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Will of Richard Pidgley of Falmouth, Cornwall
Buried at Clyst St George
Proved 27 November 102
© Crown Copyright
PROB 11/1383, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Kenyon Quire Numbers: 820-883
Transcribed by Stephen Treseder
| In the Name of God Amen I Richard Pidgley of Falmouth in the County of Cornwall Considering the superficiality of life and that it is inevitably appointed unto Man to die and being at this present time in health and of perfect and disposing mind and memory God Almighty having been pleased abundantly to bless me not only with these but with many temporal goods do so order institute and ordain and make in my own handwriting this my last Will and Testament as follows / that is to say with trembling I most humbly commend my soul to its Great Creator God hoping and trusting and relying on his abounding unlimited Mercy for Mitigation of all my sins and through the above | |
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| merits of my mediator and saviour Jesus Christ who suffered and became a propitiatory sacrifice for the salvation of all Men Item I will that all my Debts Funeral Charges - Legacies and Bequests shall be duly honourably and punctually paid and discharged by my Executrix or Executor hereinafter named Item I order and direct that my remains shall be wrapped up in the linen and bed linen in which it shall be found at my decease by the attendant nurse woman or women and my worthy servant William George if he be then living with or near me to be first lain in a coffin of wood and after in a stout coffin of lead having my name age and date cast in the cover of it and after remaining fourteen days in the house to be securely interred in the parish church of Clyst Saint George in the County of Devon at the east end thereof nearly opposite the Chancel - the grave cave or vault shall be eight foot deep walls two feet or thirty inches from the bottom and covered at that height with first Stone after this is done the wall should be carried up to a proper height and overlaid with Brick ten poor men shall be chosen in the said parish to bear me to it and shall be rewarded with five shillings and a pair of Gloves the Coffin shall be Covered with a Pall containing Seven Yards superfine Black Broad Cloth trimmed round with love ribbon which having remained six months on the Pulpit shall become the property of the Minister to whom I also give and bequeath a Scarf and Hatband of black Sattin with Gloves Item I give and bequeath to the Clerk and Sexton of the afor sd parish both of them Hatband and Gloves Item I give and bequeath to the Minister of the parish in which I die a black Sattin Scarf Hatband and Gloves Item I give and bequeath to my kind friends Benjamin Hutton Senior 1 Edward Jackson 2 and Joseph Spurrell Senior3 all of the City of London twenty five Guineas cash to be respectively lain out by the said gentlemen in a piece of plate in remembrance of me Item I give and bequeath to my respected friend The Reverend Thomas Tregenza Hamley 4 of Launceston | |
| one hundred Guineas and my Topaz ring which ring shall be delivered to him immediately or as soon after my Interment as possible and it is my desire and request that he Attend my obsequies and see that every Relative particular respecting the same is complied with and fulfilled agreeable to this my Will and I hereby order and command that all expences consequent on his attendance will be born paid and distraigned by my Executor hereinafter named Item I give and bequeath to my esteemed Friend Joseph Hoskin Hawkey 5 of Saint Columb Major one hundred Guineas and a Mourning Ring Item I give and bequeath to George Hing?son Senior 6 of Plymouth in the County of Devon thirty Guineas and in case of his death then to his surviving child or children share and share | |
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| alike the same to that one solely Item I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Spyring 7 of the City of Exeter widow her son Samuel Spyring 8 or the survivor of them ten Guineas Item I give and bequeath unto Sir Michael and Lady Nowill 9 each a Mourning Ring Item I give and bequeath to the Reverend John Whittaker 10 Clerk and to Ellis Whittaker 11 Ring Item I give and bequeath to Mr John Gwennap Senior 12 a Mourning Ring Item I give and bequeath to Mrs Elisabeth Lawrence Senior 13 a Mourning Ring Item I give and bequeath to M rs Jane Crawford 14 of the City of Dublin a Mourning Ring Item I give and bequeath to Richard Pidgley Crawford 15 a a piece of silver plate of the value of ten Guineas on which shall be Engraved my name to be kept in remembrance of me Item I give and bequeath to M rs Mary Hamley 16 of Launceston