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Will of Mary Bigg, widow, 1745 (proved 1746)
National Archives, PROB 11/746/525
In the Name of God Amen. This fifth day of October in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and forty five I Mary Bigg of Winslowe in the County of Bucks Widow being indisposed in Body but of Sound and disposing mind memory and Understanding All possible praise be given to God for the same Do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner following First I Give and bequeath to my Neice Ann Tofield Widow and to each of her two Sons Bigg Tofield and William Tofield and to each of her three Daughters Catherine Grace and Joanna Tofield the Sum of Twenty Pounds to be paid to them respectively within twelve months after my decease or unto such of them as shall then be of the Age of One and twenty Years And in Case my said Neice Ann Tofield and her said Children Bigg Tofield William Tofield Catherine Grace and Joanna Tofield any or either of them shall depart this Life before the End of Twelve months from the time of my decease Then my Will is that the Legacy or Legacys of him her or them so dying shall be paid to the Survivors or Survivor of them Share and Share alike Item I Give and bequeath unto the four Children of my Sister Ann Wilkinson deceased to witt William Ann Elizabeth and Martha Wilkinson and to each of them the like Sum of Twenty pounds to be paid to them respectively within twelve months after
[p.2] My decease Or unto such of them as Shall then be of the Age of One and Twenty Years And in Case the said William Ann Elizabeth and Martha or any or either of them shall depart this Life before his her or their \said/ Legacy or Legacy's shall become payable Then my Will is that the Legacy or Legacys of him her or them so dying shall be paid to the Survivors or Survivor of them Share and Share alike Item I Give and bequeath unto Joseph Elizabeth Zilpha and Mary Glenister Son and daughters of John Glenister late of Winslowe aforesaid Baker and Mary his Wife deceased and to each of them the Sum of twenty pounds to be paid to them respectively within twelve months after my decease Or unto Such of them as shall then be of the Age of One and twenty Years And in case the said Joseph Elizabeth Zilpha and Mary or either of them shall depart this Life before the End of twelve months after my decease then my Will is that the Legacy or Legacy's of him her or them so dying shall be paid to the Survivors or Survivor of them Share and Share alike And my Will is that such of my fourteen Legatees above named who shall not be of the Age of One and twenty Years at the End of twelve months from my decease shall be paid his her or their Legacy or Legacys at the time he She or they shall respectively attain the Age of One and Twenty Years with Interest for their said Respective Legacys from the End of twelve months after my decease after the rate of Five pounds for one Hundred pounds for one Year to the time \they/ shall respectively be paid their Respective Legacys Item I Give and bequeath unto William Doe Son of John Doe of Swanbourn in the Cou<n>ty of Bucks Yeoman the Sum of twenty pounds to be paid in twelve months after my decease and my Will is that in Case the said William Doe Shall depart this Life before his said Legacy shall become due Then my Will is that the same shall be paid to the said John Doe the Father to whom in such case I devise the Same Item I Give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Hamp my Maid Servant the Sum of twenty pounds to be paid in twelve months after my decease Item I Give and bequeath unto the said Elizabeth Hamp my Bed Boulster Pillows Bedstead Curtains Vallons Blankets Coverlids and Appurtenances being in the Room over the Room wherein I lye together with two Coffers in the same Room and four pair of Sheets one Holland Sheet one Holland pillowbier and one Sett of Blew Bed Curtains in the same Coffers or one of them And Whereas I am Intituled to the principall Sum of two hundred and Fifty Pounds and Interest for securing the payment whereof the Copyhold Estate \of Inheritance/ of one John Illing Situate in Little Horwood within the Mannor of Winslowe with the Members in the County of Bucks stands Charged And am also Intituled to the Principall Sum of Eighty pounds and Interest for securing the payment whereof certain Lands and Tenements of one Thomas Thorplate of Dunton in the said Cou<n>ty of Bucks
[p.3] Yeoman lying in the parish of Swanbourn aforesaid Stand Charged which said Several principal Sums of two Hundred and fifty pounds and Eighty pounds and all Interest due and to be due for the same and all my Estate and Interest therein both in Law and Equity I Give and bequeath unto my Brother Stephen Bigg of Winslowe aforesaid Blacksmith his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns Upon this Special Trust and Confidence nevertheless and to the End Intent and Purpose that my said Brother Stephen Bigg his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns shall pay my Debts and all my Legacys before mentioned according to the true Intent and meaning of this my Will Item having made a Surrender of all my Copyhold Lands Tenements and Hereditaments held of the manor of Winslowe with the Members I Give and bequeath unto my said brother Stephen Bigg and his Heirs all that my Copyhold Messuage or Tenement situate