Will of Edmund Cox, retired cooper, 1815 (proved 1820)

National Archives, PROB 11/1635/336

In the name of God Amen I Edmund Cox late of Bunhill Row in the County of Middlesex Cooper and now of Winslow in the County of Bucks  Gentleman being of sound mind memory and understanding do make this my last Will and Testament in manner following (that is to say) first I desire my body may be interred in the Church Yard of Winslow aforesaid as near the remains of my late Wife Mary Cox as conveniently may be that Stones may be erected to my memory and three Stones placed over my Grave similar to those erected to the memory and placed over the Graves of my said Wife Mary and my late Father John Cox and Jane his Wife and I give and bequeath the following legacies or sums of money sterling unto the several and respective persons hereinafter named (that is to say) to my Niece Mary the Wife of Richard Mayne one thousand pounds to James Ives son of the said Mary Mayne by James Ives her former husband deceased three thousand pounds to Goldsworth Mayne Sarah Mayne and Rebecca Mayne also the Children of the said Mary Mayne four hundred pounds each to William Clarke and Mary Clarke Son and Daughter of my late Nephew William Clarke Four hundred pounds each to John Cox Henry Cox and Mary Newman (Children of my late Brother Henry Cox) two hundred pounds each To Edmund Newman my Godson and Son of John and Mary Newman one hundred pounds to my two God daughters Ann the daughter of William King late of Winslow aforesaid and Mary the daughter of George and Mary Absolom of Choseley in the County of Berks one hundred pounds each To William Ives the older Elizabeth Ives (Widow of Thomas Ives deceased) and Mary Dorrington my Cousins one hundred pounds each To Elizabeth Burton (Wife of Joseph Burton) my Cousin three hundred pounds to Sarah Church Widow of Thomas Church late of Great Trinity Lane London one hundred pounds To John Deeley of Winslow aforesaid Brickmaker fifty pounds to Thomas Dunstan Master of St Lukes Hospital in the City Road in the County of Middlesex one hundred pounds as a token of respect and to the said Thomas Dunstan and John Tookey of Winslow aforesaid Doctor of Physic for the care and trouble they will have in the execution of this my Will one hundred and twenty pounds each All which said legacies I hereby direct to be paid to such of the said several legatees above named as shall at the time of my decease have arrived to the age of twenty one years within twelve calendar months next after my decease and to such of them as shall not then have arrived to that age when and so soon as they shall severally and respectively attain thereunto Also I give and bequeath unto the said Thomas Dunstan and John Tookey the sum of two thousand pounds sterling part of my several shares interest or Stock in the three per cent consolidated Bank Annuities and now standing in my name in the Books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England Upon trust that they . . . Thomas Dunstan and John Tookey or the survivor of them his executors or administrators do pay and apply the interest dividends and produce thereof as the same shall from time to time become due and be received by them unto Elizabeth Clark (Widow of Matthew Clark) and Elizabeth Lea my housekeeper during the term of their several natural lives in the proportions following (that is to say) to the said Elizabeth Clark Sixty pounds subject nevertheless

