Fleet Ditch London Carpenter and Joyner the Sum of thirty pounds of like Money Also I give and bequeath unto my God Daughter Ann Worsley of Winslow aforesaid Spinster the Sum of twenty pounds of like Money Also I give and bequeath unto the said Robert Gibbs Malster the said Joseph Dudley and to James Burnham of Winslow aforesaid Gentleman the Sum of twenty pounds each of like Money Also I give and bequeath unto John Turnbull of Winslow aforesaid Draper and to James Morris the younger of Winslow aforesaid perukemaker the Sum of ten pounds each of like Money Also I give and bequeath unto my Servant Maid the said Elizabeth Newborn fifty pounds of like Money Also as to for and concerning all the Rest and Residue of my personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever and of what Nature or kind soever the same may be and not otherwise by this my Will given and disposed of as aforesaid (If any Overplus shall remain after payment of my Debts Executors Expences and Legacies charged on my personal Estate I give and bequeath the same unto and amongst all and every my several and respective Legatees herein before named share and share alike and I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said Robert Gibbs Joseph Dudley and James Burnham joint Executors and Trustees of this my Will not doubting of their care and Conduct in the Execution of the Trusts hereby in them reposed and my Will and desire is that in case my personal Estate shall fall short or be found insufficient fully to pay satisfy and discharge all
[p.4] my debts Legacies Funeral Expences Charges of proving this my Will and attending the Execution of the Trusts of this my Will and all other Charges and Expences incident thereto that then such Deficiency shall be supplied and made good out of the premises hereinbefore by me given and devised to the said Robert Gibbs and Joseph Dudley each Estate to pay an equal Share of such Deficiency as aforesaid fully[?] (and in that case I do hereby charge and make chargeable all and every the premisses hereinbefore by me bequeathed[?] and devised to the said Robert Gibbs and Joseph Dudley as aforesaid with the payment of so much of my said Debts Legacies Funeral Expences and of such other Charges and Expences as aforesaid as my said personal Estate shall so fall short or be insufficient to pay as aforesaid so that the same may be all fully paid and satisfied according to the true Intent and Meaning of this my Will and my Will is and I do hereby expressly declare that my said Executors and Trustees or either of them their or either of their Executors or Administrators shall not be charged or chargeable with or accountable for more Moneys than he or they shall actually receive or shall cause to his or their respective Hands by Virtue of this my Will and also that it shall and may be lawful for them my said Trustees and Executors and each and every of them their and each and every of their Executors and Administrators to deduct pay and reimburse him and themselves respectively all such Loss Costs Charges and Expences as he they or any of them shall sustain expend or reasonably deserve for or by Reason of the performance of this my Will or the Trusts hereby in them reposed or the Management and Execution thereof respectively or any other thing in any wise relating thereunto And Lastly I do hereby revoke and make void all former and other Will and Wills by me at any time heretofore made and do publish and declare this only to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I the said Frances Collins have to this my Will contained in four Sheets of paper to the three First Sheets thereof set my Hand only and to the fourth and last my Hand and Seal this eleventh Day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy
Fran(cis) Collins
Signed sealed published and declared by the said Francis Collins the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our Names as Witnesses there to at the Request and in the presence of the said Testator and also in the presence of each other (the Interlineation between the fifth and sixth Lines of the third Sheet of this Will being first made and interlined
Benj(amin) Dudley Will(ia)m Gibbs John Ox [=Cox]
