Will of John Walker, greengrocer, 1912

Oxford Probate Registry

BE IT KNOWN that John Walker of Winslow in the County of Buckingham, Greengrocer, Fruiterer and Fishmonger, who at the time of his death had a fixed place of abode at Winslow aforesaid, within the District of the Counties of Oxford, Berks and Buckingham, died on the 5th day of February 1912 at Winslow aforesaid.
AND BE IT FURTHER KNOWN that at the date hereunder written the last will and Testament of the said deceased was proved and registered at the District  Probate Registry of His Majesty’s High Court of Justice at Oxford and that the Administration of the personal estate of the said deceased was granted by the aforesaid Court to  Edwin John French of Winslow aforesaid, Printer and Stationer and Stanley Walter Midgley of Wallingford, in the County of Berks, Solicitor’s Clerk, the Executors named in the said Will.
Dated the 23rd day of March 1912
Gross value of Estate £799 : 15 : 2
Net value of Personal Estate £170 : 8 : 1

Extracted by W. Gravely W. Willis, Solicitor, Winslow

This is the last Will and Testament of me John Walker of Winslow in the County of Buckingham, Greengrocer Fruiterer and Fishmonger. I appoint my friends Edwin John French Printer and Stationer of Winslow aforesaid and Stanley Walter Midgley Solicitors Clerk of Wallingford in the County of Berks (hereinafter called “my Trustees”) to be the Executors and Trustees of this my Will I give all my plate linen china glass books pictures prints and furniture and household effects unto my Daughters Louisa and Elizabeth Sarah absolutely I give the following legacies namely to Louisa Walker Frederick Charles Walker and Caroline Walker children of my late Son Thomas Walker Twenty pounds each I devise and bequeath all my real and personal estate not hereby otherwise disposed of unto my Trustees upon trust that my Trustees shall sell call in and convert into money the same or such part as shall not consist of money and shall with and out of the moneys produced by such sale calling in and conversion and with and out of my ready money pay my funeral and testamentary expenses and debts and the legacies bequeathed by this my Will and any Codicil hereto but that the proceeds of real estate shall not be applied in payment of legacies unless the other moneys applicable thereto under this trust shall be insufficient for payment thereof and shall divide the residue of the said monies unto and equally between my said Daughters Louisa and Elizabeth Sarah and my grandson Cyril Henry John Walker the child of my late Son Arthur Walker. Provided always that if either of my said children Louisa and Elizabeth Sarah shall die in my lifetime leaving a child or children who shall survive me and being a Son or Sons shall attain the age of twenty one years and being a Daughter or Daughter shall attain that age or marry under that age then and in every such case the last mentioned child or children shall take (and if more than one equally between them) the share which his her or their parent would have taken of and in the residuary trust funds if such parent had survived me. Provided also that in the event of the decease of my said grandson Cyril Henry John Walker under the age of twenty one years his share of and in the residuary trust funds shall be divided equally between and among my said Daughters Louisa and Elizabeth Sarah absolutely Lastly I revoke all other Wills In witness whereof I the said John Walker the Testator have hereunto set my hand this Fifteenth day of January One thousand nine hundred and twelve.
John Walker [signature]
Signed and declared by the above named John Walker the Testator as his last Will in the presence of us both present at the same time who in his presence and the presence of each other have hereunto set our names as Witnesses
William N. Midgley [signature]
Leonard Musgrave [signature]
Clerks Mr W.G.W. Willis Solicitor, Winslow

On the Twenty third day of March 1912 Probate of this Will was granted at Oxford to Edwin John French and Stanley Walter Midgley Brother the Executors

It is hereby certified that the foregoing is a correct copy
Dated this Twenty eighth day of March 1912

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Notes

In the 1911 Census John, aged 66 and a widower, had living with him his daughter-in-law Bertha and grandson Cyril aged 9. His wife Emma and son Thomas both died in 1906.

He was born in 1845, the son of John Walker, carrier, and his wife Sarah, nee Holt. His slightly older brother Bendigo was also in business as a fruiterer and fishmonger. They ran separate shops.

