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Will of William Gyles of London, distiller, 1758 (proved 1760)
National Archives, PROB 11/860/439
This is the Last Will and Testament of me William Gyles of Saint Mary Magdalen \old/ Fish Street London Distiller as followeth (that is to say) First I recom(m)end my Soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it in hope of a Happy Resurrection through the Merits and Intercession of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ my Body to be decently Buried in the Parish Church of Saint Mary Magdalen aforesaid at the discretion and in such manner as my Honoured Friend Sir Robert Ladbroke Knight my Executor hereinafter named shall think fitting \and convenient/ And as for my Estate which it has been pleased God to bestow on me I give devise and dispose of the same in manner hereinafter mentioned (to wit) I give and devise All that my Copyhold Messuage or Tenement wherein my Brother in Law Francis Collins does now reside and dwell situate\standing and being/ at Winslow in the County of Bucks which I have duly surrendred to the use of my Will with all and every the Outhouses Stables and all and every the other Appurtenances thereunto belonging unto the said Francis Collins his Heirs and Assigns for ever I Likewise give and devise All the Freehold Close or Parcell of Land commonly called Dirty Butts lying and being in the Parish of WInslow aforesaid by Estimation four Acres be the same more or less now in the Occupation of the said Francis Collins As also all that \Freehold/ Close or Parcell of Land which I Purchased of Mrs Sarah Foster \commonly/ called or known by the name of Oxey now let unto and in the Occupacion of Mr John Cox the Winslow Carrier by estimation Six Acres be the same more or less both which Closes or parcels of Land I give to my \s(ai)d/ Brother in Law Francis Collins his Heirs and Assigns for ever And I further give and bequeath unto the said Francis Collins the sum of One hundred Pounds of Lawfull Money of Great Britain and Ten Pounds more for Mourning As also all my Wearing Apparel both Woollen and Linnen I Give unto Dame Lady Elizabeth Ladbroke twenty Guineas for a Ring I give unto her Son Robert Ladbroke Esquire One hundred Pounds to be paid him when he shall attain the age of twenty one years I give and bequeath unto Butler Wigan of Kingston in the County of Warwick Gentleman the sum of two hundred pounds I give unto his son Robert Wigan One thousand pounds to be paid unto him at his Age of twenty one years I give unto each of his Daughters Sarah and Hannah Wigan two hundred pounds a peice to be paid unto each of them at the age of twenty one years or day of Marriage which shall first happen respectively And my Will is that in the mean time until the said Robert Wigan shall attain his said Age and untill the said Sisters shall attain their said Ages or days of Marriage his and their several Legacies shall be placed out at Interest on Government or Real Security by my Executor
[f.2] in their respective names or for their respective uses at his discretion And that the dividends and Interest thereof or arising therefrom shall from time to time be paid unto the said Butler Wigan their Father for and towards the Education and Maintenance of his said Children respectively But my Will is that in case any of them shall happen to depart this Life under the said Age and unmarried then his and their said Legacy and Legacies shall be paid unto the Survivor or Survivors of them if more than one in equal Shares and Proportions \to wit the said Robert Wigan's/ part and share thereof at his said Age of twenty one years and the Surviving Sister's share or proportion at her said Age or day of Marriage I give and bequeath unto Mrs Hannah Willes Wife of the Reverend Mr. John Willes of the Parish of Saint Bridget otherwise Saint Brides Fleetstreet London two hundred Pounds I give unto Ann the Wife of Francis Hallmark Innkeeper Fifty Pounds I give unto Jane whose Maiden Name was Hurst now Wife of Robert Gibbs Malster in Winslow Forty Pounds I give to my Cousin Elizabeth Griffin Printseller Widow Fifty Pounds I give unto her Daughter Hester Jackson Fifty Pounds I give unto Mary Delafield in Maiden Lane of the Parish of Saint Paul Covent Garden Spinster One hundred Pounds I give unto Sarah Dawes late of Halstead in the County of Essex Widow Fifty Pounds I give to my Cousin Mary Ward of Stony Stradford in the County of Bucks Widow thirty Pounds I give unto her Daughter now Wife of Thomas Ward Jeweller late of Bell Court Saint Martins le Grand thirty Pounds I give unto Sarah Beaumont of London Spinster twenty Pounds I give unto William Higgs Son of William Higgs Cooper in Knight Rider Street Fifty Pounds I give unto my God Son William Keighly Son of the Rev. Thomas Keighly Fifty Pounds to be paid unto him at the Age of twenty one years and in the mean time to be placed out at Interest by my Executor at his discretion for the benefit of my said God Son until he shall attain such age aforesaid I give unto my Cousin Benjamin Griffin a Ring of a Guinea Value I give unto Samuel Norman of Henley Esquire a Ring of a Guinea Value {I} I give unto my Cousin Nathaniel Griffin of Oakingham in the County of Berks Fifty Pounds and I give unto him a Ring of One Guinea Value I give unto his Son John Fifty Pounds and unto his Son William Fifty Pounds I give unto my Cousin Samuel Gyles of Bigleswade in the County of Bedford Fifty Pounds I give unto Dame \Lady/ Elizabeth Hare of Richmond in the County of Surry Widow two hundred Pounds \I give/ unto her Son Charles two hundred Pounds and to her Daughter Elizabeth two hundred Pounds when she shall attain to the Age of twenty one years or the day of Marriage I give unto my Cousins William and Thomas Aldridge Silversmiths near Fleet Market Fifty Pounds a peice I give unto all and every the Servant and Servants who shall dwell and reside with me at the time of my decease