xxxx a Mourning Ring Item I give and bequeath to Phillippa Pidgley 17 daughter of Thomas Pidgley 18 deceased twenty pounds per year during her life payable half yearly out of my Estate of Mulberry Square otherwise Corkers Court in the town of Falmouth by my Executrix or Executor and I absolutely give and make subject all other my Estates whatsoever to the one and punctual payment of this annuity which I shall commence and begin immediately after my decease I also give and bequeath to the said Phillippa Pidgley ten Guineas to provide decent Mourning Item I give and bequeath to all my first cousins of both fathers and mothers side twenty Guineas each excepting nevertheless and utterly excluding out of and from this bequest Mary 19 the Daughter of James Abbot 20 deceased because she the said Mary was void of compassion and did not commiserate in the day of adversity Item I give and bequeath to my faithful servants William and Catherine George 21 and to the survivor of them if living with me at the time of my death thirty pounds a year during their natural lives to be paid them half yearly also one years wages and two full suits of handsome Mourning to each of them to the said William George all my | |
⊗ It is my will and I hereby peremptorily and absolutely charge | wearing xxxx apparel of every kind both the said annuities shall be Issuing due and payable out of the Interest arising and growing from my Stock of one thousand pounds in the New four per cent Government Securities which I hereby subject and now make liable to pay and discharge the same and if it should hereafter happen that I alienate or change the said property then and in such case and in all possible cases whatsoever ⊗ obligate and make liable all my other Estates to pay bear and discharge the same and the aforesaid annuities shall be continued and respectively paid up to the Quarter day beyond and next after the death of the aforesaid William and Catherine George but if either of them shall sell |
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| or in any manner depart from their Interest in his or her Annuity it shall from that instant utterly cease terminate and be no longer paid Item I give and bequeath to every other Yearly servant resident at the time of my death one years wages and two full suits of Mourning Item I give and bequeath to the Mayor of Falmouth and his Successors in the said Office a Brass Chandelier to be appended in the Guildhall of the said Town to the value of ten Guineas provided I do not give the same in my life time Item I give and bequeath to the Rector and Churchwardens of the town and parish of Falmouth and their successors during the residue of a certain term of one thousand years to be Issuing due and payable out of my entire Estate of Mulberry Square otherwise Corkers Court in Falmouth five pounds a year to be lain out in threepenny loaves of bread and equally distributed in the parish church of Falmouth afor sd to decent poor and Constant Members of the Established Church not frequenting Meeting Houses or Conventicles and no others at the discretion of the Minister and Churchwardens for the time being the Distribution is to be made the Second Sunday in every month immediately after Morning Service Item I give and bequeath to the Rector and Churchwardens of the parish of Clyst Saint George in the County of Devon my native place and their successors for ever Five pounds per Year to be lain out in threepenny loaves of Bread and equally distributed to decent poor persons not chargeable to the said parish and who constantly attend the Church but no others every Sunday immediately after Morning Service at the discretion of the Minister and Churchwardens. Item I also give and bequeath to the Rector and Churchwardens of the aforesaid parish of Clyst Saint George and their successors for the time being a piece or pieces of plate as may be most wanting and the choice shall be in themselves not exceeding the value of ten Guineas to be for ever used at the Communion in the said Church Item I also give and bequeath to the Rector and Churchwardens of the said parish a Brass Chandelier of the value of ten Guineas to be properly placed appendant in the said Church for its Ornament and use for ever those things to be delivered in six months after my decease or sooner if the same can conveniently be done/ Item I give and bequeath to the Treasurer or Treasurers for the time being of a Society who call themselves the Governors of the Devon and Exeter Hospital at Exeter the sum of one thousand pounds stock now standing in my account in the New four per cent Government Securities upon Special Trust and Confidence nevertheless and to the intent and on this express condition that they or either of them or some or one of them to pay or cause to ['be' is missing] | |
