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Will of Mary WICKHAM, widow of Appledore

Written 14th June 1830, Proved 29th October 1830

Transcribed by David Carter

Will document: In private hands (but an Inland Revenue copy is also believed to exist)

George Barnes: Clerk Doctor of Divinity Archdeacon of the Archdeaconry of Barnstaple lawfully constituted Do by these presents make known unto all men that on the 29th October 1830, before the Reverend William Spurway clerk our surrogate lawfully appointed The last Will and Testament of Mary Wickham late of Northam in Devon and our archdeaconry aforesaid widow deceased was introduced proved approved and registered. And that administration of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased any way concerning her said Will was committed unto Richard Buse one of the executors in the said will named He being first sworn on the Holy Evangelists well and faithfully to administer the same and under and yield a true and just account thereof when lawfully required, reserving a power unto John Williams the other executor in the said will named. Saving every ones rights.

In Testimony whereof we have hereunto set our seal of office dated the day and year above written.

Signed: James Pearce, Reg[istra]r.

Effects sworn under £100.

This is the last Will and Testament of me Mary Wickham of Appledore within the parish of Northam in the County of Devon widow.

Whereas I am possessed of interested in and well entitled unto all those three quarters or three fourth parts of and in all that messuage or dwelling house and courtlege behind the same with their appurtenances situate in Appledore aforesaid formerly in the possession of Henry Jeffery but now in the occupation of Daniel Lovering and William Rowe for and during the residue and remainder of a term of 999 years. And which said dwelling house and courtlege is now covenanted unto and used and occupied as two dwelling houses and courtleges. Now I do hereby dispose of the same in manner following (that is to say):

I give and bequeath unto John Williams of Bickington within the parish of Fremington yeoman, and Richard Buse of Bideford scrivener their executors and administrators all that the western part of my dwelling house and premises with its appurtenances as now divided off Together with that part of the courtlege immediately behind and contiguous thereto and now occupied by the said Daniel Lovering with the last mentioned premises. To hold the same unto the said John Williams and Richard Buse their executors and administrators upon the following trusts (that is to say) Upon trust to permit and suffer my daughter Mary Ann Lovering wife of the said Daniel Lovering and her assigns to occupy and receive and take the rents issues and profits thereof for and during the term of her natural life and from immediately after the decease of my said daughter Mary Ann Lovering upon trust for the use and benefit of the child if but one or of all and every the children if more than one (lawfully begotten) of the said Mary Ann Lovering his or their executors administrators and assigns in equal shares and proportion as tenants in common and now as joint tenants for and during all the then residue and remainder of my estate and interest therein. But in case the said Mary Ann Lovering shall depart this life in the life time of the said Daniel Lovering without leaving issue as aforesaid Then upon trust to permit and suffer the said Daniel Lovering and his assigns to occupy and receive and take the rents issues and profits thereof for and during the term of his natural life and from and immediately after the decease of the said Daniel Lovering Then upon trust to permit and suffer my two grand daughters Mary Ann Rowe and Eliza Rowe (children of my deceased daughter Eliza Rowe) and their executors administrators and assigns to occupy and receive and take the rents issues and profits thereof for and during all the residue and remainder of my interest therein to come and unexpired share and share alike as tenants in common and now as joint tenants and without being subject or in anywise liable to the debts controul interference or engagements of any future husband with or to whom they may intermarry.

I give and bequeath unto the said John Williams and Richard Buse their executors and administrators all that the eastern part of my said dwelling house and premises with its appurtenances as now divided off Together with that part of the courtlege immediately behind and contiguous thereto and now occupied by my son in law the said William Rowe with the last mentioned premises. To hold the same unto the said John Williams and Richard Buse their executors and administrators upon trust to receive and take the rents issues and profits thereof and pay apply and dispose thereof to and for the sole use and benefit of the said Mary Ann Lovering her executors administrators and assigns until my said two grand daughters Mary Ann Rowe and Eliza Rowe shall attain their respective ages of twenty-one years, and when and so soon as they shall have attained their respective ages of twenty-one years then I give and bequeath the last mentioned premises unto my said grand daughters Mary Ann Rowe and Eliza Rowe their executors administrators and assigns, to hold the same unto my said grand daughters Mary Ann Rowe and Eliza Rowe their executors administrators and assigns share and share alike as tenants in common and not as joint tenants for and during all the residue and remainder then to come and unexpired of the said term therein to and for their own absolute benefit and disposal and without being subject in any wise to the debts controul interference or engagements of any husbands with or to whom they may intermarry. Provided always that if any or either of my said grand daughters Mary Ann Rowe and Eliza Rowe shall happen to die before attaining the age of twenty one years then I hereby give and bequeath the share in the said premises of her so dying unto and to the use of the survivor of them her executors administrators or assigns. And my further will and meaning is that if both my said grand daughters Mary Ann Rowe and Eliza Rowe shall happen to die before attaining their ages of twenty one years, then and in such case I hereby give and bequeath the whole of the said premises so bequeathed to them as aforesaid unto the said Mary Ann Lovering her executors administrators and assigns for and during all the residue and remainder of the said term therein to and for the only proper use and behoof of the said Mary Ann Lovering her executors administrators and assigns and without being subject to the debts controul interference or engagements of the present or any future husband with or to whom she may intermarry. As to for and concerning all the residue and remainder of my personal estate and effects whatsoever which shall remain after payment of my just debts and funeral and testamentary expenses I give and bequeath the same unto and to the use of the said Mary Ann Lovering her executors administrators and assigns for ever. And I do hereby declare that it shall be lawful for my said trustees executors or administrators by and out of the monies which shall come to their hands to reimburse themselves all charges and expenses which they may sustain or be put unto in the execution of the trusts hereby in them reposed and that the one of them shall not be answerable for the other of them but each of them only for his own acts deeds neglects and defaults and that they or either of them shall not be answerable or accountable for any more money than they respectively shall actually receive nor for any loss which may happen in the execution of the said trusts unless the same happen by his or their wilful default. And lastly I hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said John Williams and Richard Buse executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all former wills made by me made and do declare this to be my last will and testament.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the 14th June 1830.

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Mary Wickham the Testatrix as and for her last will and testament in the presence of us who at her request and in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto set our names as witnesses.

Charles Hartnoll junr, Appledore, Sarah Bowden, Appledore.

 

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Comments

The above Will was found in a set of House Deeds relating to 46 Market Street, Appledore, which is the property referred to by Mary Wickham in her Will.

Mary Williams married Richard Wickham at Fremington in 1786. Her husband Richard was a sailmaker, the son of an Excise Officer. He had been married & widowed previously but had no surviving offspring. Richard and Mary had the following children baptised in Northam parish:

1787 – Richard

1789 – William

1791 – James (died June 1804)

1793 – John (died Oct 1793)

1794 – Mary Ann

 

Mary’s husband Richard Wickham died in December 1795, and was buried at Northam.

Mary Wickham (widow) had a further child baptised three years later at Northam:

1798 – Eliza Cavenagh Wickham

Mary Wickham was buried at Northam on 25th July 1830, aged 67.

Mary’s will only mentions Mary Ann and Eliza as being her children. There are no local burials for sons Richard and William, so it is presumed that they had pre-deceased her.

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