Will of Richard Bigg, gentleman, 1739 (proved 1740)

National Archives PROB 11/703/442

In the Name of God Amen I Richard Bigg of Winslow in the County of Bucks Gentleman being in good health and of a sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and considering the Certainty \of death/ and uncertain time thereof do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament in manner and Form following that is to say  First and principally I Commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it hoping through the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ my Redeemer to obtain remission of all my Sins  And my Body to the Earth to be decently buryed at the discretion of my Executrix and Executor hereafter named  And as to the Worldly Estates it hath pleased God to bless me with I give and dispose thereof as follows Whereas at the time of making of the Settlement between me and Elizabeth my Loving Wife of my Wifes Estate at Weston Turvile in the said County of Bucks It was in and by the said Settlement Agreed that I should have power to dispose of the Reversion (Expectant on the death of the said Elizabeth my Wife) of and in that Estate unto such of my Children begotten on her Body as I should by my last Will and Testament give direct or appoint Now according to the Power reserved to me in and by the said Settlement I do herby give devise and bequeath the Reversion (Expectant upon the Death of the said Elizabeth my Wife) of and in all and every the Messuages Cottages Closes Lands and Tenements Com(m)ons Profitts Comoditys Hereditaments Advantages and Appurten(anc)es whatsoever in the said Settlement mentioned unto Robert Bigg my Son and his Heirs and Assigns forever  And I do also hereby direct and appoint that such Person or Persons who shall stand or be Seized of the Messuages Closes Lands and Tenements Commons Profitts Commoditys Hereditaments Advantages and Appurten(an)ces in the said Settlement mentioned shall imediately after the death of the said Elizabeth my Wife stand and be Seized thereof and of every part and parcel thereof To and for the only use and behoof the said Robert Bigg my Son and of his Heirs and Assigns for ever  And to and for no other use Intent or purpose whatsoever  And also I give devise and bequeath All other my Messuages Closes Lands and Tenements Commons Profitts Comoditys Hereditaments Advantages and Appurten(an)ces whatsoever in the Parish of Weston Turvile aforesaid imediately after my decease unto Robert Bigg my Son and to his Heirs and Assigns for ever  Also I give devise and bequeath All that part of my Messuage or Tenement wherein I now dwell or adjoining or belonging thereto and of the Barn Stable Yard Garden and Backside now used with the same which formerly belonged to the Angell Inn and was purchased by me of Mr Hazlewood with all Rights Easements Ways Walls Waters

[p.2] Watercourses Rents Profitts Commoditys Appurtenances and Advantages whatsoever to be had and made thereof unto my Loving Wife Elizabeth Bigg for and during the term of her Natural Life And from and after her death then to Robert Bigg my son his Heirs and Assigns untill and unless Richard Bigg my Grandson or his Heirs do and shall well and truly pay or cause to be payd unto the said Robert Bigg my Son the Sum of thirty pounds of Lawfull British money which payment is to be made within twelve months next after the death of the said Elizabeth Bigg my Wife or such time as he the said Richard Bigg my Grandson shall have attained the Age of one and twenty years which shall last happen then and in such I give devise and bequeath the same last mentioned premisses with the Appurten(an)ces unto Richard Bigg my Grandson his Heirs and Assigns for ever  But in case the said Richard Bigg my Grandson or his heirs shall neglect or refuse to pay the said Sum of thirty pounds when the same shall be due and payable  Then and in such Case I give devise and bequeath  All that the before mentioned part of my Messuage or Tenement or adjoining thereto in Winslow aforesaid wherein I now dwell and of the Barn Stable Yard Garden and Backside now used with the same which formerly belonged to the Angell Inn and was purchased by me of Mr Hazlewood with all Lights Easments Ways Waters Watercourses rents Profitts Commoditys Appurtenances and Advantages to be had and made thereof unto the said Robert Bigg my Son his Heirs and Assigns for ever  But if it should happen the said Richard Bigg my Grandson should depart this Life before he shall attain the Age of One and twenty years  And shall leave no Issue of his Body lawfully begotten who shall live to attain the Age of One and twenty years  Then and in such Case I give devise and bequeath all that part of my Messuage or Tenement or adjoining thereto in Winslow aforesaid wherein I now dwell and of the Barn Stable Yard Garden and Backside which formerly belonged to the Angell Inn and was purchased by me of Mr Hazlewood with all Lights Easements Ways Waters Watercourses rents profitts Commoditys Appurten(ances) and Advantages after the death of the said Elizabeth my Wife unto the said Robert Bigg my son his Heirs and Assigns untill and unless Elizabeth Bigg my Grand Daughter or her Heirs do and shall within twelve months next after the death of Elizabeth Bigg my Wife and Richard Bigg my Grandson which shall last happen well and truly pay or cause to be payd the sum of thirty pounds of Lawfull money of Great Britain unto my said Son Robert Bigg or his Assigns  Then and in such case I give devise and bequeath the said last mentioned Premisses unto the said Elizabeth Bigg my Grand Daughter her Heirs and Assigns for ever  But in case Default or