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| paid in half yearly payments thirty pounds per year part of the annual Interest arising and growing due out of the said Stock unto the said William George and Catherine George his wife and to the survivor of them clear and without any Deviation whatsoever during their respective lives and it is my will that the said Annuities shall be continued and fully paid up to the Quarter day beyond and next after the decease of the said William and Catherine George and no longer after which time the said sum of thirty pounds annual shall be applied towards carrying on the Charitable designs of the said Society and further upon special Trust and Confidence nevertheless and on the express condition that the said Society Governor or Governors or joint or one of them shall and do pay or cause to be paid in half yearly payments clear and without any Deviation whatsoever to the Rector and Churchwardens of the parish of Clyst Saint George for the time being and their successors for ever five pounds per year being a further part or moiety of Interest growing and to grow out from or out of the said Stock to be applied as herein is particularly appointed and to no other use intent or purpose and further also upon Special Trust and Confidence and on this express condition that they the said Society Governor or Governors or joint or one of them for the time being out of the Interest of the aforesaid Stock shall and do from time to time and at all times hereafter repair keep in repair and Beautify any Marble or other remembrance of me which may be placed set up affixed or lain in the said parish church of Clyst Saint George in the County of Devon and that they Cause a Survey to be taken and a report to be made to the Board or Committee at the said Hospital of the actual State and Condition of the same at least once in seven years and that they pay yearly and every year at Christmas out of the Interest of the aforesaid Stock five shillings cash to the Clerk and Sexton of the said parish of Clyst | |
| Saint George on condition that they keep the said Remembrance or Monument perfectly Clean from Dust and all annoyance and that they be careful to prevent the same from being injured or defaced and I hereby appoint the Rector and Churchwardens of the said parish and their successors for ever Guardians or Inspectors to see my will both is seriously and piously observed fulfilled and kept. The residue of the said Interest shall be applied towards carrying on the charitable designs of the aforesaid Society and the principle of Stock itself shall remain and continue to be an inviolable Fund for the same intent and purpose for ever absolutely subject nevertheless to the Annuities Outgoings and payments with which the Society is herein and hereby Charged made liable and incumbered Item I give and bequeath to my kind Friends Benjamin Hutton Esquire and Edward Jackson Esquire of the City of London of them the sum of one hundred Guineas In Special Trust and Confidence nevertheless and to the intent and on this express Condition that they or one of them do lay out and expend the same in a neat Monument of Statuary Marble to be placed somewhere near the south east end of the parish church of Clyst Saint George in the County of Devon and in a Black Marble substantial stone to be laid over my remains in the floor of the said church and which stone shall be put in strong deep sunk Letters the following Inscription and nothing more 'Here lies a Benefactor let no Man move his Bones'; The Tablet itself may be inscribed with what the above two gentlemen or either of them may think proper unless hereby afterwards otherwise directed Item I give and bequeath to my first cousin Julia Pidgley 22 of the City of Exeter the interest of two hundred and fifty pounds Stock New four xxxx per cent Annuities now standing in my name being ten pounds per annum to be paid to her half yearly during her natural life by my Executrix Executor or Executors over and above the Legacy or bequest before mentioned and in addition to the same I give and bequeath to my first cousin John Pidgley 23 of the City of Exeter five hundred Guineas in case he shall not move into immediate possession under this my Will at my decease Item I give and bequeath to both of the children one hundred Guineas with the accumulating interest thereof to be respectively paid them out of my Estate when they shall have attained the age of twenty five years and not before Item I give and bequeath to the Trustees or Managers of the British Museum and their successors for the time being Thomas Frognal's 24 coffin which shall be carefully cased and sent to and placed in the said Museum free