[p.2] to the deduction or abatement thereout in respect of the Property tax and legacy duty charged or to be charged thereon and to the said Elizabeth Lea forty pounds also subject to the Property tax legacy Duty and all other taxes and deductions or outgoings whatsoever parliamentary or otherwise ... the first payment thereof to be become due and payable on such of the half yearly days as the said interest . . .shall become due next after my decease and from and immediately after the . . .  deceases of the said Elizabeth Clark and Elizabeth Lea or either of them I direct the said Thomas Dunstan and John Tookey . . . to sell out and transfer the said two thousand pounds . .  . in parts or shares as the death of said Elizabeth Clark and Elizabeth Lea shall happen and pay and apply the same and the interest and dividends then due. . . unto and among the said Mary the wife of Richard Mayne and Rebecca Mayne \James Ives Goldsworth Mayne Sarah Mayne/ share and share alike and which I do hereby also give. . . accordingly Also I give . . . unto the said Thomas Dunstan and John Tookey the further sum of three hundred pounds . . . part of my said several shares . . . in the three per cent consolidated Bank Annuities Upon trust that they the said Thomas Dunstan and John Tookey . . . do lay out and apply the interest . . . forever . . . as the same shall . . .  become due and received by them in the purchase of good wheaten bread and divide and distribute such bread twice in each and every year at such seasons and in such shares and proportions as they shall think proper unto and among all and every the necessitous poor people for the time being belong(in)g to and residing in the Parish of Winslow . . . Also I give . . . unto the said Thomas Dunstan and John Tookey All and every my freehold and copyhold Messuages Cottages Closes land tenements hereditaments and Real Estate situate standing and being in Winslow . . . or elsewhere (the copyhold parts whereof are held of the manor of Winslow with its members in the County of Bucks and have been surrendered to the use of my Will) with the respective rights members and appurtenances thereunto belonging or appertaining to hold the same and every part and parcel thereof unto and to the use of the said Thomas Dunstan and John Tookey . . .upon trust nevertheless as hereinafter mentioned  Also I give . . . unto the said Elizabeth Clark and Elizabeth Lea the two beds they usually lie on with the Bedsteads furniture Counterpanes four pair of Sheets and other apparatus thereto belonging Also the several Chairs  and round mahogany tea table usually standing in my little Parlour and a small table usually standing in my Kitchen Also my common Tea Pot Cups Saucers Basons silver Cream Jug and a dozen of common Knives and Forks which I direct to be given and delivered to and equally divided between them the said Elizabeth Clark and Elizabeth Lea by my Executors hereinafter named as soon as conveniently may be after my interment And as the Rest and residue of my household Good and furniture . . .  and the residue and remainder of my interest share or Stocks in the Public funds monies and Personal Estate of what nature or kind soever

[p.3] except my Mare Gig Cart Harness Bridles and Saddles which I hereby give . . .to the said Richard Mayne and in case my said Mare should be seized and taken by the Lord of the Manor of Winslow . . .  as an Heriot on my decease I desire my Executors if reasonably can to compound for her I give . . .the same and every part thereof unto the said Thomas Dunstan and John Tookey . . . to hold the same. . .upon trust that they . . .  do and shall as soon as conveniently maybe after my decease sell and dispose of the said freehold and copyhold Messuages . . . and Real Estate and also my said Household Goods and furniture Personal Estate and Effects which shall not then consist of ready money or be placed out at interest for the most money and best price or prices that can be reasonably had . . .  and the money arising by the sale . . . and also the said ready money and money placed out at interest in the first place to pay off and discharge all such debts as I shall justly owe at the time of my decease my funeral and testamentary expences and the several and respective legacies . . . then upon trust (after paying. . . the costs . . . incident to . . . the sale of my . . . Real and Personal Estates) to pay and divided what shall . . . remain of the said monies . . among the said Mary . . . Mayne James Ives Goldsworth Mayne Sarah Mayne and Rebecca Mayne equally share and share alike . . . and do direct the same to be paid to such of them as shall at the time of such sale . . . have arrived at the age of twenty one years as soon as conveniently may be after the same [the clause previously used relating to those under 21 at such time is reused here] I declare and direct that the . . .  receipts of the said Thomas Dunstan and John Tookey . . . shall be sufficient . . .  discharges to all . . . persons who shall or may become the . . .  purchasers of my freehold and copyhold estates hereinbefore given . . . and that it shall not be necessary for such . . . purchasers . . . to see to the application . . . of their purchase money nor be answerable for the misapplication or nonapplication thereof . . . and my mind and will also is that in case of the decease of the said Mary Mayne before her said legacy . . . shall become due and payable I direct five hundred pounds part of her legacy . . . shall be paid to the said Richard Mayne within twelve months next after my decease and the remainder of her legacy . . .  shall be paid to the said Goldsworth Mayne Sarah Mayne and Rebecca Mayne equally . . . at such times as are hereinbefore mentioned touching their original . . .  legacies and in case of the said James Ives

