Hide
hide
Hide

Will of William Townson, Leather Cutter of Topsham

Proved 31 August 1810

© Crown Copyright

PROB 11/1514/401, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury

Transcribed by Ros Dunning

I William Townson of the Town & Parish of Topsham in the County of Devon Leather Cutter being weak in body but of a sound mind memory & understanding do for avoiding all disputes & controversies after my decease make my last Will & Testament in manner & form following Whereas I am possessed of & interest in the ffee Simple inheritance of several Dwellinghouses & Tenements in Topsham aforesaid (that is to say) a house with a little Garden behind in my own Possession with several houses adjoining in the several occupations of Mary Williams Mary Hall James Tarr & William Mugford as undertenants or tenants at Will to me Item I give devise & bequeath the same with its rights interests & Appurts to the same belonging or appertaining to Captain William Gibbs of Topsham aforesaid & to his heirs & assigns for ever subject nevertheless to the following Annuities (that is to say) a clear yearly Annuity of four pounds a year forever free from any loss or deduction to be paid to the Minister & Churchwardens of Topsham aforesaid for the time being & to their successors for ever to be by them bestowed & laid out in Bread & to be distributed Yearly to such poor persons of the said Parish of Topsham as they shall adjudge & deem fit objects to receive the same & I hereby subject & charge my houses & Tenements in Topsham aforesaid with the due payment of the same for ever as aforesaid the first yearly payment to be made in one year after my decease Also I give & bequeath unto James Burrough of Topsham aforesaid Mason a clear Annuity of Two Pounds a free from any tax or deduction during his natural life the first payment to be made in one year after my decease & I hereby subject & charge my houses & Tenements in Topsham with the payment of the same accordingly & if one or either of the said Annuities or any part thereof shall be unpaid by the space of twenty days after becoming due as aforesaid the same to be recovered by distress on my said Houses & Tenements as in cases of distress for non payment of rent And whereas I am possessed of & interested in the sum of five hundred & seventy pounds Bank Stock in the five per Cent Consolidated Annuities Item I give & bequeath the same unto the above named Captain William Gibbs of Topsham his Exors Admors or Assigns subject nevertheless to the due payment of all the Legacies hereinafter severally mentioned & expressed Item I give & bequeath unto the Governors & Directors of the Devon & Exeter Hospital the sum of ffifty Pounds of lawful British money for the use & benefit of the said Hospital Item I give & bequeath unto William Tunkins Cordwainer now living with me the sum of One hundred Pounds of like lawful British money Also I give & bequeath unto the above named James Burrough of Topsham Mason the sum of ten pounds Also I give unto Samuel Swaine of Topsham Cordwainer the sum of ten pounds Also I give unto the Revd James Carrington of Topsham the sum of ten pounds Also I give unto John Haydon formerly of Topsham but now of Kennford the sum of five pounds all which several Legacies as herein given & bequeathed to be paid by my Executor herein after named in one year after my decease Item I give & bequeath unto ffrances Gibbs & Mitalda Gibbs Daughters of the above named Captain Wm Gibbs of Topsham aforesaid the sum of ffifty Pounds a piece to be paid to them by my Executor herein after named when they shall attain their respective ages of twenty one years & if either should die before attaining the age of twenty one years as aforesaid the legacy of her so dying to be paid to the Survivor And I hereby subject & charge the above sum of five hundred & seventy pounds Bank Stock in the five per Cent Annuities with the due payment of all the several Legacies herein mentioned expressed given & bequeathed And I give unto Mary Dimond of Topsham Widow four pounds to be paid by my Executor in one year after my decease And I will & desire to be buried in a decent manner under my Seat in the Parish Church of Topsham All the rest residue & remainder of my monies securities for money Goods Chattels & Effects whatsoever subject to the payment of all my just debts legacies & ffuneral expences Item I give & bequeath the same & every part thereof unto the above named Captain William Gibbs of Topsham aforesaid And I hereby nominate constitute & appoint the said William Gibbs whole & sole Executor and Residuary Legatee of this my Will In Witness whereof I the said William Townson the Testator have hereunto set my hand & seal this 23rd day of June 1810 Wm Townson

(Attestation Clause)

M Mundy _ Jno Westcott _ Sally Westcott

Proved at London 31 August 1810