Will of Joseph Dudley, draper, 1813

Herts RO 249 AW6

This is the Last Will and Testament of me Joseph Dudley of Winslow in the County of Bucks Draper First I give and devise unto my wife Penelope Dudley and my son Thomas Dudley All that my Messuage or Tenement situate in or near the Market Square  of Winslow aforesaid wherein I now dwell With the Garden adjoining the Church yard of Winslow aforesaid now in my own occupation And also all those two copyhold Cottages or Tenements situate in Winslow aforesaid now in the occupation of William Punn and Matthew Deeley With the Gardens thereto belonging And also all that copyhold Cottage or Tenement situate in Grandborough in the said County of Bucks wherein William Smith now dwells With the respective rights members and appurtenances to the said several & respective Premises belonging or appertaining (the copyhold parts whereof are held of the Manor of Winslow with its Members and have been or are intended to be surrendered to the use of my Will) To Hold the same and every part thereof with the Appurtenances  unto my said Wife and Son Penelope Dudley and Thomas Dudley and their Assigns during the Term of the natural life or until the Day of the Second Marriage of my said Wife which shall first happen And from & immediately after the decease of my said wife Penelope Dudley or the day of her second marriage as aforesaid I give devise and bequeath unto my Son Thomas Dudley All and every above mentioned Messuages Cottages or Tenements Gardens Hereditaments and Premises To Hold the same unto and to the Use of my said Son Thomas Dudley his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns absolutely Subject nevertheless and charged (jointly with my personal Estate hereinafter given and bequeathed) to for and with the payment of the Legacy or Sum of two hundred and fifty pounds apiece unto my three Sons and two Daughters Joseph Dudley Charles Dudley Edward Dudley Rebecca Dudley and Ann Dudley to whom I give and bequeath the same respectively accordingly With Benefit of survivorship amongst them as to the Legacy or Legacies of either or any of them dying under the age of twenty one Years and without Issue And do direct the said Legacies to be paid unto them respectively in the proportions following (that is to say) to each and every of them one hundred pounds part thereof on his  her & their severally and respectively attaining  the  Age of twenty one years and the remainder thereof on his her and their in like manner arriving to the Age of twenty five Years And as to my money and Securities for money houshold Goods and Furniture Plate Linen China Utensils  and Stock in Trade Book debts Rights Credits and all other my personal Estate

[page 2] and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind soever I give and bequeath the same and every part thereof unto my said Wife and Son Penelope Dudley and Thomas Dudley and Charles Willis of Winslow aforesaid Gentleman To hold the same to them the said Penelope Dudley Thomas Dudley and Charles Willis Upon the Trusts and to the Intent and Purpose that they my said Wife and Son Penelope Dudley and Thomas Dudley may and I do desire and direct them jointly to carry on Business as I now do during the natural Life or Widowhood of my said Wife Penelope Dudley the better to enable them to support educate and bring up All and every my said Sons and Daughters hereinbefore named during their respective Minorities And from and immediately after the Decease or Day of the second marriage of my said wife Penelope Dudley or in case my said Wife and Son Penelope Dudley and Thomas Dudley shall agree to live separate and apart which shall first happen I do hereby give and bequeath All and every my said personal Estate Stock and Effects hereinbefore mentioned (Except such of my household Goods and Furniture Linen China and Plate as my said Wife Penelope Dudley may make choice to the value of sixty pounds which I do give and bequeath to her for her Own absolute  Use and Benefit and to be at her own Disposal) unto my said Son Thomas Dudley To Hold to him my said Son Thomas Dudley his Executors Administrators and assigns Subject  nevertheless and charged and chargeable to for and with the payment of all such Debts as shall then be justly due and owing from me or my Estate my funeral  and testamentary Expences and (jointly with said Estates and Premises hereinafter mentioned) of the said Legacies  or Sums of Money hereinbefore expressed and also the annuity or Yearly Sum of sixty pounds or fifty pounds to my said Wife Penelope Dudley and her assigns payable as hereinafter mentioned And also to the maintaining supporting educating and bringing up of my said other Sons and Daughters during their respective Minorities  as hereinbefore mentioned And in case my Wife and Son Penelope Dudley and Thomas Dudley shall agree to live separate and apart from each other and she my said Wife shall continue a Widow but not otherwise I do hereby give and bequeath to my said Wife Penelope Dudley and her assigns One Annuity Yearly Rent  or Sum of sixty pounds to be paid and payable Free and clear of and from all Deductions on any account whatsoever during the Term of her natural life at the four most usual Feasts or Days of payment in the Year (that is to say) the twenty fifth day of March the twenty fourth day of June the twenty ninth day of September and the twenty fifth day of December

