Inventory of Benjamin Leach, grocer, 1696/7

Herts RO A25/4452

A True and p(er)fect Inventory of all the Goods and Chattells of {of} Benjamin Leach of late of Winslow in the County of Bucks Grocer Lately Deceased (Intestate) w(hi)ch was taken by us whose names are hereunder written this Eighteenth Day of March Anno Dom(ini) 1696 and is as followeth

£
s
d
Imprimis His wearing Apparell and money in his pockett at the value of
3
0
0
It(em) In the Chamber next to Mrs Jones her house One Bebbsteed and Bedding Curtaines valance feather Bed and Bolster one smale table and five Chaires at the value of
2
10
0
It(em) In the Midle Chamber one Ioynd bedsteed and Feather Bed boulsters pillows and Bedding w(i)th a truckle bed and beding six Chests and boxes at the value of
2
0
0
It(em) In the Roome over the dwelling house or hall house one Ioynd bedsteed and beding one flock bed, and a truckle bed and bedding one old Cubbord, two stooles and two old coffers at the value of
1
10
0
It(em) All the Linnen in the house Namely as sheets Table cloths and napkins some of w(hi)ch are of Hemp, some of flax and some of diap(er) at the value of
4
0
0
It(em) All the pewter about the house at the value of
2
0
0
It(em) All the Brass about the house at the value of
1
0
0
It(em) All the Fire Irons potthooks hand Irons Dripping panns, two smale spitts at a smale jack at the value of
0
15
0
It(em) All the Firewood in the yard at the value of
0
5
0
It(em) All the Tubbs barrells and Bruing vessell and spinning wheele
1
0
0
It(em) in the Hall or dwelling house one Table and frame, one Little table and Frame one short forme 3 iond stooles and six Chaires at the value of
0
15
0
It(em) Bacon in the Chimney at the value of
2
0
0
It(em) in moneys abroad oweing to him at the value of
53
0
0
It(em) Two old Carts and wheeles at the value of
5
0
0
It(em) in the shop two setts of Drawers two Counters and a morter and pestell at the value of
2
5
0
It(em) In the yard one old plump and two stone troughs at the value of
1
0
0
It(em) All the other old Lumber whatsoever at the value of
0
13
4
Summa Tottalis [sic]
82
13
4

Appraised by us
Thomas Ward Sen(ior)
Will(ia)m Bailey (?)

April 25 1696
Francis Leach. Vidua Administratrix
Jurata fuit coram me Joh Croft. Cur. Sur.

Administration of Benjamin Leach, 1697

Herts RO 134AW33

[summarised from Latin and English]

Frances Leach of Winslow, widow, Thomas Ward of Little Horwood, yeoman, and Henry Curtis of Little Horwood, yeoman, were bound for £200. 20 May 1697.

Frances Leach, widow and administratrix of Benjamin Leach late of Winslow, will present the inventory by 30 June and account by 30 April.

[seals]
+ [no name]
Tho: Ward
Henry Curtis

in the presence of Edmund Brown, notary public

Notes

Benjamin Leach (bap. 1641) carried on the grocery business of his father Benjamin Leach (d.1669). In neither case was the stock of the shop valued, presumably because it had already been handed over.

Benjamin's first wife Elizabeth was buried in linen in 1680, leading to him making a payment of 50s to the poor under the Burials in Woollen Act. They had one child:

Benjamin then married Frances (original surname unknown). They had a number of children:

Benjamin was buried on 19 March 1695/6. None of the children is mentioned in the parish registers after Benjamin's death, suggesting that Frances moved away. Benjamin sold all his land during his lifetime, and left his mortgaged house (probably in Bell Walk) to his wife Frances through a surrender reported at the 1696 manor court.

Copyright 5 May, 2015