Will of Thomas Bowler, gentleman, 1836 (proved 1839)

National Archives PROB 11/1867/349

This is the last Will and Testament of me Thomas Bowler of Winslow in the County of Bucks Gentleman First I give and devise unto my half sister Mary Bowler Spinster all and every my Freehold & Copyhold messuages cottages closes lands tenements and hereditaments parts and shares of messuages cottages closes lands tenements and hereditaments whether in possession reversion remainder or expectancy situate standing lying and being in the parish of Winslow or elsewhere and all other my real estate and premises whatsoever with the respective rights members and appurt(enance)s thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining To hold the same and every part thereof unto the said Mary Bowler and her assigns for and during the term of her natural \life/  and from and immediately after her decease I give and devise the same Estates shares hereditaments and premises with the Appurtenances unto \Mary/ Elizabeth West Spinster the daughter of my late half Sister Sarah West deceased To hold the same and every part thereof unto and to the use of the said Mary Elizabeth West her heirs and Assigns for ever Also I give and bequeath unto the said Mary Bowler all my ready money and securities for money & other my Personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind soever the same may be which I may die possessed of interested in or entitled unto and over which I have a disposing power To hold the same and every part thereof and all my Estate and interest therein and thereto unto the said Mary Bowler her Executors Administrators and Assigns absolutely subject nevertheless to the payment of all such debts as I may justly owe at the time of my decease my Funeral & testamentary expences And I do hereby constitute nominate and appoint the said Mary Bowler and Mary Elizabeth West joint Executrixes of this my last Willa and Testament and do hereby revoke annul and make void all former Wills and Codi(ci)ls by me at any time heretofore made In Witness whereof I the said Thomas Bowler Testator have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty third day of July in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three Thomas Bowler [signature] Signed sealed published & declared by the said Thomas Bowler as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses thereof  Dav Tho Willis John King Jun John Abbott

Proved at London 17th October 1836 before the Judge by the oaths of Mary Bowler Spinster the Sister and Mary Elizabeth West the Niece the Executrixes to whom Admon was granted having been first sworn by Comon duly to administer

Notes

Thomas was the son of Charles Bowler, cordwainer (d.1802) by his first wife. He was 73 when he was buried at Winslow in 1836. See the will of his half-sister Mary Bowler (d.1847) for more information about the family and property. Charles tried to leave most of the copyhold property to Mary but didn't go through the correct procedures. Mary Elizabeth West the niece died in 1878 aged 80; see her will.