Will of Charles Chaplin, gentleman, 1868 (proved 1876)

Oxford Probate Registry

This is the last Will and Testament of me Charles Chaplin of Winslow in the County of Buckingham, Gentleman. I bequeath to my dear Wife Joanna Chaplin the sum of One hundred pounds and also all my household furniture plate linen china glass books and other household effects for her own absolute use and benefit. I bequeath to my Brother Thomas Chaplin the sum of Two hundred pounds but if he should die in my lifetime then I direct the said sum of Two hundred pounds shall be divided equally between his Grandchildren being the children of his two sons Thomas and John. I bequeath to my Niece Elizabeth Catherine the Wife of William Burley of No: 15 Middle Grove Street, Saint George’s in the East Middlesex the sum of Two hundred pounds but if she should die in my lifetime then I direct that such sum of Two hundred pounds shall be equally divided between her children. I bequeath to the seven children of my late Brother William Chaplin namely William, Thomas, George, Catherine, Emma, Mary and Sarah the sum of Sixty pounds each but if either of them should die in my lifetime and leave a child or children living at my decease then I direct that the Legacy of such deceased Nephew or Niece shall be paid to his or her child or equally divided between his or her children but if any of such Nephews or Nieces shall die in my lifetime but leave no child or children living at my decease then I direct that the Legacy of such deceased Nephew or Niece shall be divided amongst his or her Brothers and Sisters living at my decease and the children then living of such of them as shall be then deceased equally except that the children shall take only the share their parent would have taken if living. I devise my real Estate (if any) and bequeath the residue of my personal Estate unto my three Nephews James Chaplin of Swinford in the County of Leicester Innkeeepr Thomas Chaplin the Elder of Wolston in the County of Warwick Innkeeper and John Chaplin of Wolston aforesaid Labourer equally for their own absolute use and benefit but if either of them should die in my lifetime and leave a child or children living at my decease then I direct that such child or children shall take and if more than one equally between them the share [p.2] of my real and residuary personal estate which his her or their parent would have taken if he survived me. I appoint my last named three Nephews James Chaplin Thomas Chaplin the Elder and John Chaplin to be Executors of this my Will. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the Fifteenth day of April One thousand eight hundred and sixty eight
Charles Chaplin [signature]

Signed by the said Charles Chaplin as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us present at the same time who at his request and in his presence and the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses the words “a child or” “paid to his or her child or” having been first interlined.
John Turnham [signature] Baker
William Turnham [signature] Baker

This is a Codicil to the last Will and Testament of me Charles Chaplin of Winslow in the County of Buckingham Gentleman which Will bears date Fifteenth day of April One thousand eight hundred and sixty eight I devise unto my Wife Joanna and to her heirs and assigns absolutely All those two Messuages Cottages or tenements hereditaments and premises situate and being in the Buckingham Road in Winslow aforesaid with the appurtenances thereto belonging recently purchased by me of Messrs Wroughton and Threlfall And I ratify and confirm my said Will in all other respects In Witness whereof I Charles Chaplin the Testator have hereunto set my hand the Twelfth day of November in the year of our Lord  One thousand eight hundred and seventy three
Charles Chaplin [signature]
Signed by the said Charles Chaplin the Testator in the joint presence of us who at his request in his presence and the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses
Thos Price Willis [signature] Attorney, Winslow, Bucks
Arthur S. Midgley [signature] his Clerk

This is a second Codicil to the last Will and Testament of me Charles Chaplin of Winslow in the County of Buckingham, Gentleman, which Will bears date Fifteenth day of April One thousand eight hundred and sixty eight Whereas James Chaplin named in my said Will as an Executor is lately dead I have bequeathed to him a share of my residuary personal estate. Now it is my Will that my Brother in Law Richard Scott of Number 63 Church Street Kensington London shall be substituted in the place of the said James Chaplin as one of the Executors of my said Will and I direct that my said Will shall be read and construed as if the name of the said Richard Scott had been inserted therein in the place and instead of the name of the said James Chaplin as an Executor of my said Will I bequeath to my Wife Joanna Chaplin her executors administrators and assigns absolutely the sum of One hundred pounds in addition to the same amount bequeathed to her in my said Will and I bequeath the share of my residue of my personal estate bequeathed by my said Will to the said James Chaplin unto [p.3] and equally between my Nephews Thomas Chaplin and William Chaplin (Brothers of my said late Executor James Chaplin) their respective executors administrators and assigns absolutely notwithstanding any directions to the contrary contained in my said Will and in all other respects I confirm my said Will and a previous Codicil thereto dated the Twelfth day of November One thousand eight hundred and seventy three. In Witness whereof I Charles Chaplin the Testator have hereunto set my hand the Fifteenth day of May in the year of our Lord  One thousand eight hundred and seventy six.
Charles Chaplin [signature]
Signed by the said Charles Chaplin the Testator in the joint presence of us who at his request in his presence and the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses
Thos Price Willis [signature] Solicitor, Winslow.
Arthur S. Midgley [signature] his Clerk

Proved at Oxford with two Codicils, the Twelfth day of December 1876, by the oaths of Thomas Chaplin the Elder, John Chaplin the Nephews, the Executors named in the Will and Richard Scott the Executor named in the second Codicil to whom administration was granted.
The Testator Charles Chaplin was late of Winslow in the County of Buckingham, Gentleman, and died on the 24th day of November 1876, at Winslow aforesaid.
Under £2,000.
Willis and Willis, Solicitors, Winslow.
It is hereby certified that the foregoing is a correct Copy. Dated this Twenty first day of December 1876.
ON the Twelfth day of December 1876, the Will with two Codicils thereto of Charles Chaplin late of  Winslow in the County of Buckingham, Gentleman, deceased, who died the Twenty fourth day of November 1876, at Winslow aforesaid, was proved in Her Majesty’s High Court of Justice in the District Registry attached to the Probate Division thereof at Oxford by the Oaths of Thomas Chaplin the Elder of King’s Norton in the County of Worcester, Gardener, John Chaplin of No. 1 Chapel Street Llandudno in the County of Carnarvon, Lodginghouse Keeper, the Nephews of the Deceased, the Executors named in the said Will, and Richard Scott of No. 63 Church Street Kensington London in the County of Middlesex, Builder, the Executor named in the second Codicil  they having been first sworn duly to administer.
It is hereby certified that the above is a correct Copy. Dated this Twenty first day of December 1876.

Effects under £2,000. No Leaseholds.
Extracted by Willis and Willis, Solicitors, Winslow.

Notes

Charles Chaplin bought three cottages in Buckingham Road next to The Swan at a sale in 1873; he lived in one of them (now no.4). Wroughton & Threlfall must have bought one back and merged it with The Swan; the others are now 4-6 Buckingham Road. The 1871 Census lists Charles Chaplin aged 65, "independent - interest of money", b. Shelton, Warws, and his wife Joanna aged 70, b. Adstock. He was living in Winslow by 1868. In 1861 he was an unmarried footman living in Leyton. He married Joanna Scott in 1862. She had been cook in the same household.