Will of John David Dockray, gentleman, 1857

National Archives, PROB 11/2256/217

This is the last Will and Testament of me John David Dockray in the County of Buckingham Gentleman but now staying at Southampton I direct all my just debts funeral and testamentary expences to be paid I give devise and bequeath all my household goods and chattels money and securities for money and all my messuages lands tenements and hereditaments and all my Real and Personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever of or which I am now or will at the time of my decease might be seized or possessed unto my dear Wife Elizabeth Dockray her heirs executors administrators or assigns absolutely and for ever And I appoint my said Wife Elizabeth Dockray the sole Executrix of this my will And I revoke all former wills heretofore and do declare this only to be and contain my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this twentieth day of July One thousand eight hundred and fifty seven – John David Dockray [signature] signed sealed published acknowledged and declared in the presence of us present at the same time who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses John Usher [signature] Solr, Southampton Sarah Darcy [signature] Southampton

Proved at London 14th Augt. 1857 before the Worshipful Frederic Thomas Pratt Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the Oath of Elizabeth Dockray Widow the Relict and the sole Executrix to whom Adm(inistrati)on was granted having been first sworn duly to administer.           

Notes

John Dockray came to Winslow as a railway engineer and assistant inspector for the Buckinghamshire Railway. He was born in Manchester in about 1825 according to the 1851 Census, but his death was reported like this:

1857: Bucks Herald, 6 Sep
DOCKRAY.- On the 25th July, on board the Indus, approaching Gibraltar, John D. Dockray, Esq., of Winslow, Bucks, son of the late David Dockray, Esq., of Aigberth, near Liverpool.

He evidently made his will before sailing.

John Dockray married Elizabeth Mayne (youngest daughter of George Mayne, d.1867) at Warwick in 1852 (reported in the Oxford Chronicle, 20 March). Elizabeth, who was a prominent figure in Winslow performing in amateur theatricals etc., died in 1871 aged 39. They had three children:

Elizabeth inherited from her father 75-79 High Street and 4 High Street. She was living at 3 Station Road in 1871.

Thomas Green the executor was married to Elizabeth's cousin Ann (daughter of Thomas Morecraft). The other executors aren't known to have had any Winslow connections.

Will of Elizabeth Dockray, widow, 1868 (proved 1871)

Principal Probate Registry

ON the 17th day of July 1871, a Will with a Codicil thereto of Elizabeth Dockray late of  Wim\n/slow in the County of Buckingham Widow deceased, who died the 19th day of June 1871 at Winslow aforesaid was proved in the Principal Registry of Her Majesty’s Court of Probate, by the Oaths of Thomas Henry Green of Coventry in the County of Warwick Ribbon Manufacturer the Executor named in the said Will James Pearson of The London and North Western Railway Station Euston Square in the County of Middlesex Gentleman and The Reverend Stephen Phillips (in the Will \Codicil/ written Philips) No 1 Oak Villas Haverstock Hill in the said County of Middlesex Clerk the Executors named in the said Codicil they having been first sworn duly to administer 
Effects under £1500
No Leaseholders