[p.4] decease before his said legacy  . . shall become due without leaving any Issue of his said body that his legacy . . . shall also be paid to the said Goldsworth Mayne Sarah Mayne and Rebecca Mayne equally . . . and in case of the decease of the said Goldsworth Mayne Sarah Mayne Rebecca Mayne William Clark Mary Clark John Cox Mary Cox Mary Newman or Edmund Newman . . . before his her or their . . . legacies . . . shall become due . . . without leaving any issue of . . .  their . . . bodies lawfully begotten . . . then I will and direct that the . . . shares . . .of them so dying shall . . . get accrue and belong to the surviving brothers and Sisters of . . .them so dying (except the said James Ives and Mary Newman who I direct shall have no such benefit in case of the decease of either of their said brothers and Sisters the said Goldsworth Mayne Sarah Mayne Rebecca Mayne John Cox and Mary Cox) and be paid . . . if more than one equally . . . at such time . . . as hereinbefore expressed . . . and in the mean time from . . . my decease . . . until  said Goldsworth Mayne Sarah Mayne and Rebecca Mayne shall arrive to the age of twenty one years I authorise . . . my said Trustees . . . to pay the interest . . . of their several legacies and shares of the residue of the said monies. . . into the hands of the said Richard Mayne the better to enable him to support educate and bring up his said Children during their Minorities and my mind and Will is also in case of the decease of the said Elizabeth Burton William Ives and John Deely. . . before their . . .legacies . . . become due . . . that the legacies . . . of them so dying shall not lapse but shall be paid to the husband Widow or Widows of . . . them so dying (if any such there shall be) and to whom I give . . the same accordingly . . . and do direct the same to be paid . . . at such times as the said original . . . legacies . . . would have become due. . . and in the mean time from . . . my decease . . . until the said Edmund Newman shall arrive to the age of twenty one years I authorise . . . my said Trustees . . . to place out and invest his said legacy in . . . their own . . . names in or upon Government or Real Securities . . . as they shall think fit in trust for the said Edmund Newman and place out invest and accumulate the . . . interest thereof for his benefit until such age and I do hereby nominated constitute and appoint the said Thomas Dunstan and John Tookey the Executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby annulling all former and other Wills by me at any time heretofore made And my will is and I do hereby direct that my said Executors and Trustees . . .  be answerable for their own acts and deeds only and not one for the other and that . . .  they shall not be answerable for any more of

[p.5] the monies . . . of my Estate than shall actually be received by them . . . nor for any loss or reduction therein without their . . . wilful neglect or default and also that they shall retain all their costs charges damages and expences in the trusts and executorship of this my Will out of the Estates and Effects in them respectively vested by virtue thereof or out of the monies arising therefrom In Witness whereof I the said Edmund Cox the testator have to this my last Will and Testament contained in six sheets of paper at the bottom of each of the first five sheets set my hand and to this sixth and last sheet my hand and seal thereof this Ninth day of February in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand eight hundred and fifteen Edmund Cox [signature] Signed sealed and declared by the said Edmund Cox the testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto John King [signature] Sl. Smith [signature] Wm. Kightley [signature] Clerk to Mr. Willis Att(orne)y Winslow

[The following codicil was copied into the register after the grant of probate but has been inserted here in its chronological place.]