[f.3] Ten Pounds a peice and likewise Five Pounds each more for Mourning I give unto William Powell our Book Keeper the sum of One hundred Pounds in case he shall be in that Station to Sir Robert Ladbroke and Self at my decease I give and bequeath unto the Governours of the Hospital of Bethlehem situate in Moor Fields London the sum of Fifty Pounds to be paid unto them or their Treasurer and likewise Fifty Pounds more to be applied only for the benefit of the Incurable Patients of the said Hospital I give unto George Foster a Tallow Chandler in Winslow aforesaid the sum of Fifty Pounds I give and bequeath unto the Governours of Saint Lukes Hospital situate near Moor Fields London the sum of Fifty Pounds to be paid unto them or their Treasurer and likewise Fifty Pounds more to be applied only for the benefit of the Incurable Patients of the said Hospital I give unto William Hobbs of Winslow a Ring value one Guinea and unto his Son Mathew Hobbs a Ring value one Guinea unto Ferdenando Southam of Winslow a Ring value one Guinea And if it shall happen that I depart this Life while I have the honour of being in Common Council I give unto each of my Brethren who shall \at that time/ be in Common Council with me in the Ward of Castle Baynard a Ring value one Guinea I give unto my worthy good Friend Sir Robert Ladbroke Knight All my Plate Rings Table Linnen Household Goods and all other Household Implements and Furniture of every kind whatsoever And further I give unto the said Sir Robert Ladbroke Knight two hundred Pounds in case he shall prove this my Will and take upon himself the burthen and Execution thereof as a recompence for his care and trouble therein And I give and bequeath all the rest and that remaining part of my Goods Chattles and Personal Estate whatsoever after payment of my lawfull debts Funeral Expences and proving this my Will unto the said Sir Robert Ladbroke his Heirs and Executors for ever And I do hereby make constitute and Appoint the said Sir Robert Ladbroke my whole and Sole Executor and residuary Legatee of this my Will In Witness whereof I have to this my Will contained in two Sheets of Paper to each of which I have set my hand and seal this Thirty first day of October One thousand seven hundred and Fifty Eight
William Gyles
Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have in his presence and in the presence of each other set and Subscribed our hands as Witnesses hereto at this request
Fra(nci)s Buxton Rob(ert) Smith Will(ia)m Swainstomp
This Will was proved at London the twenty second day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Sixty before the Worshipfull George
[f.4] Harris Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Worshipfull Edward Simpson Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oath of Sir Robert Ladbroke Knight one of the Aldermen of the City of London the Sole Executor named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattles and Credits of the said deceased having been first sworn duly to administer.
Notes
William Gyles was the son of Joseph Gyles, second son of William and Mary Gyles the founders of Keach's Meeting House. He was probably the William Gyles who married Elizabeth Dallicoat at St Mary Magdalen, Old Fish Street on 16 Jan 1719. He was evidently a childless widower when he died. He maintained strong links with Winslow although he must have left at a fairly early age. See Gyles Family page.
Ladbroke & Gyles, distillers, of Knight Rider Street, are listed in Kent's Directory of 1759. William's partner Sir Robert Ladbroke, who later became a banker, was Lord Mayor of London in 1747 and MP for the City of London 1754-73.
Messuage: this refers to 19 Market Square, later replaced by the Bank.
Dirty Butts: this seems to be the four acres called White Lease Piece left to William by his grandfather William Gyles d.1702.
Oxey: usually called Oxeye, inherited by Sarah Foster under the terms of the will of William Gyles d.1713 (uncle of this William). Francis Collins (d.1771) still held the ten acres of land which he inherited from William at Enclosure in 1767.
Elizabeth Griffin: the daughter-in-law of William's aunt Anne Griffin, nee Gyles. Benjamin and Nathaniel Griffin, mentioned later, were Anne's sons.
Mary Ward: relationship to William not known; perhaps a relative on his mother's side.
Samuel Norman of Henley: grandson of William's aunt Martha Norman, nee Gyles.
Samuel Gyles of Bigleswade: son of William's uncle Daniel Gyles of Winslow, linen draper (d.1750).
William and Thomas Aldridge: the sons of Grace Aldridge who was William's first cousin, daughter of William and Sarah Gyles.
Hospital of Bethlehem = Bedlam.
George Foster: the son of Thomas and Sarah (nee Gyles) Foster.
Saint Lukes Hospital: a hospital for pauper lunatics founded in 1751.
Common Council: of the City of London.