Will of John Arnott, 1842 (proved 1843)

National Archives PROB 11/1983/236

I John Arnott of Winslow in the County of Bucks make this my last Will and Testament as follows viz. First I recommend my Soul to Almighty God It is my wish and desire that all my just debts should be paid out of the property which I may be possessed with at the time of my decease I give and bequeath unto George Maydon son of the late Benjamin Maydon of Somers Town in the County of Middlesex Butcher A trunk and the contents which shall be carefully packed up and directed for the said George Maydon as a legacy from me also the sum of Five pounds in ready money which shall be paid to him as soon as convenient after my decease & funeral out of the money which I may be possessed with at the time of my decease I also give and bequeath unto Thomas Maydon of Uxbridge in the County of Middlesex Butcher All the Rest of my property consisting of money household goods and effects on condition that he pays the above legacy to the said George Maydon hereinbefore mentioned  Also that he the said Thomas Maydon pays all my just debts and funeral expences Also that he shall have a pair of \neat/ Grave \neat/ Stones erected in the Church Yard of Winslow with my name & age &c inscribed on the same and also the name of my late Wife Jane Arnott who died the first day of November in the year of our Lord 1839 Aged 79 both inscribed on the same Stone with the following Words. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.  It is my desire that all my funeral expences be paid as soon as possiable [sic] after my Funeral
Dated this 29th day of January 1842 Signed John Arnott [signature] In the presence of John Abbott [signature] George Maydon [signature]

In the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
In the goods of John Arnott deceased

Appeared Personally George Maydon of Winslow in the County of Buckingham Butcher and made oath that he is one of the subscribed Witnesses to the execution of the last Will and Testament of John Arnott late of Winslow aforesaid deceased the said Will bearing date the twenty ninth day of January in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty two and being now hereunto annexed And he further made oath that on the said twenty ninth day of January in the said year one thousand eight hundred and forty two the said Testator duly executed his said Will by signing his name at the foot or end thereof as the same now appears in the presence of him the appearer and of John Abbott the other subscribed Witness thereto both of whom were present at the same time and that he the Appearer and the said John Abbott there

[p.2] upon attested and subscribed the said Will in the presence of him the said John Arnott the Testator deceased as the same now appears. George Maydon [signature]
On Saturday the nineteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty three the said George Maydon was duly sworn to the truth of the aforegoing affidavit By virtue of the annexed Commission Before me W W McCreight Surr(ogate) Winslow Commissioner

Proved at London 25th Aug(us)t 1843 before the Worshipful John Danbury Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the oath of Thomas Maydon the Brother by the half blood the Executor according to the Tenor to whom Ad(ministrati)on was granted having been first sworn duly to administer

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Notes

John Arnott kept The Plough from 1810 or earlier to 1820. He rented various pieces of land including Cross Lane Closes and Gubblesgore, and described himself as a grazier in the 1841 census, when he was living near the Chandos Arms (roughly where the entrance to Elmfields Gate is now). He was aged 64 when he died in 1843. The Thomas Maydon who died at Uxbridge in 1855 aged 72 was presumably his half-brother. If so, their mother remarried between 1779 and 1783.

This advert appeared in the Northampton Mercury (20 March 1830) - unfortunately it doesn't say where the farm was:

COWS, STURKS, HORSES, PIGS,
CORN, HAY, HOVELS,
Implements of Husbandry, Dairy Vessels,
ALE CASKS, and EFFECTS.To be SOLD by AUCTION,
By S. Dudley,
On Thursday the 25th March, 1830, on the premises of Mr. JOHN ARNOTT, at WINSLOW, Bucks, who is leaving the farm (the whole to be sold without reserve).
COMPRISING three useful cows, down calving; one new milch ditto, 10 sturks, two cart mares, six porking pigs, four stores, two yelts, one in-pig sow, part of a bay of beans, about five quarters; quantity of wheat and rye straw, 25 tons of excellent old hay, narrow-wheel wagon, broad-wheel cart, plough, pair of harrows, five sets of horse harness, saddle and bridles, chaff-box, ladders, barn-tackle in general, gate hurdles, ash poles, four-dozen churn, four leads, two kivers, buckets and yoke, wagon and cart hovels, forks, rakes, and working tools, two two-hogshead  ale casks, one hogshead and half-hogshead ditto, tubs, wood bottles, and effects.
Two months’ credit will be given for the hay, by paying a deposit of 25 per cent, and giving approved security.
The company is requested to meet the auctioneer on the farm at Eleven o’clock, and proceed to sale.