Will of Hannah Gibbs, widow, 1803 (proved 1811)

Herts RO 247AW3

This is the Last Will and Testament of me Hannah Gibbs of Winslow in the County of Bucks Widow made in the manner and form following (that is to say) First I Give and Devise unto my Brother James Morris of Winslow aforesaid Peruke maker All and Singular my Messuages Cottages Farms Lands Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever situate and being in Winslow aforesaid and Great Horwood in the said County of Bucks or elsewhere with their and every of their rights Members and Appurtenances both Freehold and Copyhold the Copyhold parts whereof I have surrendered to the use of my Will And all other my real Estate whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind so ever To Hold the same and every part thereof unto my said Brother James Morris and his Assigns for and during the Term of his natural life And from and immediately after his Decease or other sooner determination of that Estate I Give and Devise the said Messuages Cottages Farms Lands Tenements and Hereditaments with their and every of their rights Members and Appurtenances unto my three Daughters Ann the Wife of Thomas Morecraft Elizabeth Gibbs Spinster and Penelope Mayne Widow To Hold the same to them my said three Daughters Ann Morecraft Elizabeth Gibbs and Penelope Mayne their Heirs and Assigns for ever as Tenants in Common and not as Joint Tenants Provided That in Case my said Daughter Elizabeth Gibbs shall be minded and desirous as soon as my said three Daughters shall come into the Possession of my real Estate by virtue of this my Will to take to herself the whole of the Messuage or Tenement and Malthouse with the Appurtenances situate and being in Cow Street in Winslow aforesaid now in my own occupation Then it is my Will and desire that she my said Daughter Elizabeth Gibbs shall have the whole of the said Messuage or Tenement and Malthouse in Cow Street in Winslow aforesaid on paying to each of her Sisters the said Ann Morecraft and Penelope Mayne such sum of money as any two indifferent persons shall agree on as and for the part and share or parts and shares of them my said two Daughters Ann Morecraft and Penelope Mayne of and in the said Messuage or Tenement and Malthouse one of such persons to be chosen by them the said Ann Morecraft and Penelope Mayne and the other by the said Elizabeth Gibbs And in that Case and subject to the Payment of the part and share or parts and shares of them my said Daughters Ann Morecraft and Penelope Mayne to be agreed on as aforesaid I Give and Devise the said Messuage or Tenement and Malthouse in Cow Street in Winslow aforesaid unto my said Daughter Elizabeth Gibbs her Heirs and Assigns for ever Also I Give and bequeath unto my said Daughter Elizabeth Gibbs the sum of Twenty Pounds of lawful money of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland as Current in England to be paid to her by my Executor hereinafter named within Twelve Calendar Months

[signed] Hannah Gibbs

[f.2] next after my Decease And as to all the rest and residue of my ready money and Securities for money Book Debts Stock of Barley and Malt Household Goods and all other my Personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind so ever I Give and bequeath the same and every part thereof unto my said Daughters Ann Morecraft Elizabeth Gibbs and Penelope Mayne equally between them share and share alike they paying thereout all my Just Debts Funeral and Testamentary Expences And Lastly I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said Brother James Morris full and Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made

In Witness whereof I the said Testatrix Hannah Gibbs have to this my last Will and Testament contained in two Sheets of Paper to the first Sheet thereof set my Hand only and to this second and last my Hand and Seal the Thirtieth day of December in the Year of our Lord One thousand Eight Hundred and three

Hannah Gibbs

Signed sealed published and and declared by the said Testatrix
by the said testator Hannah Gibbs for her last Will and Testament in
the presence of us who have in her presence and at her request
and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names
                Lan. Wyatt
                [Francis?] Robinson
                James Hazard

The 23rd Day of May 1811 James Morris the sole Executor of this Will was duly Sworn as Such, and that the Personal Effects of the Testatrix, Hannah Gibbs, was sworn to be under One Hundred Pounds before me
Jonathan Brigges Surrogate

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Notes

Hannah Gibbs, nee Morris, was the widow of John Gibbs, maltster (d.1798). In his will (mentioned in the court book, but the original hasn't been traced) he left her "two messuages since laid into one messuage and malthouse in Cow Street" (now 20/22 High Street) and the Rose and Crown. He also inherited from his brother William Gibbs, glover (will proved 1789), and that property was passed on to his daughters. Hannah's will was only proved in 1811 but she actually died in or before 1805.

Ann Gibbs married Thomas Morecraft (will proved 1807) at Winslow on 25 May 1785. Her will was proved in 1828.

Elizabeth Gibbs (d. 1845 aged 78) was the principal heir of her uncle James Morris (will proved 1812). They probably lived together after Hannah's death.

Penelope Gibbs married Robert Mayne at Winslow on 5 April 1790. She later (before 1811) married James Hall. She and both her husbands kept the Rose and Crown. She died in 1838 aged 67.

A fourth sister, Mary, is mentioned in the will of her uncle William Gibbs but must have predeceased her mother.