Will of Leonard Matthews of Shipley Sussex Farmer 1854

Date: 7 Feb 1851 to 24 Feb 1854
Location: Shipley, Sussex, England
Surnames/tags: Matthews Mathews

Introduction

Leonard Matthews died in about 1854 in Shipley, Sussex, England. His will was signed 7 February 1851 and passed probate on 24 February 1854.^[1]

Transcribed from a digital image of a Clerk’s copy of the Will from the ancestry website 18-20 Sep 2023. Spelling has been retained but f has been replaced with s where applicable to aid reading and bold text has been introduced as a finding aid. Where a word was not clear, [?] has been added in place of or at the end of the word.

Relatives mentioned in the Will:

Testator Leonard Matthews of the parish of Shipley, Sussex

Wife Charlotte Matthews

son Henry Matthews (residuary legatee)

daughter Charlotte Matthews

daughter Matilda Hard, the wife of George Hard

late daughter Lucy Linfield, the wife of Henry Linfield, and their unnamed children

late daughter Jemima, the wife of John Short, and their unnamed children

Property mentioned:

freehold messuages, gardens and premises in the parish of Washington,Sussex, England

The Will of Leonard Matthews, farmer of Shipley and Washington in Sussex

This is the last will and testament of me, Leonard Matthews of the parish of Shipley in the county of Sussex farmer Whereby I give and devise my freehold messuages, gardens and premises in the parish of Washington, in the said County, with their appurtenances unto my dear wife, Charlotte Matthews and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease I give and devise the same unto my son Henry Matthews and his heirs and assigns forever

And I give and bequeath the use and usage of such portion of my household goods and furniture plate china and linen as my said wife shall choose to select to her my said wife for and during the term of her natural life and I give and bequeath all my personal estate of whatever nature or [? ] (subject to my said wife having the use of such portion of my said household goods and furniture plate china, and linen as aforesaid, and to the payment of all my just debts and my funeral and testamentary expenses unto my said son Henry Matthews and James, Qurrent[?] of Shipley aforesaid farmer their executors and administrators upon Trust that they my said son and the said James Qurrent[?] or the survivor of them or the executors or administrators of such survivor do and shall as soon as conveniently may be after my decease convert unto money such part of my said personal estate as shall not be in money at the time of my decease and out of the moneys to arise therefrom pay unto my said wife Charlotte Matthews for and during the term of her natural life one annuity or yearly sum of thirty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain free from all [???]ntions whatsoever by four equal quarterly payments in the year the first quarterly payment thereof to be made at the expiration of three calendar months next after my decease and pay and divide my said personal estate (subject as aforesaid and to the said annuity) unto and amongst my three children, Charlotte Matthews Matilda the wife of George Hard and Henry Matthews and such of the live children of my late daughter Lucy the wife of Henry Linford shall live to attain the age of twenty one years and such of the live children of my late daughter Jemima the wife of John Short as shall live to attain the age of twenty one years such children of my said two late daughters to take their parents share only and my will is that in case any or other of my said three children shall happen to die in my lifetime and shall leave no lawful issue then the share or shares of him her or them so dying shall be paid

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to the survivors or survivor of them and of my said Grandchildren in the proportions aforesaid But in case any or other of them my said three children shall happen to die in my lifetime and shall leave lawful issue then the respective issue of such of them my said children so dying shall have such a share or shares both original and arising as the parent thereof would have had in case he she or they had not died and my will is that no withstanding the direction hereintofore contained for the division of my said personal estate the share therein of my said daughter Matilda the wife of the said George Hard shall be held by my said son plus the said James Quinton[?] or the survivor of them or the executors or administrators of such survivor upon Trust to put and place the same out at interest in Government or real securities, and from time to time to vary the same and to pay the interest and dividends thereof unto my said daughter Matilda Hard for and during the term of her natural life to and for her own sole and separate use and benefit independent of her present or any future husband and for which her receipts alone not withstanding her coverture[? ] shall be from time to time sufficient and only proper discharges and from and after the decease of my said daughter Matilda Hard to pay and divide the same unto and amongst all and every child and children of my said daughter Matilda Hard lawfully begotten then living and the lawful issue of any such child or children as shall be then dead leaving lawful issue or such issue to take their parents share only and in case my said daughter Matilda Hard shall leave no child or children or the lawful issue of any such child or children or leaving such the same shall happen to die under the age of twenty one years then to pay and divide the said share of my said daughter Matilda Hard unto and amongst such person or persons as under and by virtue of the statutes made for the distribution of the personal estates of my said daughter Matilda Hard in case of her dying interstate and unmarried and in case any of the said children of my said late daughters Lucy Linfield and Jemima Short or any child or children of my said daughter Matilda Hard or the lawful issue of any such child or children shall be under the age of twenty one years at the time of my decease or at the time of the decease of my said daughter Matilda Hard respectively then the interest and dividends of the persons ptive share or shares of such child or children or lawful issue respectively shall be paid and applied in or towards his her or their support maintenance and education until such share or shares shall become payable by virtue of this my Will and my will is and I do hereby declare that any sum of money that shall be due to me from the said abeusy[?] freehold at the time of my decease on this Promissory Note or other such Rate shall be barred by the Statute of Limitations or not shall be considered and taken as part of the share of the said five children of my said late daughter Lucy Linfield of and in my said personal estate and I give devise and bequeath all estates and premises which at the time of my decease shall be vested in me upon any trust or by way of mortgage of which I have power to dispose by this my Will unto my said son Henry Matthews and the said James Qurrent[?] their heirs executors administrators and assigns upon the trusts and subject to the […]ity of convention which at the time of my decease shall be subsisting or capable of my effect and I do nominate and appoint my said son Henry Matthews and the said James Quirent[?] Executors of this my last Will and Testament And I do hereby revoke all former Wills by me made And my Will is and I do hereby declare that they my said son Henry Matthews and the said James Quirent and their respective heirs executors and administrators shall not be answerable or accountable the one for the other of the, or for the acts receipts neglects or defaults of the other of the, but each of the, for himself and for his own acts receipts neglects and defaults only and that they respectively shall not be answerable or accountable for any loss or losses that may happen of any part of my trust estate except

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the same shall happen through their respective wilful neglect or default and that they and their respective heirs executors and administrators shall and May deduct and retain out of the monies that shall come to their h by virtue of this my Will and allow to each other all such costs charges and expenses whatsoever as they may respectively be at or be put unto in or about the execution of this my Will or of the trusts thereof or in relation thereunto In witness thereof I the said Leonard Matthews the Testator have to each sheet of this my last Will and Testament contained in three sheets of paper set my hand this twenty seventh day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty one - Leonard Matthews - signed by the said Leonard Matthews the testator in the presence and in the presence of each other have here unto subscribed our names as witness - Arthur Mant late Stevington Geo French Mant

Proved at London 24th February 1854 before the worshipful […….] Thomas Pratt [.]orter of Laws and Surrogates by the Oaths of Henry Matthews the son and James Quirvist[?] the Executors to whom Admon was granted having been first proven duly to administer “

Sources

1. ↑ Will: "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
   The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 2186
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #652419 (accessed 20 September 2023)
   Will of Leonard Matthews, granted probate on 24 Feb 1854. Died about 1854 in Shipley, Sussex, England.