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Will of Thomas Bowler, maltster and wheelwright, 1802 (proved 1805 and 1811)
Herts RO 241AW3 and National Archives PROB 11/1519/400
This will was proved at St Albans in 1805 but it must have been found that it was the wrong jurisdiction, so it was proved again in London at the PCC in 1811. A copy was kept at St Albans.
In the Name of God Amen I Thomas Bowler of Winslow in the County of Bucks Malster and Wheelwright being in good health of Body and of a sound and disposing mind and memory praised be God for the same calling to remembrance the uncertainty of this life and being desirous to settle my Worldly Affairs whilst I have strength and capacity for so doing do therefore make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner following First and Principally with all Humilty [sic] I resign my Soul to Almighty God and my Body to be Buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named and as to such Temporal Estate wherewith it hath pleased the Divine Providence to bless me I dispose of the same as follows that is to say First I Give and Devise unto my Son John Bowler All and every my Freehold and Copyhold Lands Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever situate lying or being in the Parish of Bletchley in the said County now in the Tenure or Occupation of William Parrott his Undertenants or Assigns with their and and [sic] every of their Appurtenances and which were lately bought and Purchased by John Emerton late of Bletchley aforesaid Yeoman deceased of and from Sarah Broughton otherwise Browton of Sherrington in the said County of Bucks Widow To have and to hold all and every the said Messuages Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Premises with their and every of their Appurtenances (Subject and charged and chargeable with the Annuity yearly rent or sum of Twenty Five Pounds hereinafter mentioned) unto and to the use of my said Son John Bowler his Heirs and Assigns for ever And I do hereby give devise and bequeath unto my loving Wife Elizabeth Bowler and her Assigns for and during the Term of her natural life One Annuity clear yearly rent or sum of Twenty Five Pounds of lawful money of Great Britain free of Taxes and all other Deductions Parliamentary or otherwise to be issuing and Payable out of all and every the said Freehold Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments and to be paid
(Thomas Bowler)
[f.2] and payable by equal half yearly payments at the two most usual Feasts or days of payment in the Year (that is to say) the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Michael the Archangel the first payment thereof to be made on such of the same Feasts as shall first and next happen after my decease And I do hereby charge and subject All and every the same Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments with and to the payment of the said Annuity yearly rent or sum of Twenty five Pounds accordingly and also subject and chargeable to and with the payment of the two several and respective Legacies or sums of One hundred Pounds hereinafter next mentioned (that is to say) I Give and Bequeath unto my Son Thomas Bowler and my Daughter Elizabeth Bowler the Legacy or sum of One hundred Pounds each of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid to each of them within twelve months next after the decease of my said Wife Elizabeth Bowler and my Will and Mind is that in case my said Daughter Elizabeth Bowler shall happen to depart this life before her Legacy shall become due and Payable as aforesaid Then and in such case I do hereby give and bequeath the said Legacy or sum of One hundred Pounds to and amongst her three Brothers John Bowler Thomas Bowler and William Bowler which shall be living at the time of her decease to be equally divided amongst them share and share alike Also I Give Devise and Bequeath unto my said Son Thomas Bowler All that my Copyhold Messuage or Tenement or Public House situate and being in Winslow aforesaid [=the Old Crown] now in the Tenure or Occupation of Thomas Harris with the Appurtenances thereunto belonging To hold the same unto and to the use of my said Son Thomas Bowler his Heirs and Assigns for ever And I likewise give and Devise unto my said Son Thomas Bowler All and every my Leasehold Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments situate lying or being in the Parish of Bletchley aforesaid now in the Tenure or occupation of Thomas Emmerson his Undertenants or Assigns with their and every of their Appurtenances And all my Estate right Title Term and Interest of and in the same Premises
(Thomas Bowler)