This is the last Will and Testament of me Elizabeth Dockray widow of John David Dockray late of Winslow in the County of Buckingham Civil Engineer deceased I appoint John Dockray Waterhouse of Mossley Bank near Liverpool Esquire and Thomas Henry Green of Coventry in the County of Warwick Ribbon Manufacturer Executors and Trustees of this my Will I direct them to pay all my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses out of my personal estate and subject thereto I devise and bequeath All the property real and Personal belonging to me or over \which/ I have or at my decease shall have any power of disposal unto my said Trustees their heirs executors and administrators In trust for my three children Mary Elizabeth Dockray Margaret Beatrice Dockray and John Arthur Dockray or such of them as shall being a son shall attain the age of twenty one years or as being a daughter or daughters shall attain that age or be married and in equal shares if more than one But if my son shall die under that age and both my daughters shall die under that age without having been married then my said property subject to exercise of any power hereafter given  in favor of my children during their minorities shall be distributed in manner following that is to say the children then living of my brother in law Robert Benson Dockray and of any of my brothers and sisters John Mayne Richard Gibbs Mayne and George Thomas Mayne Matilda Goodchild Maria Mayne and Mary Gibbs Morecraft shall take shares according to the several families to which such children shall respectively belong so that the child or children whether one or more as the case may be of my said brothers and every such brother or sister shall take solely if but one or if more than one equally amongst themselves but per stirpes and not per capita one share thereof And if my said brother in law or any of my said brothers or sisters shall be then living but without having any child . . . of him or her then living then my . . . brother in law and  . . . shall take wholly the share which any child . . . of him or her would if living have taken And I empower the Trustees . . . of this my Will at their . . absolute discretion during the minority of every child whether mine or my said brother in law . . . who shall for the time being be entitled in expectancy to a share of my said property to apply the income of such childs share for or towards his or her maintenance education or benefit in such manner as my said trustees shall think proper And from time to time invest any unapplied portion of such income in any of the modes of investment hereinafter specified and in after years during the same minority as may be deemed expedient to sell such investments and to apply the produce thereof in like manner And subject thereto[?] the accumulations and investment of the unapplied portion of such income shall be subject to the same trust as the share from which the same have arisen and shall follow the destination thereof  And I empower the Trustees . . . if and as they . . . may think proper so to do during the minority of any such child to raise and convert into money any part not exceeding one moiety of his or her expectant share in the said trust fund and to apply the same for his or her advancement in life or in marriage or otherwise for his or her benefit as the said trustees  . . . shall think proper And I empower the Trustees . . . with absolute discretion to continue so long as they think proper all or any part of my said property in the condition or state of investment in which the same may be at my decease And also . . . as they may think proper to sell , , , and convert into money all or any part of my said property either together or in parcels and either by Public auction or private contract and upon such conditions as to title costs[?] or otherwise with power to buy in at any auction and to rescind or vary any agreement and to resell and generally until such sale or disposal to deal and manage my said property in such manner as they . . . may deem expedient And to lay out and invest the clear produce arising from such sale . . . in their . . .  names . . . in any of the public stocks or funds of Great Britain or upon government or real securities in England or Wales or upon any mortgages debentures bonds or other securities of any Railway or other Company incorporated by Act of Parliament or in the purchase of any shares stocks or funds of any such company having any fixed preferential or guaranteed rates of income secured by Act of Parliament lease or otherwise And from time to time or at their . . . discretion to vary the said investments . . . as they  . . . may think proper And in case my said trustees hereby appointed . . . or any trustee to be appointed or hereafter mentioned shall die or neglect or decline or become unable to act in or  be desirous to be discharged from the trusts hereof then and so often as the same shall happen it shall be lawful for the . . .  continuing trustee or . . . the executors . . . of the last existing trustee by any deed in writing to appoint a new trustee . . .  in the room . . . of the trustee so dying or desiring to be discharged . . . And thereupon the new trustee . . .  shall have all the powers authorities and discretions as if . . . he had been originally hereby appointed And the said trust estate shall be conveyed . . .  in such manner as to become vested in such new . . .  trustee jointly with the continuing trustees . . . And I revoke all former Wills by me made As witness my hand this seventeenth day of February one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight Elizabeth Dockray [signature] Signed and published  by the above named Elizabeth Dockray the Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us present at the same time who in her presence at her request and in the presence of each other have signed our names as Witnesses Edwd Phillips [signature] M.D. Physician Coventry Katharine Hannah Phillips [signature] Coventry

This is a Codicil to the last will and testament of Elizabeth Dockray widow of John David Dockray late of Winslow in the County of Buckingham Civil Engineer Whereas I have by my Will appointed John Dockray Waterhouse of Mossley Bank near Liverpool Esquire and Thomas Henry Green of Coventry in the County of Warwick Ribbon Manufacturer Executors and Trustees of this my Will Now I do hereby revoke the appointment of the said John Dockray Waterhouse And I appoint James Pearson of the London and North Western Railway Station Euston Square in the County of Middlesex Gentleman and The Reverend Stephen Philips of No 1 Oak Villas Haverstock Hill in the said County of Middlesex also Executors and Trustees of the said Will jointly with the said Thomas Henry Green And I give to them all the powers contained in my said Will And I confirm my Will in all other respects And it is my wish and desire and I do hereby appoint the said James Pearson and The Reverend Stephen Philips Guardians of my children And I wish the house I now reside in at Winslow to be kept on as a house for them and that they should reside there so long as they desire to do so As witness my hand this tenth day of June one thousand eight hundred and seventy one  Elizabeth Dockray [signature] Signed by the above named Elizabeth Dockray the Testatrix as and for a Codicil to her last Will and Testament  in the presence of us present at the same time who in her presence at her request and in the presence of each other have signed our names as Witnesses Andw Kelly [signature] Solr 60 Russell Square Mary Leedham [signature] Servant to Mrs Dockray Winslow

Proved at London with a Codicil the 17th July 1871 by the Oaths of Thomas Henry Green the Executor named in the Will James Pearson and The Reverend Stephen Phillips (in the Codicil written Philips) the Executors named in the Codicil to whom admon was granted

Manor court, 31 Oct 1871
Elizabeth Dockray held a messuage situate in or near the Market Hill heretofore in the occupation of Thomas Lee [corrected from William Coxhill]
+ piece of ground being part of Crocketts Close with the two messuages now standing thereon in the occupation of John Colgrove and the Misses Richmont
+ piece of ground in length 146’ 4” being part of Crocketts Close
ED admitted 1868 as devisee of George Mayne
Made will in 1868, appointed John Dockray Waterhouse of Mossley Bank near Liverpool esq and Thomas Henry Green of Coventry ribbon manufacturer executors.
By codicil of 1871 she revoked appointment of JDW, appointed James Pearson of LNWR Station Euston Square gentleman & Rev. Stephen Phillips of 1 Oak Villas Haverstock Hill Middx with THG.
She died on 19 June 1871.  Will proved 17 July 1871.
THG, JP & SP by David Thomas Willis their attorney desire to be admitted.  Rent 6s, fine £1 10s.

Copyright 4 February, 2024