[page 3] by even and equal portions the first payment thereof to begin and be on such of the said Days as shall first and next happen after my said Wife and Son Penelope Dudley and Thomas Dudley shall so agree to live separate and apart as aforesaid And in Case my said Wife Penelope Dudley shall marry again Then I do hereby revoke and make void the several Devises and Bequests hereinbefore \made/  to and in favor of her (except as to the part of my Household Goods and Furniture Linen China and Plate) And do hereby give and bequeath to her in lieu thereof and of all Dower and Thirds she can shall or may have or claim to be intitled unto  in from or out of All and every of my real Estates and Premises one Annuity Yearly Rent or sum of  fifty pounds to be paid and payable to her and her Assigns during the Term of her natural Life by four even and equal Quarterly payments in like manner as is hereinbefore mentioned and expressed respecting the said Annuity of sixty pounds And in case of the Decease of my said Son Thomas Dudley under the age of twenty one Years and without Issue I give devise and bequeath All and every my said Messsuages Cottages Lands Tenements Heraditaments real and personal Estates and Effects hereinbefore by me given devised and bequeathed  to \my said son Thomas Dudley unto my said son/ Joseph Dudley To Hold the same and every part thereof with the Appurtanences unto my said son  Joseph Dudley his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns in like manner and Subject charged and liable to for and with all and every the Charges Payments and Incumbrances affecting the same as he the said Thomas Dudley his Heirs Executors or Administrators would might could or ought to have held and enjoyed the same if he the said Thomas Dudley had lived to attain the said age of twenty one Years any thing herein contained to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding And I hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said Wife Penelope Dudley and the said Charles Willis joint Executrix and Executor of this my last Will  and Testament and also Guardians and Trustees to my said Sons and Daughters as well of their Persons as of their Fortunes by me hereinbefore respectively given devised and bequeathed to them and I do hereby declare that my said Executors and Trustees or either of them or the Survivor of them her or his Executors or Administrators shall not be charged or chargeable with or answerable or accountable for any more of the Trusts Property than what they respectively shall actually receive or wtsh or for any loss or misapplications thereof or of any part thereof so as the same happen without their or either of their wilful default or neglect nor shall either be answerable or accountable for the other of them but each of them for herself and himself and her

[page 4] and his own Acts Deeds Receipts  Payments Defaults and Neglects only And Lastly that it shall and may be lawful to and for them the said Trustees and Executors and each of them and the Executors and Administrators of the Survivor of them from time to time by and out of the said Trust Property to deduct and reimburse  themselves respectively all such Loss  Costs Charges Damages and Expences as they or either of them shall or may pay bear sustain or be put unto by a reason or means  or on account of the Execution or performance of the Trusts herby reposed on them in any respect whatsoever In witness whereof I the said Joseph Dudley the Testator have to this my last Will and Testament contained in four Sheets of Paper to the three first sheets thereof set my Hand only and to this fourth and last sheet my Hand and Seal this seventeenth day of February in the Year of Our Lord Christ One thousand right hundred and twelve.

 [signed] Joseph Dudley

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Joseph Dudley 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 eachother have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses.

[signed]
?? Jones
James Sanford[?]
Geo. Cross

[another hand] The Ninth Day of February One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirteen Penelope Dudley and Charles Willis, the joint Executrix and Executor, of this Will were duly sworn as such and that the Personal Estate of the Testator is under fifteen hundred pounds. Sworn before me Jonathan Brigges Surrogate.

Notes

The messuage or tenement where Joseph Dudley lived was the Church House which later became the Post Office and was demolished to build the St Laurence Room.

Joseph was born in 1764, son of Joseph (will proved 1799) and Joanna Dudley. He carried on the family drapery business with his brother Benjamin, but also became an auctioneer in which Benjamin succeeded him (see below). He married Penelope Reading of Bicester at Bicester on 2 Feb 1796.

The children mentioned in the will (some others must have died young) are:

Penelope Dudley the widow died in 1844 aged 69. None of her children was still in Winslow in 1851.

Northampton Mercury, 29 Feb 1812
BENJAMIN DUDLEY, DRAPER, Market-Square, WINSLOW, BUCKS, most respectfully begs Leave to inform his Friends and the Public in general, that in consequence of the Event of Mr. JOSEPH DUDLEY’s Death, he proposes taking out a Licence, empowering him to act as an AUCTIONEER and APPRAISER, and begs Leave to assure those who may please to employ him, that his utmost Abilities shall on every Occasion be exerted for their Interest.

Northampton Mercury, 31 Oct 1812

ROYAL EXCHANGE ASSURANCE OFFICE,
London, September 16, 1812.

THE Corporation of the Royal Exchange Assurance have constituted and appointed Mrs. PENELOPE DUDLEY, of WINSLOW, in the County of Buckingham, Linen Draper, &c. their Agent and Receiver, for the said Place and Parts adjacent, for the Assurance of Buildings, Goods, Merchandise, and Farming Stock, from Loss or Damage by Fire, and also for the Assurance of Lives.

            By Order of the Court of Directors,
                                    SAMUEL FENNING, Jun. Secretary.

 

Copyright 9 October, 2020