[f.3] respectively To have and To hold the said last mentioned Messuages Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Premises with the Appurtenances (subject and charged and chargeable with the Annuity yearly rent or sum of Fifteen Pounds hereinafter mentioned) unto my said Son Thomas Bowler his Executors Administrators and Assigns to and for his and their own use and Benefit And I do hereby Give Devise and Bequeath unto my said Wife Elizabeth Bowler and her Assigns for and during the Term of her natural Life one Annuity clear yearly rent or sum of Fifteen Pounds of lawful money of Great Britain free of Taxes and all other deductions Parliamentary or otherwise to be issuing and Payable out of all and every the said Leasehold Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments and to be paid and payable by equal half yearly payments at the two most usual Feasts or days of Payment in the year (that is to say) the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Michael the Archangel the first Payment thereof to be made on such of the same Feasts as shall first and next happen after my decease And I do hereby charge and subject All and every the same Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments with and to the payment of the said Annuity yearly rent or sum of Fifteen Pounds accordingly Also I Give and Devise unto my Daughter Elizabeth Bowler from and after the Decease of Elizabeth my now Wife All that my Copyhold Piece or Parcel of Pasture or Sweard Ground situate lying or being in the Parish of Winslow aforesaid now in the Tenure or Occupation of John Mayne with the Appurtenances thereunto belonging To Hold the same from and after the decease of my said Wife Elizabeth Bowler her Heirs and Assigns for ever Also I Give Devise and Bequeath unto my Son William Bowler All that my Copyhold Messuage or Tenement situate and being at Winslow aforesaid with the Malting Buildings and Appurtenances thereunto belonging now in my Own Occupation [=9 Horn Street] And Also all that my Copyhold Messuage or Tenement situate
(Thomas Bowler)
[f.4] and being in Winslow aforesaid late in my own Occupation but now in the Tenure or Occupation of John Dickens with the Appurtenances thereunto belonging [=28 Horn Street] And also all and every my Copyhold Messuages Closes Lands Tenements and Hereditaments situate lying or being in the Parish of Winslow aforesaid which I lately bought and purchased of and from the Trustees and Executors of William Goodman late of Winslow aforesaid Victualler deceased and which are now in the tenure or Occupation of myself and [ ] with their and every of their Appurtenances To have and To hold the same Messuages Land Tenements Hereditaments and Premises with the Appurtenances Subject and charged and chargeable with the Annuity yearly rent or sum of Ten Pounds hereinafter mentioned unto my said Son William Bowler his Heirs and Assigns for ever And I do hereby Give Devise and bequeath unto my said Wife Elizabeth Bowler and her Assigns for and during the Term of her natural life One Annuity clear yearly rent a sum of Ten Pounds of lawful money of Great Britain free of Taxes and all other Deductions Parliamentary or otherwise to be issuing and Payable out of all and every the said last mentioned Copyhold Messuages Closes Lands Tenements and Hereditaments and to be paid and payable by equal half yearly payments at the two most usual Feasts or Days of Payment in the Year (that is to say) the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Michael the Archangel the first Payment thereof to be made on such of the same Feasts as shall first and next happen after my decease And I do hereby charge and subject All and every the same Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments with and to the payment of the said Annuity yearly rent or sum of Ten Pounds accordingly And my Will and Mind further is that in case the aforesaid three several Annuities so given to my said Wife as aforesaid or any or either of them shall be behind or unpaid by the space of twenty eight Days next over or after either of the aforesaid Feasts whereon the same is hereinbefore directed to be paid as aforesaid
(Thomas Bowler)
[f.5] Then and so often it shall and may be lawful for my said Wife Elizabeth Bowler and her Assigns to enter upon all and every or any part of the several and respective Estates charged with the said Annuities as aforesaid and to distrain for the same Annuities or for so much thereof as shall be so in Arrear and all Costs and charges occasioned by nonpayment thereof And Lastly as to for and concerning All the rest and residue
of my Goods Chattels and Estate whatsoever wheresoever or of what nature or kind soever (after payment of my just debts and Funeral Expences) I give and bequeath the same and every part thereof unto my three Sons and Daughter John Thomas William and Elizabeth Bowler to be equally divided amongst them share and share alike And I do hereby make Ordain constitute and appoint my said three Sons John Thomas and William Bowler joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament And I do hereby revoke all former and other Will and Wills by me at any time heretofore made and do declare this only to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I the said Thomas Bowler the Testator have to this my Will contained in five sheets of Paper to the four first sheets thereof set my Hand only and to the fifth and last my Hand and Seal this Twenty third day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and two
Thomas Bowler (Ls)
Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Thomas Bowler the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto at the request and in the presence of the said Testator and also in the presence of each other
John Dudley James Burnham James Burnham Jun(ior)
This Will was Proved in the Ecclesiastical Court of the Archdeaconry of St. Alban on the 20th day of September 1805 by the oaths of John Bowler, Thomas Bowler and William Bowler the Executors therein named for whom was granted Ad(ministrat)ion being first duly sworn.