of any expence to the said Trustees or Managers and it is my will and desire that the same may stand parallel with the Egyptian Mummy and that my name as Donor with the date be affixed at the head of it in small Gold Letters Item I give and bequeath to the children of John Sydenham late of the City of Exeter deceased ten Guineas cash Item I give and bequeath all the Rest and Residue of my Estates Leasehold and Freehold Mortgages Government Securities Stock in the publick Funds Bonds Goods Chattels and Effects together with all my Plate part whereof as herein particularized shall be Heir Looms and pass from Heir to Heir absolutely wholly and undiminished together with my Freehold estate and my Estate of Mulberry Square otherwise Corkers Court to my sister Joanna Hazlitt 26 during her natural life and while she remains a widow whom I hereby appoint and make my sole Executrix and in case she should not survive me or immediately and on the instance of her marriage I give and bequeath my Freehold Estate and my Estate of Mulberry Square otherwise Corkers Court for the Residue of a term of one thousand years together with the Heir Looms aforesaid to my cousin John Pidgley and his Heirs Male lawfully begotten and in case of failure of Issue of Heirs Male then to Heirs Female as Tenants in Common and not as Joint Tenants and in case of total failure of such Issue I give devise and bequeath the same to the Heir of John Sydenham late of the City of Exeter deceased and his Heirs Male lawfully begotten and partly in failure of Issue I give devise and bequeath the same to the right Heirs still from Heir to Heir of me the said Richard Pidgley for ever and my Will is that no Heir in the actual possession shall grant any Fine Lease or Leases to take or receive any Fine or Fines or any xxx act or thing which may be prejudicial to or hurt the next Heir but that the Heir in possession shall and may Grant on Both Leases not exceeding the term of fourteen years at and for the highest yearly rent which can or may be obtained regard being always had to the obvious or ultimate improvements of such Estate the herein particularized thereto as Heir Looms is and shall be as follows one large Waiter 150 Oz one tea Urn 100 Oz 4 Candlesticks 630 Oz one Bread Basket 360 Oz one Set of castors 39 Oz three Cannisters 32 Oz with the chest which holds them silver mounted twelve Forks 30 Oz one Tea pot and Stand 21 Oz one Toaster 22 Oz one Dish Cross 16 Oz and twelve desert Spoons 13 Oz all which plate adding thereto one Snuffers and Stand about 11 Oz shall be for the use of the Heir in possession during life only and then shall pass for the like use of the next Heir in Continuance in the form and manner above directed and ordered agreeably to this my will which avoids against litigation is to be taken regarded and construed in the plain literal sense and meaning thereof by all persons mentioned therein Lastly in case of the decease of my sister Joanna Hazlitt then I hereby constitute and appoint my cousin John Pidgley aforesaid sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the fourteenth day of July in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine Rich d Pidgley [Seal] signed sealed Detailed and Published as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who subscribed our names and witnessed in the presence of each other in the Testators presence and at his request W. Nicholls. 27 James Byrn 28 On the twenty seventh day of November in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and two Administration with the Will amerced of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of Richard Pidgley late of Falmouth in the County of Cornwall Esquire deceased was granted to John Pidgley the residuary legatee substituted in the said Will having been first sworn by Commission only to administer Joanna Hazlitt widow the sister of the deceased sole Executrix and subsidiary legatee during life or widowhood named in the joint Will having first renounced as well the Probate and Execution of the said Will as also the Letters of Administration with the said Will annexed of the Goods of the said deceased. | |
| Top of page 1. of the Original Copy . . . presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses - Phebe Roberts 29 - Joseph Byles 30 - Eusebius Sweet 31 | |
| This Codicil to be taken as part Will I give devise and bequeath to John Churchfield and John Emmett 33 my now acquired Estate called Hymells or Hynolls Farm in the parish of Ridburn 34 and Flamstead in the County of Herts In Trust to sell and dispose of the same ⊗ and to divide the money arising therefrom in the the way I have directed the former part of my property in my will in witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fifth day of August in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and one_ Tho s Pearce 35 O -Signed Sealed Published and Delivered by the said Testator as and for a codicil to this last will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of both other have subscribed our names as witnessed the words "Devise" and "Bequeath" being first underlined _ G. Miller 36 _ Anth. Robinson 37 Eusebius Sweet | |