[p.7] Whereas I Edmund Cox of Winslow in the County of Bucks Yeoman Gentleman have made my last Will and Testament in writing contained on this and five other sheets of paper hereto annexed bearing date ninth day of February in the year of one thousand eight hundred and fifteen now I do by this . . . Codicil to my Will . . . give the following legacies . . . unto the several persons hereinafter named and which I declare to be in addition to the legacies
[p.8] . . . in . . . my said Will . . . given . . . to any . . . of them (that is to say) unto my Cousin Joseph Burton three hundred pounds to Thomas Burton James Burton Joseph Burton the younger Elizabeth the Wife of Henry Haylan and Sarah Burton Spinster (the children of the said Joseph Burton the elder and Elizabeth his Wife) one hundred pounds each to Mary Newman my niece a Legatee named in my said Will one hundred pounds to all the . . . children of the said Mary Newman (except her Son Edmund Newman a Legatee named in my said Will) one hundred pounds equally to be divided between them share and share alike with benefit of survivorship amongst them as to the . . . shares of any . .  of them dying under the age of twenty one years to Elizabeth Clark (an Annuitant named in my said Will) one hundred pounds to Elizabeth Lea (also an Annuitant . . .) fifty pounds to John Deeley (a Legatee. . . ) fifty pounds to Charles Willis of Winslow Gentleman one hundred pounds and to George Mitchell of Crown Street Finsbury Square London Auctioneer for the care and trouble he will have as one of the executors of my Will two hundred pounds All which legacies I . . . direct to be paid to . . . the . . . Legatees above named as shall have at the time of my decease attained to the age of twenty one years (except . . . Mary Newman) within twelve calendar months next after my decease [and for those under the age of twenty one at the time of his death] I . . . direct my executors . . . to pay . . . during their respective minorities [proportions, timings and manner as previously stated] as they may think proper and as to the said Legacy . . . of one hundred pounds given . . . to Mary Newman I direct the same to be paid to her in manner following . . . twenty pounds . . . on the day two years next after my decease and the further sum of twenty pounds . . . every year . . . after such first payment . . . until the whole . .  one hundred pounds . . . shall have been fully paid  . . . and I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said George Mitchell an Executor . . . (jointly with Thomas Dunstan and John Tookey . . .) . . . and direct that the said George Mitchell shall have the same power . . . as my other Executors . . . and I ratify and confirm my said Will and all the . . . matters and things therein respectively contained  . . . In Witness whereof I the said Edmund Cox have hereunto set my hand and Seal this eleventh day of November in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand eight hundred and sixteen Edmund Cox [signature] This writing was signed and sealed by the above named Edmund Cox the testator and by him published and declared as and for a Codicil to his last Will and Testament  in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses in his presence George Cross [signature] Geo. Cross Junr. [signature] Davd. Norris [signature]  Clk to Mr. Willis Atty. Winslow

[in different handwriting] Codicil registered after the Act
[Original handwriting resumes]
[p.5] Whereas I Edmund Cox of Winslow in the County of Bucks  Gentleman have made my last Will and Testament in writing bearing date ninth day of February in the year of one thousand eight hundred and fifteen thereby (among other devices and bequests) given . . . unto my nephew John Cox the legacy . . . of two hundred pounds unto my nephew Henry Cox the legacy . . . of two thousand hundred pounds unto my Cousin Elizabeth Burton the legacy . . . of three hundred pounds unto John Tookey one of the Executors in my said Will named the legacy . . . of twenty one hundred and twenty pounds unto Mary Mayne James Ives Goldsworth Mayne Sarah Mayne and Rebecca Mayne what shall be and remain of the monies to arise \by the sale . . . of my Real and Personal Estates and my ready money and money placed out at interest/  in the manner in my said [Will] particularly mentioned and after answering the purposes therein expressed equally to be divided between them . . .  And whereas the said Henry Cox Elizabeth Burton and John Tookey have all since departed this life Now I do . . .direct that the said legacy of two hundred pounds . . . to John Cox shall be paid to him by my Executors . . . in such shares . . . manner . . .and times . . . as shallsdeem most fit and proper and in case of his decease before the whole of the said legacy . . .  and the interest thereof and in the mean time to become due thereon shall have been so paid to him I do direct that what shall so remain unpaid shall lapse and sink into the residuum of my Personal Estate for the benefit of my residuary Legatees hereinafter named and I do also declare . . . that each . . .  of the said legacies . . . so given to the said Henry Cox Elizabeth Burton and John Tookey shall also lapse . . . anything in my said Will or any Codicil. . .to the contrary thereof . . . notwithstanding And I do hereby revoke . . . the said bequest so made to or in favour of the said Mary Mayne James Ives Goldsworth Mayne Sarah Mayne and Rebecca Mayne as to the . . .  residue of the said monies . . . and I do hereby give . . . the . . . residue of the said monies unto Joseph Burton the Elder to and for his own absolute use . . . and do hereby make him . . . full and sole residuary