J.S. Story Dep(uty) Registrar 19 Jan(uar)y 1811
Personal Estate sworn under £3500.
Declaration of executors
National Archives, PROB 31/1048
175. Thomas Bowler Deced Decl(arati)on Brot in 25th Feby 1811
| A true Declaration instead of an Inventory of all & singular the Goods Chattles and Credits of Thomas Bowler late of Winslow in the County of Bucks Maltster and Wheelwright deceased which at any time since his Death have come to the hands possession or knowledge of \John Bowler/ Thomas Bowler and William Bowler the Executors of the said Deceased Made and given in by virtue of the Corporal oath of the said \John Bowler/ Thomas Bowler and William Bowler as follows (to wit) | |||
| First these Declarants declare that the said deceased was possessed of a small Sum of ready Money at his Death and that the same together with \the value of/ his Wearing Apparel amounted to the Sum of twenty Pounds or thereabouts and not more | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Also these Declarants declare that a part of the deceaseds Household Goods and other things were sold by public Auction by Joseph Dudley for the sum of seventy five pounds eight shillings & three pence | 75 | 8 | 3 |
| Also these Declarants declare that the remainder of the said deceaseds Household furniture & Utensils were apprased by the said Joseph Dudley at the Sum of sixty six pounds two shillings | 66 | 2 | 0 |
| Also these Declarants declare that the said deceased was possessed of a Quantity of Malt which after deducting therefrom the Kings Excise Duty produced a Sum of eighty two Pounds ten Shillings and four Pence | 82 | 10 | 4 |
| Also these Declarants declare that the said deceased was possessed of a small Quantity of Hops which were sold for a Sum of three pounds ten Shillings and Eleven pence | 3 | 10 | 11 |
| Also these Declarants declare that the said deceased was possessed of a Leasehold Estate at Bletchley in the County of Bucks which sold for a Sum of Eight hundred and forty pounds eight Shillings & six pence | 840 | 8 | 6 |
| Also
these Declarants declare that the said deceased was possessed of a certain
other Leasehold Estate at Bletchley which they believe |
60 | 0 | 0 |
| Also these Declarants declare that they have sold a Stump of Hay belonging to the said deceased for the Sum of eleven Pounds five Shillings and six pence | 11 | 5 | 6 |
| Also these Declarants declare that they have sold five fat Calves belonging to the said deceased for the Sum of fifteen Pounds six Shillings and eleven pence | 15 | 6 | 11 |
| Also these Declarants declare that they have sold a Cock of Hay belonging to the said deceased for the Sum of fifty Pounds | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| Also these Declarants declare that they sold a Gig belonging to the said deceased for the Sum of five Pounds | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Also these Declarants declare that they have received \arrears of/ Rents due to the said deceased at his death amounting to the Sum of sixty eight Pounds ten Shillings & sixpence | 68 | 10 | 6 |
| Also these Declarants declare that they have received sundry Debts due to the said deceased at his death amounting together to the Sum of one hundred and twentyt Pounds \or thereabouts/ | 120 | 0 | 0 |
| \Also
these Declarants declare that the said deceased was |
20 | 0 | 0 |
| ------------------------ | |||
| 1478 | 2 | 11 | |
| Lastly these Declarants declare that no Goods Chattles and Credits of or belonging to the said deceased have at any time since his death come to the hands possession or knowledge of these Declarants or either of them save and except what are hereinbefore mentioned and set forth. | |||
| On the 20th day of February 1811 the said \John Bowler/ Thomas Bowler and William Bowler were sworn to the truth of this Declaration instead of an Inventory in virtue of the annexed Commission | |||
| John Bowler Tho Bowler Willm Bowler [signatures] | |||
| Sworn Before me | |||
| G.G. Stonestreet (Clerk) | |||
| Commiss(ione)r | |||
Notes
This Thomas Bowler was the son of Thomas Bowler, wheelwright (will proved 1795). He was born in 1743. He married Elizabeth Parris of Bletchley at Winslow in 1773. He lived at 28 Horn Street until his father died, when he also inherited 9 Horn Street, where he was living when he made his will. His widowed mother Mary was still living in part of it in 1806 according to the court book. In 1806 John the eldest son is described as a currier of Bletchley, and the other sons Thomas and William (d.1839) were maltsters of Winslow. Elizabeth Bowler the daughter married William Davey of Bletchley in 1806. John Dickins seems to have carried on the wheelwright's business.