| This Will was proved at London with a Codicil the twenty sixth Day of January in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and two before the Worshipful William Adams Doctor of Laws Surrogate of the Right Honourable Sir William Bryant Knight also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oaths of John Churchfield and John Emmett Esquires the Executors named in the said Will according to the singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased was granted having been first sworn duly to administer. | |
| for the most Money they can get for the same | |
| NOTES ON THE TRANSCRIPTION | |
| 1. Each line in this transcription corresponds exactly to the lines of the written Will. | |
| 2. Abbreviations, insertions, crossings-out and notation are as in the original. | |
| 3. Obscured words are shown in italic. | |
| 4. The Witness Attestations and the Codicil which are written above the commencement of the Will on page 1 of the original copy are here transcribed at the end. | |
| 5. Persons & Places named in the above Will have been numbered at their first appearance in the Will, together with the page in which they are first mentioned, and are shown below on page 9. | |
Richard PIDGLEY appears to have lived at Mawnan, Cornwall. As this transcription was carried out for someone else, the transcriber has not investigated any details of his life or background, except that enquiries to the British Museum Archivist have drawn a blank regarding the mysterious Thomas Frognall's coffin mentioned in the Will. This I presume to have been an Egyptian coffin with mummy. Certainly, according to the BM Archivist no such article is listed in their accessions so its fate remaina a mystery. S. Treseder | |
| 1 | Benjamin Hutton, Senior, of the City of London, page 2. |
| 2 | Edward Jackson, of the City of London, page 2. |
| 3 | Joseph Spurrell, Senior, of the City of London, page 2. |
| 4 | The Reverend Thomas Tregenza Hamley, of Launceston. (see xvi) page 2. |
| 5 | Joseph Hoskin Hawkey, of St Columb Major, page 2. |
| 6 | George Hingson?, Senior, of Plymouth. (The surname is indistinct). page 2. |
| 7 | Elizabeth Spyring ,of the City of Exeter, widow, page 3. |
| 8 | Samuel Spyring, the son of Elizabeth Spyring, page 3. |
| 9 | Sir Michael and Lady Nowill? (The surname is indistinct), page 3. |
| 10 | Reverend John Whittaker, page 3. |
| 11 | Ellis Whittaker, page 3. |
| 12 | Mr John Gwennap, Senior, page 3. |
| 13 | Mrs Elisabeth Lawrence, Senior, page 3. |
| 14 | Mrs Jane Crawford, of the City of Dublin, page 3. |
| 15 | Richard Pidgley Crawford, page 3. |
| 16 | Mrs Mary Hamley, of Launceston, page 3. |
| 17 | Phillippa Pidgley, page 3. |
| 18 | Thomas Pidgley, (deceased), page 3. |
| 19 | Mary, daughter of James Abbot, page 3. |
| 20 | James Abbot (deceased), page 3. |
| 21 | William and Catherine George, servants to Richard Pidgley, page 3. |
| 22 | Julia Pidgley, first cousin of Richard Pidgley, page 6. |
| 23 | John Pidgley. First cousin of Richard Pidgley, Executor and heir, page 6. |
| 24 | Thomas Frognall? (The surname is indistinct.) page 6. |
| 25 | John Sydenham, late of the City of Exeter, (deceased), page 6. |
| 26 | Joanna Hazlitt, sister of Richard Pidgley, page 6. |
| 27 | W. Nicholls. Witness to the Will of Richard Pidgley 1799, page 6. |
| 27 | James Byrn. Witness to the Will of Richard Pidgley 1799, page 6. |
| 29 | Phebe Roberts. Witness to the oath and signature of John Pidgley upon his becoming Executor in place of Joanna Hazlitt. 1802, page 1. |
| 30 | Joseph Byles . Witness to the oath and signature of John Pidgley upon his becoming Executor in place of Joanna Hazlitt. 1802, page 1. |
| 31 | Eusebius Sweet. Witness to the oath and signature of John Pidgley upon his becoming Executor in place of Joanna Hazlitt. 1802, page 1. |
| 32 | John Churchfield. Executor in the Codicil of 1801, to sell the Hertfordshire farm, page 1. |
| 33 | John Emmett. Executor in the Codicil of 1801, to sell the Hertfordshire farm, page 1. |
| 34 | Now called Redbourn. The name of the farm is indistinct. It was not found on a modern map of the area, page 1. |
| 35 | Thomas Pearce. Person drawing up the Codicil 1801, page 1. |
| 36 | G. Miller. Witness to the signing of the Codicil 1801, page 1. |
| 37 | Anth. (Anthony?) Robinson. Witness to the signing of the Codicil 1801, page 1. |