Will of Richard West, yeoman, 1764 (proved 1765)

National Archives PROB 11/908/19

In the Name of God Amen I Richard West of Winslow in the County of Bucks yeoman being Sick and Weak in Body but of Sound Mind Memory and Understanding (Praised be God for the same) Do  make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say)  First and Principally I recom(m)end my Soul into the hands of Almighty God my Creator hoping through the Merits of Jesus Christ to Obtain Pardon and Remission of all my Sins and to Inherit Everlasting life  And my Body I Commit to the Earth to be Decently Buried at the Discretion of my Executor herein after named  And as touching such Worldly Goods and Temporal Estate which God hath Given me I Devise and Dispose thereof as followeth  First I Give Devise and bequeath unto my Son Roger West  All that my Messuage or Tenement Situate in Winslow aforesaid and now in the Occupation of Goldsworth Dudley together also with all houses Outhouses Edifices Buildings Barns Stables Yards Gardens and Backsides with their and every of their Appurt(enance)s thereunto belonging  And also all my Arable Land Ley Meadow and Swerd Ground lying Dispersedly in the Open and Common Fields of Winslow aforesaid  And now in the Occupation of John Blake with the Com(m)ons and Appurt(enance)s thereunto belonging  To hold to him my said son Roger West his Heirs and Assigns for ever  Also I Give and bequeath unto my Son Richard West the Sum of Sixty pounds of lawfull Money of Great Britain  Also I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Sarah West the Sum of One hundred and Ten pounds of like lawful Money of Great Britain which said Legacy's my Will meaning and Desire is that the same shall be paid by my Executor hereafter named within Six Months next after my Decrease  And I do hereby Expressly charge all and every my real and Personal Estates with the true payment of the said Legacy's and with the true Payment also of all other my Just Debts and Funeral Expences And as for all the rest and Residue of my Real and Personal Estates whatsoever and wheresoever (not hereinbefore Given and bequeathed) I Give and bequeath the same unto my said <Son> Roger West And I Do hereby Nominate and Appoint my said Son Roger West full and Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament  And Lastly I do hereby revoke and make void all former Wills by me before made and do Declare this only to be taken for my last Will and Testament  In Witness whereof I the said Richard West the Testator have hereunto set my hand and Seal this Fifth day of November in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Sixty four,

the Mark of Richard West 

Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said Testator Richard West as and for his last Will and Testament in the Presence of us who have Subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto in the Presence of the said Testator and of each other.         W. Verney  Will(ia)m King   Joseph Hunt

I Richard West of Winslow in the County of Bucks Yeoman Do make this Present Codicil which I Order and Direct shall be taken as and for part of my within written Last Will and Testament and which Will as to all and every the Legacy's Bequests Directions and Appointments therein mentioned Devised Given and Contained of and concerning my Real and Personal Estates therein mentioned I Do by this my Codicil Establish Ratify and Confirm Save and Except as follows (that is to say) I Give and bequeath unto my Son Richard West the Sum of Forty pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain (more than I have already Given him by my said Will) to be paid unto him by my Executor within Six Months next after my decease And Whereas and by my said Will I have Given and bequeathed to my Daughter Sarah West the Sum of One hundred and Ten pounds I Do hereby Order and Declare that my Will is that only the Sum of Eighty pounds be paid unto her in full of the said Legacy I have as aforesaid Given and bequeathed unto her  In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Eighth day of November in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Sixty four

the Mark of Richard West

Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the above named Richard West as a Codicil to be annexed to his last Will and Testament in the Presence of us,    James Hall, W. Verney,  Joseph Hunt

This Will was proved at London with a Codicil the Second day of April  In the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Sixty five before the Worshipful George Harris Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Worshipful George Hay also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully Constituted by the Oath of Roger West the Son of the deceased and Sole Executor named in the Will to whom Administration was Granted of all and Singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased he having been first Sworn duly to Administer.

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Notes

Richard West was the son of Roger West, yeoman, d.1734 and his wife Sarah, baptised 14 Nov 1699. He was apprenticed to John Snow as a tallow chandler in 1719, and was described as a tallow chandler in 1733 and 1752 and grocer in 1758. He married Susanna Lane at Swanbourne on 10 June 1737; she was his father's servant according to Roger's will. Richard and Susanna's eldest son Roger was baptised on 23 April 1738, and Susanna was buried on 10 April 1747. At the time of enclosure in 1767, Roger West the son was "of Hoxton Market Place in the Parish of St Leonard Shoreditch Tallow Chandler and Grocer".

In the list of tenants of c.1744, Richard West had 13 acres in his own name, and rented 100 from Mr Guy and 13 from Richard Lowndes.

Goldsworth Dudley, grocer and tallow-chandler, was at 1 Horn Street when he died in 1779, so that is probably the "Messuage or Tenement" mentioned here, which would mean that he took over the grocery business when Richard West decided to concentrate on farming.