[p.5] Whereas I Francis Collins of Winslow in the County of Bucks Grocer have made my last Will and Testament in Writing bearing date the eleventh Day of June one thousand seven hundred and seventy and have thereby given devised and bequeath unto Joseph Dudley of Winslow aforesaid Draper all that my Copyhold Orchard or Close of pasture Ground situate and being in Winslow aforesaid with the Malting Barn Wheathouse and other Buildings thereunto belonging To hold the same unto and to the use of the said Joseph Dudley his Heirs and Assigns for ever And Whereas I have likewise in and by my said Will given and bequeathed unto Robert Gibbs of Winslow aforesaid Malster all that my Freehold Close of pasture Ground lying and being in the parish of Winslow aforesaid called Oxey To hold the same unto and to the use of the said Robert Gibbs his Heirs and Assigns for ever subject nevertheless and chargeable with the payment of the Sum of one hundred pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain by me in and by my said Will given and bequeathed unto John Stevens of Winslow aforesaid Labourer as thereby Relation being thereunto had will more fully and at large appear Now I do by this in Writing which I declare to be a Codicil to my said Will and to be taken as part thereof I give devise and bequeath unto the said Joseph Dudley only the said Orchard or Close of pasture Ground without the Malting Barn Wheathouse and Buildings thereunto belonging To hold the said Orchard or Close or pasture Ground only unto the said Joseph Dudley his Heirs and Assigns forever and the said Malting Barn Wheathouse and Buildings together with the yard adjoining to the said Orchard or Close I do hereby give and bequeath unto the said Robert Gibbs To hold to him his Heirs and Assigns for ever and I do also by this my Codicil order and direct the said Robert Gibbs to pay only the Sum of fifty pounds to the said John Stevens out of the said Sum of one hundred pounds by my said Will directed to be paid to him out of the said Close of pasture Ground therein by me devised to the said Robert Gibbs and the remaining fifty pounds of the said Sum of one Hundred pounds I do hereby give and bequeath unto my Servant Maid Elizabeth Nuborn over and above what I have already given and bequeathed to her in and by my said Will and I give and bequeath unto Thomas Prentice of Winslow aforesaid Apothecary five pounds to buy him Mourning and I do hereby ratify and confirm my said Will and all the Gifts Devises Bequests Matters and things therein contained and not hereby altered and revoked In Witness whereof I the said Francis Collins have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the fifth day of January one thousand seven hundred and seventy one
Fran(cis) Collins
This Writing was signed and sealed by the abovenamed Francis Collins and by him published and declared as and for a Codicil to his last Will
[p.6] and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunder subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto in this presence. The Interlineation in this Codicil being first made and interlined
Rob(er)t Gibbs James Morris William Garlike
This Will was proved at London (with a Codicil) on the eleventh day of March in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy one before the Worshipful George Harris Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Worshipful George Hay also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper of Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oaths of Robert Gibbs Joseph Dudley and James Burnham the Executors named in the said will to whom Administration of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said Deceased was granted they having been first sworn duly to administer.
Notes
Francis Collins was the widower of Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Gyles, second son of William and Mary Gyles the founders of Keach's Meeting House. See Gyles Family page. They got married at Quainton, his father's original home, on 3 June 1736. She was probably the "Mrs Collins" buried at Winslow on 19 Jan 1744. He was the son of Francis (labourer) and Mary Collins, bap. 22 Oct 1705, and grandson of Philip Bailey, collarmaker, d.1721. He was apprenticed to John Grainge, cordwainer, in 1721, but apparently became established as a grocer in the 1730s, probably as a result of his marriage. He inherited the house where he lived and some of his land from his brother-in-law William Gyles of London (d.1760). He held 10 acres in the open fields before Enclosure, inherited from William Gyles, and replaced by 5½ acres including the original Oxey(e), on the west side of Granborough Road. The house was on the site of 19 Market Square, later demolished to build the Bank.
James Burnham placed an advert in the Oxford Journal on 23 Feb 1771 asking for claimants on Francis Collins' estate to come forward and debts to be paid.
Elizabeth Newborn (or Newburn), the servant who was Francis Collins' principal beneficiary, married William Turner, lacebuyer, on 7 Aug 1771. They sold the house to the lawyer James Burnham in 1791. Francis' contemporary and neighbour William Hobbs (d.1771) also made very generous provision for a female servant, but not to the same extent.
three Freehold Messuages: This refers to what is now Pear Tree Cottage (2 Church Street).
Garden: The land which later became the Bowling Green and Walled Garden.