[p.3] Neglect be made in payment of the said Sum of thirty pounds when the same shall be due and payable  Then and in such case I give devise and bequeath  All that part of my Messuage or Tenement in Winslow aforesaid wherein I now dwell or adjoyning thereto And of the Barn Stable Yard Gardens and Backside now used with the same which formerly belonged to the Angell Inn and was purchased by me of Mr Hazlewood And all Lights Easements Ways Waters Watercourses Rents Profitts Commoditys and Advantages to be had and made thereof after the death of the said Elizabeth my Wife unto my said Son Robert Bigg his Heirs and Assigns for ever  Also I give devise and bequeath All that my Parcell of Ground in Winslow aforesaid which I purchased of Mr Beagles and did not sell unto Mr Joseph Bigg next adjoyning to the Premisses which I sold the said Joseph Bigg and the Appurten(an)ces to the said parcell of Ground belonging or in any wise appertaining unto the said Richard Bigg my Grandson and the Heirs Male of his Body lawfully begotten or to be begotten  And for default of such Issue then unto Robert Bigg my Son and his Heirs for ever  Also I give devise and bequeath All the rest of my Freehold and Copyhold Messuages Cottages Closes Lands and Tenements Ley Meadow and Pasture Ground and all and every other the Premisses and all right and power of Equity of Redemption and all and every their rights members and Appurten(an)ces (not herein and hereby before disposed of) imediately after my death unto the said Robert Bigg my Son his Heirs and Assigns for ever  To the only proper use and behoof of the said Robert Bigg my Son his Heirs and Assigns for ever  Also I give and bequeath the said Elizabeth Bigg my Loving Wife and Robert Bigg my Son joyntly  All and every my Goods Chattles and Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever  And I do hereby make constitute and appoint the said Elizabeth Bigg my Loving Wife and the said Robert Bigg my Son Joyntly Executrix and Executor of this my last Will and Testament directing them and desiring that my Body may be buryed in a decent manner in the Buryal place in the Church of Winslow aforesaid where my Son Richard was buryed And Lastly I do hereby revoke and make void All former Wills by me before made and do declare this to be my last Will and Testament  and none other or otherwise  In Witness Whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament contained in three Sheets of paper to the first and Second Sheet thereof sett my hand and to the third and last Sheet my hand and Seal this Sixth day of December in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and thirty nine 

Rich(ar)d Bigg

Signed Sealed Published and declared (These Words being first Interlined vizt and Executor. between
the Fifth and Sixth Lines in the first Sheet; And the words (unto my said Son Robert Bigg or his Assigns.  between the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Lines of the Second Sheet) by the said Richard Bigg the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the Presence of us who have hereunto Subscribed our Names as Witnesses in the Presence of the said Testator and of each other
S. Foster   Will(ia)m Coles   Willi(a)m Stevens

This Will was proved at London the twenty Sixth day of July in the year of Our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Forty Before the Worshipfull Thomas Walker Doctor of Laws Surrogate of the Right Worshipfull John Bettesworth Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted  By the Oath of Robert Bigg the Son of the deceased and One of the Executors in the said Will named to who Administration was granted of all and Singular the Goods Chattells and Creditts of the said deceased being Sworn duly to Administer Elizabeth Bigg Widow the Relict of the deceased and the other Executor named in the said Will renouncing the Execution thereof.

