Will of Goldsworth Dudley, grocer and tallow chandler, 1779

National Archives PROB 11/1057/279

In the Name of God Amen I Goldsworth Dudley of Winslow in the County of Bucks Grocer and Tallow Chandler being sick and weak in Body, but of sound mind memory and understanding (praised be God for the same) do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say)  First I give and devise unto my loving Wife Mary Dudley all and every my Messuages Tenements Lands Closes Hereditaments and Premisses with the appurtenances whether Freehold or Copyhold (which Copyhold Premisses are or shall be surrendered to the use of this my Will) whatsoever and wheresoever of which I am now or at any time hereafter shall be seized or possessed and all other my Real Estate To hold the same unto and to the use of my said Wife Mary Dudley her Heirs and Assigns for ever Subject nevertheless and I do hereby expressly Charge all my said Real Estate so given to my said Wife Mary Dudley as aforesaid with the \true/ payment of all the Legacies hereinafter mentioned (that is to say) I give and bequeath unto my Daughters Mary Dudley Elizabeth Dudley and Susanna Dudley the Sum of Eighty Pounds each of lawfull Money of Great Britain to be paid to each and every of them respectively at their several and respective ages of twenty one years But in case any or either of my said Daughters shall happen to depart this Life before her or their Legacy or Legacies shall become due by virtue of this my Will that then the Legacy or Legacys of her or them so dying shall go to the survivors or survivor of them (if more than one) share and share alike And as to for and concerning all and singular my ready Money and Securities of Money Bills Bonds Mortgages Notes of hand Book Debts and all other Securities of Money Goods Chattels Stock in Trade Rights Credits and Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever And of what nature or kind soever the same \may/ be (not hereinbefore by me given and disposed of) whereof or wherein I shall be any ways possessed of interested in or intitled unto at the time of my decease I do \hereby/ give and bequeath the same and every part thereof unto my said Wife Mary Dudley to and for her own proper use benefit and disposal for ever she breeding up my Children in Learning and providing them with all manner of Necessaries suitable for them till they respectively attain the age of twenty one years And I do hereby expressly charge all my said Real and Personal Estates so given to my said Wife Mary Dudley as aforesaid with the true payment of all my just debts Legacies and Funeral Expenses And I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said wife Mary Dudley full and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament And I do hereby also make and appoint my two Brothers Joseph Dudley and Benjamin Dudley Trustees of this my Will to take care and see the same performed according to my true intent and meaning And Lastly I do hereby revoke and make void all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made and I do publish and declare this only to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty sixth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine

Goldsworth Dudley

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Goldsworth Dudley the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses in the presence of the said Testator and also in the presence of each other
Susanna Pitken, Martha Fox, Joseph Hunt

This Will was proved at London the nineteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine before the Worshipful Andrew Coltee Ducarel Doctor of Laws by oath of Mary Dudley widow.

Notes

Goldsworth Dudley was the grandson of Peter Goldsworth the lawyer (d.1748) and of Benjamin Dudley, draper (d.1742). His parents, William Dudley (draper, d.1796) and Rebecca Goldsworth, got married at Gayhurst on 8 Sep 1730. Their children baptised at Winslow included:

Goldsworth Dudley lived at 1 Horn Street. He was the occupier from at least 1764, and bought the copyhold from his landlord Roger West in 1774. He also owned some property in Granborough. He married Mary Fox at Leighton Buzzard on 20 Oct 1761. Presumably the Martha Fox who witnessed the will was her sister or mother.

Mary the widow married John Baseley, farmer of Swanbourne, in 1780. In 1792 she sold 1 Horn Street to John Redding Holland, who was then running the grocery business. The three daughters mentioned in the will were evidently brought up at Swanbourne: Mary Dudley married John Maydon of Winslow there in 1787 and Susanna married John Harding in 1798. Elizabeth is referred to as Elizabeth Cox in the will of her uncle William Dudley (see above).

Copyright 2 April, 2021