in the Market Place in Winslowe aforesaid wherein I now dwell with all fronts Lights easements priviledges and appurtenances thereto belonging and all that my \Acre of/ Swerd Ground lying in the Mill Field of Winslowe aforesaid with all commons and Appurtenances Upon this Special Trust and Confidence nevertheless and to the Intent and Purpose That my said Brother Stephen Bigg and his Heirs shall out of the Rents Issues and Profits Or by Sale Mortgage or demise of the said Coppyhold Tenements Levy and Raise Sufficient Sums of Money for payments of the Residue of my debts and Legacys before mentioned and pay the same according to the true Intent and meaning of this my Will Item I Give \and bequeath/ to {the} Stephen Bigg my Brother and his Heirs All that my Coppyhold Tenement Situate in Horn Street in Winslowe aforesaid with all priviledges and appurtenances there to belonging now in the Occupation of Hugh Willise the Elder provided always and upon this condition that he the said Stephen Bigg and his Heirs shall Yearly and every Year for ever (upon the day of the Month it shall please God \that/ I shall depart this Life) pay or cause to be paid unto the Minister Churchwardens and Overseers of the poor of the parish of Winslowe aforesaid for the Time being or the Major part of them the Yearly Sum of thirty Shillings the first payment to be made that day twelve months after my Decease to be by them distributed equally to six poor persons Widowers Widows or other poor Housekeepers of Sober Conversation who do not receive Collection from the Overseers of the poor of the said parish of Winslowe and Such as they shall think to be the greatest Objects of Charity and upon this further Condition That he the said Stephen Bigg and his Heirs shall out of the Residue of the Rents and Proffits of the same Copyhold Tenement keep the same in Repair from time to time and pay the Quitt rent Fines and Herreots when they become due And in case the said Stephen Bigg or his Heirs Shall neglect or refuse to perform the conditions above mentioned or any part thereof Then and in such case I Give and bequeath the same Copyhold Tenement last
[p.4] Mentioned with the Appurtenances to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the poor of the parish of Winslowe aforesaid (for the time being when such Failure shall be made) and to their Heirs Subject to the Trusts aforesaid Item to my Executor of this Will twenty Pounds to defray my Funerall Expenses Fifty Shillings whereof my desire is shall be given in Bread to the poor of the said parish of Winslowe Item I Give and bequeath unto the said Stephen Bigg my Brother All my reall and personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever for the payment of my Debts and Legacys To hold to him his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns And Lastly I do hereby nominate and Appoint my said Brother to be full and Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby Revoke all former Wills by me Heretofore made and do declare this only to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will contained in Five Sheets of Paper to the four first Sheets Subscribed my name and to last Sheet \orig(ina)l so/ have sett my hand and Seal the day and Year first above Written
Mary Bigg
Signed Sealed published and declared in the presence of Us who have hereunto Subscribed our names as Witnesses in the presence of the Testratrix and each other
Thomas Forster George Clarke W(illia)m Simpson
This Will was proved at London before the Right Worshipfull John Bettesworth Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Lawfully Constituted the thirtieth day of May in the Year of our Lord One thousand Seven Hundred and forty Six by the oath of Stephen Bigg the Brother of the deceas(e)d and Sole Executor named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and Singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased being first sworn by Commission duly to Administer. Ex(amine)d.
Notes
"Mrs Mary Biggs" was buried at Winslow on 10 Dec 1745. The bequest of 50s to the poor suggests that she wanted to be buried in linen not woollen. She was probably the daughter of Nicholas and Mary Bigg (both d.1683), and bap. 28 Dec 1670. She was married to Joseph Bigg, bricklayer (d.1741), whose will mentions the property of John Illing. She held 6½ acres of land in c.1744. There were many Biggs in Winslow at this period. Joseph and Mary were involved in a retirement agreement drawn up by William Bigg (probably Mary's uncle) in 1703 which gave them ownership of 21-25 Market Square; it passed to Mary as she outlived Joseph. See the dispute about Joseph's estate which started after Mary's death.
Mary's niece Ann Tofield was the daughter of her brother Stephen Bigg, bap. 29 Sep 1689. Ann married (1) 9 April 1714 Robert Bowden of Great Horwood (they had a son Nicholas, bap. 30 July 1714, buried 26 Jan 1715/16); (2) 29 Oct 1715 Joseph Tofield, who died in 1742. The five Tofield children were baptised at Winslow between 1719 and 1731.
John Glenister married Mary King at Winslow on 27 Jan 1722/3, but in 1727 his wife seems to have been Mary nee Bigg. Joseph son of John and Mary Glenister were baptised at Winslow on 9 Jan 1731/2, but the daughters seem to have been born after they left Winslow.
Mary Bigg's bequest of 30s a year to the poor was not known to Arthur Clear, and must have died out.