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Sale of John Walker's property, 1912 (old 82-86 High Street; the shop was later Ernest Kemp's; no.82 was destroyed in the 1943 Air Disaster)

The image on the right shows the three houses in the 1910 Valuation (two separate plans combined)

W I N S L O W.
Particulars and Condition of Sale OF A BRICK AND SLATED FREEHOLD HOUSE & SHOP,
Centrally situate in the High Street, Winslow, As for many years past in the occupation of the deceased.
2 Brick and Slated Cottages, Adjoining, In the occupation of Messrs. Atkins and Seaton,
And The valuable Plot of FREEHOLD BUILDING LAND IN THE AVENUE ROAD, With a long return frontage to Park Road South,
WHICH MESSRS. GEO. WIGLEY & SONS are instructed by the Executors of the late Mr. JOHN WALKER to sell by auction
on Wednesday, April 17th, 1912, At the Bell Hotel, Winslow, at 5 o’clock exact time, in 3 lots.
For further particulars apply to W. G. W. Willis, Esq., Solicitor, Winslow, or the Auctioneers.

PARTICULARS.

Lot 1.
A brick-built and slated Freehold HOUSE AND SHOP Situate in the High Street, Winslow,
Containing shop with large plate-glass window, front parlour, kitchen, pantry, 3 bedrooms and a boxroom, and in the paved yard at the back a brick & tiled wash-house and w.c.  The property for many years past having been in the occupation of the late Mr. John Walker, and occupied for the purpose of his business as a Greengrocer, Fruiterer, and Fishmonger,
The property has another approach from a side road.  There is also a brick and tiled COACH-HOUSE AND STABLE with loft over, abutting on the said road.
Possession can be given on completion of the purchase.
The Purchaser of this Lot and Lot 2 have a right to the joint use of the pump and well on the “Chandos Arms” property, subject to bearing equally between them a moiety of the cost of maintaining the said pump and well in good repair.
The drainage is connected to the sewer.
Lot 1 will be sold subject to the right-of-way to the Purchaser or occupiers of Lot 2 to pass over the along the right-of-way, as delineated on the Sale Plan to be produced at the time of sale, or it can be inspected previously at the offices of the Auctioneers.

Lot 2.
2 BRICK & SLATED FREEHOLD COTTAGES,
Situate in the High Street and adjoining Lot 1.
Let respectively to Mr. William Adkins and Mr. William Seaton on weekly tenancies at 2s.9d. and 3s.6d., each.  The former containing Front Sitting-room, Pantry, Scullery, and 2 Bedrooms, and the latter a large Front Sitting-room with bay window, Larder, Scullery, and 2 Bedrooms.
At the back is a small yard with brick and slated W.C.
This Property will be sold subject to and with the benefit of the right to the joint use to the pump, as referred to in the particulars of Lot 2, and to the right-of-way also referred to in the particular of that lot.

Lot 3.
A VALUABLE PLOT OF FREEHOLD BUILDING LAND.
As fenced-in, possessing a frontage of 30-ft. to Avenue Road and a return frontage of 160-ft. to Park Road South, containing 533 yards (more or less).
The Property enjoys, with other Plots, a right-of-way over and along a back way for all purposes.
Possession can be given on completion of the purchase.
The Purchaser will be required to conform with the stipulations to which the Building estate is subject, particulars of which will be produced at the time of Sale, or can be inspected previously at the offices of the Auctioneers.
Land Tax Redeemed.

4. Each Lot is sold subject to all outgoings, chief, quick and other rents, rights-of-way and water drainage, incidents of tenure, easements, and other rights (if any) or agreements with the Tenants, and the Purchaser shall be deemed to have purchased with full notice thereof respectively.  Lot 1 is sold subject to the right of way to be given to the Purchaser of Lot 2 as mentioned in the particulars, or to be reserved to the Vendor if the last mentioned Lot be not sold, and effect shall be given to this condition by conveyinrg Lot 1 to the Purchaser in fee simple to the use that the Purchaser of Lot 2, or the Vendor (as the case may require) and his or their tenants, servants and workmen shall have the said right and subject thereto to the use of the Purchaser in fee simple.  And the Purchaser shall give to the Purchaser of Lot 2 or the Vendors (as the case may require) a separate acknowledgment of his right to production of the Conveyance and an undertaking for the safe custody thereof.

The Purchasers of Lots 1 and 2 shall also in the Conveyances to them covenant to bear equally between them a moiety of the cost of keeping the pump and well on the Chandos Arms property in repair.

Lot 3 is sold and shall be conveyed subject to the restrictive and other covenants contained in the Indenture dated the 30th January, 1893, referred to in Condition 5 (so far as they are now capable of being enforced) and the Purchaser shall   Conveyance covenant to keep the Vendors and their estates and effects indemnified from all claims in respect of any breach of the covenants contained in the said Indenture or any of them so far as they affect the said Lot.

Buckingham Express, 20 April 1912
Lot 1: house and shop bought in at £300, sold subsequently
Lot 2: two cottages purchased by Mr W.G.W. Willis at £160
Lot 3: bought by Mr W. Wise at £56