[p.6] Legatee of my Will accordingly  Also I give . . . unto Thomas Dunstan and George Mitchell the Executors of my Will the sum of seven hundred pounds . . . part of my several shares . . . in the three per cent consolidated bank annuities upon trust that they . . . shall continue the said sum . . . at interest in the said Public Stock or Funds and pay and apply the interest . . .to arise therefrom . . .. . . for the benefit of all . . . of the . . . children of . . . James Ives or to . . . James Ives himself the better to enable him to support educate and bring up his said . . . children . . . or otherwise to permit . . . the interest of the . . . seven hundred pounds . . . to accumulate for the benefit of such . . . children during their respective minorities as to my Executors . . . shall seem most fit and proper and to \which said/ . . .children . . . I give . . the said sum of seven hundred pounds with all interest and accumulations thereof accordingly with benefit of survivorship among them as to the . . .shares of any . .  of them dying under the age of twenty one years and without issue and I do direct that the said sum . . with all interest and accumulations thereof (if any such there shall be) shall be called in . . . and equally divided . . . among all . . . the said. . . children of . . James Ives as shall be living at the time of the oldest of them arriving \to/ at the age of twenty one years . . . and such shares to be paid to such . . . children respectively as they . . . attain the age of twenty one . . . and in case , , ,  James Ives shall depart this life without leaving any . . children I give . . . the said seven hundred pounds unto Sarah the Wife of the said James Ives if she shall happen to survive her husband to and for her own use and benefit and in case of her decease in the lifetime of . . . .James Ives unto the next of kin and Legal Personal Representative . . . of . . . James Ives according to the Statute made and provided for the distribution of Intestates Personal Estates and I do hereby ratify and confirm my said Will and also a certain Codicil thereto bearing date the eleventh day of November one thousand eight hundred and sixteen and all the . . . matters and things therein respectively contained and not hereby altered . . . In Witness whereof I the said Edmund Cox the Testator have to the two first sheets of this Codicil to my Will contained on three sheets of paper set my hand only and to this last Sheet thereof my hand and seal this twenty second day of November  in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand eight hundred and eighteen Edmund Cox [signature] This writing was signed sealed and declared by the said Edmund Cox the testator as and for a Codicil to his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto – the interlineation appearing in the first sheet thereof having been first made John Cowley [signature] William Blow Staines [signature] James Hill [signature]

[p.7] Whereas I Edmund Cox of Winslow in the County of Bucks  Gentleman have made my last Will and Testament in writing bearing date ninth day of February in the year of one [thousand] eight hundred and fifteen and two Codicils thereto bearing date respectively the eleventh day of November one thousand eight hundred and sixteen and twenty second day of November last past and among other things therein mentioned appointed Thomas Dunston John Tookey since deceased and George Mitchell . . . joint Executors of this my said Will . . . Now I do by this . . . Codicil to my Will . . . appoint John Dunstan of Old Broad Street in the City of London Surgeon an Executor . . . of my said Will jointly with the said Thomas Dunstan and George Mitchell and . . . direct that the said John Dunstan shall have the same power . . . in all respects . . . as my other executors . . . And I do hereby give . . . John Dunstan the legacy . . . of one hundred and fifty pounds for the care and trouble he will have as one of the Executors . . . and do direct him to detain the same out of the monies which by virtue of this Codicil . . . shall come to his hands and I do hereby ratify my said Will and Codicils and all the . . . matters and things therein respectively contained  . . . In Witness whereof I the said Edmund Cox have hereunto set my hand and Seal this twenty third day of May  in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand eight hundred and nineteen Edmund Cox [signature] This writing was signed sealed and declared by the said Edmund Cox the testator as and for a Codicil to his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto Jno. Cowley [signature] Wm. Blow Staines [signature] James Hill [signature]

