Will of John Redding Holland of Aylesbury, grocer and tallow chandler, 1804 (proved 1805)
Centre for Bucks Studies, Peculiar 28/1/14
This is the Last Will and Testament of me John Redding Holland of Aylesbury in the County of Bucks Grocer and Tallow chandler made in manner following (that is to say) I Give and Devise unto my Friends James Ivatts of Aylesbury. . . Cordwainer and Benjamin Howden Prickett \of the same place, Gentleman/ All that my Customary or Copyhold Messuage or Tenement within and parcel of the Manor of Winslow in the County of Bucks . . . called Great Horn Street late in the . . . Occupation of Goldsworth Dudley deceased and now of William Ivatts with the Rights Members and Appurtenances thereto belonging . . . To hold the said James Ivatts and Benjamin Howden Prickett their Heirs Executors and Administrators according to the Custom of the said manor Upon this Special Trust . . . that they my said Trustees . . . or the Heirs . . . shall permit and suffer my beloved wife Frances Holland or her Assigns to receive . . . the rent Issues and Profits of the said Copyhold premises to and \for/ her and their own use and Benefit . . . during the Term of her natural life (provided she so long continues my Widow, but not otherwise) and from and immediately after the decease or marriage of my wife Then my Will and desire is that my said Trustees . . . or the Heirs . . . shall and do with all Convenient speed sell and dispose of the aforesaid Premises either by Public Sale or Private Contract as to them shall seem most . . . Advantageous, and the Money arising from such sale to pay and donate equally between all and every my Children or their personal representatives share and Share alike, Provided always nevertheless and my Will and Desire is that if my Personal Estate shall not be sufficient to discharge my Just Debts, Or if my . . . wife shall at any time hereafter during her Widowhood be in want or Distressed for a Livelihood, Then in \either of/ the said Cases I direct my . . . Trustees (with \or without/ the consent of my . . . wife) to sell and Dispose of the . . . Premises during her life time and apply the purchase Money thereof towards Discharging my Debts and supporting my wife and Family during her Widowhood, and whatever shall be remaining of the . . . purchase Money at the time of her Decease or Marriage, equally to divide between my . . . Children . . . Provided always . . . that it . . . shall be lawful . . . for my Trustees . . . to retain . . . and reimburse . . . themselves out of the purchase Money . . . all such Costs Charges and Expenses as they respectively shall be put unto in and about the Execution of the Trust hereby in them reposed or in my Will relating thereunto And my Will and Mind further is
John Redding Holland [signature]
[p.2] that my . . . Trustees shall . . . be answerable or accountable . . . for his own Acts, Deeds Receipts or Disbursements only Provided always . . . that the . . . receipts of my . . . Trustees . . . or the Heirs . . . shall be a good and sufficient Discharge . . . to the purchaser of the aforesaid Premises, and . . . shall not be responsible for any loss Misapplication Non-application of the same or any part thereof Aliso I Give and Bequeath unto my . . . Wife Frances Holland All . . . my ready Money and Securities for Money, Book Debts, Stock in Trade, Plate, Linen, China Beds Bedsteads and Bedding, Household Furniture and Implements of Household, and all and singular other my personal Estate of every sort and kind od which I shall be Possessed or intituled unto at the time of my decease To hold unto my . . . wife during the Term of her natural Life (provided she so long continues my Widow, but not otherwise)
Subject to the payment of my Just Debts and Funeral Expences And from and immediately after her Decease or marriage I Give and Bequeath what shall be then remaining of my personal estate unto all . . . of my Children or their personal representatives . . . share and share alike And Lastly I do hereby Nominate Constitute and Appoint my . . . wife Frances Holland and my . . Friends James Watt and Benjamin Houghton Prickett Joint Executrix and Executors of this my Last Will and Testament Hereby revoking and making void all former and other Wills by me at any time heretofore made and Executed In Witness whereof I the said John Redding Holland the Testator 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 Sheet thereof my hand and Seal this Thirty first day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and four.
John Redding Holland [signature]
Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said John Redding Holland the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us, who in his presence and the presence and sight of each other have Subscribed our names as Witnesses hereto.
the words ‘or without’ being first interlined in the first Sheet, and the several other interlineations first made.
Robt Fell [signature] }
Charles Scott [signature] } Aylesbury
Wm Prickett [signature] }
12 September 1805 Frances Holland one of the above named Executors was sworn as usual and she made oath that the personal Estate is under the value of 300£.
(The other Ex(excut)ors reserved) before me W. Stockins [signature] Surr(ogate)
Notes
John Holland's property in Winslow was 1 Horn Street. He was descended from a very old Granborough family and was a younger son of Benedict Holland of Hardwick, gentleman, who had moved back to Granborough before his death was recorded at the 1803 manor court. John's widow Frances (nee Ivatts) later lived at 1 Horn Street with her brothers who ran the shop; see her will for more information.