Notes

Richard Bigg, b.1668/9(?), was the son of Stephen Bigg (1647-1704), blacksmith and postmaster (q.v. for their Post Office activities up to 1704), and his wife Mary (1648-1714) (q.v. for more information about the family). In 1705, in partnership with Mr Richard Dixon of Bourne, he was awarded a contract to run the postal service in Lincolnshire. He retained his father's contract to run the service from London to Edgware, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamstead, Marlow, Chesham, Amersham, Wendover, Buckingham, Banbury and Warwick (http://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol21/cccix-cccxiv). He paid the Post Office £1,100 p.a. until 1708, then £1,180. The contract ended in 1712 due to reorganisation of the system under the Post Office Act of 1711, and he seems to have been employed directly by the Post Office instead. In 1712-13 he was paid a salary of £821 along with 10% of the revenue.  By 1715 he was described as "Clerk of the Road" on a salary only. He then became "Riding Surveyor" (Historical Register, 8 June 1721). He mortgaged his property in Winslow (see 1742 court), partly as security for his postal activities. Some transactions of 1749 refer to him as "late Manager of the Hungerford Branch of the Post Office" and as "greatly indebted to the Crown" when he died.

As a Post Office employee Richard had to have a sacrament certificate (proving that holders of public office had taken communion in the Church of England), and these are recorded in the Bucks Quarter Session Records, e.g. 17 Jan 1711/12, Epiphany Session at Aylesbury:
Richard Bigg of Winslow, gentleman:  certified by John Croft minister, and Thomas Blake, churchwarden, of Winslow:  witnessed by John Hill, gentleman, and Mathew Deverell, tallow-chandler, both of the same.

In 1697, Richard received some property from his father Stephen Bigg in anticipation of his marriage to Elizabeth Pritchett: a messuage called The Swan and 6 acres of land. The marriage duly took place and they had these children (there were many Biggs in Winslow at the time so the relationships are not all certain):

More property inherited by Richard from his father is mentioned at the 1704 manor court. Richard was buried at Winslow on 23 April 1740. His provisions concerning his property in Winslow were also recorded at the manor court in 1740. He held 80 acres of land by the time of his death, making him the 3rd biggest landowner in Winslow (his son seems to have sold it quickly). If he had added to his house a barn and garden formerly belonging to The Angel, he must have lived at the future Brook Hall.

Will of Elizabeth Bigg, widow, 1755 (proved 1757)

Herts RO 195AW5

In the Name of God, Amen, I Elizabeth Bigg of Winslow in the County of Bucks Widow being something indisposed in body but of sound and disposing mind memory and Understanding Praised be Almighty God for the same and Considering the Certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof Do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First and Principally I Commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it and my Body I Commit to the Earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my Executrix hereinafter named And as for such worldly Estate wherewith it shall please God to bless me with at the time of my Decease I Give and Dispose thereof as followeth  First I Give Devise and Bequeath All those my six lands containing by Estimation three acres be the same more or less lying together in the Common Field of Winslow aforesaid called the Old Mill Field in a furlong there called Short Costs the land of Thomas Blake lying on the North part thereof  And also all that my one acre of Ground containing two Lands lying in Dugg Butts in Hollow furrow furlong in the Parish of Winslow aforesaid the lands of the said Thomas Blake lying on the East part thereof with all the Commons Profitts and Appurtenances thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining And also All other my Copyhold Freehold and Leasehold Lands Tenements and Hereditaments situate lying and being in the Parish of Winslow aforesaid or elsewhere within the Kingdom of Great Britain whereof I shall dye Seized possessed of or be intitled unto either in possession Revertion remainder or Expectancy together with the Commons Profitts Priviledges and Appurtenances whatsoever to the same belonging or in any wise appertaining unto my Daughter Susannah Bigg her heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns for ever Also I Give devise and Bequeath All and every my Goods and Chattells and also all the rest and residue of my real and Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind soever unto the said Susannah Bigg my Daughter her heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns for ever And Lastly I do hereby make Nominate Constitute and Appoint the said Susannah Bigg my daughter full and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament hereby revokeing Dissannulling and making void all former and other Will and Wills by me at any time heretofore made and do Publish and declare this and none other to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament contained in one Sheet of Paper Sett my Hand and Seal this Tenth day of September in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and Fifty Five.

Eliz(abeth) Bigg

Signed Sealed and Published and Declared by the said Elizabeth Bigg the Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto set our Names as Witnesses in the Presence of the Testatrix and of each other
W(illia)m Hobbs
Kat(he)r(i)n[?] Eden
Fe(rdinan)do Southam

[Probate 26 Aug 1757 to Susannah Bigg, by John Rawbone, vicar of Winslow]