Proved at London 31st October 1820 with three Codicils before the Worshipful Jesse Addams Dr. of Laws & Surr(ogat)e by the Oaths of Thomas Dunston the Ex(ecut)or named in Will George Mitchell the Ex(ecut)or named in the first Codicil & John In Dunston (named in the third Codicil Dunstan) the Ex(ecut)or named in the sd. third Codicil to whom admon was granted having been first sworn duly to administer.

Notes

Edmund was the son of John Cox, carrier (one of several men in Winslow with the same name). John Cox the father was buried at Winslow in 1792 and Jane Cox his wife in 1800. His children don't seem to have been baptised at Winslow. He may have been the son of John Cox, farmer, d.1749.

Edmund Cox's brother Henry Cox (q.v. for his family) died in 1789.

Their sister Mary Cox married John Clarke at Winslow in 1761. Presumably they were the parents of the deceased William Clarke the nephew mentioned in the will. Their daughter Mary Clarke married James Ives at St Luke Finsbury in 1787, when they were both "of this parish". James Ives, her son by her first marriage, was baptised there in 1789, and she married Richard Mayne of Winslow there in 1796 with Edmund as a witness. She died in 1837; her second husband Richard Mayne, yeoman died in 1840, q.v. for their children.

In 1785, John Cox of Winslow, carrier (the father), surrendered to Edmund Cox of Bunhill Row, Moorfields, cooper, a "Messuage with the Malting House adjoining now in the occupation of John Clark". This was what later became Lawn House. Edmund and his wife Mary sold it in 1786 to John Tookey the doctor.

In 1792 Jane Cox, by then a widow, surrendered to Edmund a messuage in the Market Place now in her occupation (no.21-23) and a barn in Great Horn Street, all formerly belonging to Ferdinando Southam (acquired by John Cox in 1762). Edmund divided the messuage into two and lived in half of it himself when he returned to Winslow. In 1821 Joseph Burton of Tottenham, brickmaker, bought the whole of it from Edmund's executors, and then sold it in 1823. The barn in Horn Street became the Congregational Church.

Edmund was established in London by 1777 when a fire insurance policy calls him cooper & victualler of Aldersgate Street, and he was gentleman of Bunhill Row in 1780. It appears that he was the Edmund Cox of Tring who married Mary Jones at St Botolph without Aldersgate in 1774; there is a marriage bond which gives his age as 26. In that year, William Seymore of Aldersgate Street, cooper, left all his property to his daughter Mary Jones, widow (National Archives, PROB 11/994/158). Presumably Edmund was the Edmund Cox who was bound apprentice to John Flexman of Tring, ironmonger, in 1762.

In 1793, a John Cox was bound apprentice to Edmund Cox, citizen and cooper of London. Edmund had returned to Winslow by 1803 when he was described as "gentleman of Winslow" at the manor court. He clearly made a lot of money from his London business, at least by Winslow standards.

The bequest of £300 for bread for the poor became part of the Winslow Bread Charities.

According to W.H. French, a pipe was run through Edmund Cox's grave during the restoration of the church.

For more about Elizabeth Clarke, who received an annuity, see her will. She doesn't seem to have been related to the other Clarkes. Elizabeth Lea may be the Elizabeth Lee who died in 1821; see her administration.

Copyright 8 April, 2021