Will of John Elley, retired baker, 1894 (proved 1899)

Oxford Probate Registry

BE IT KNOWN  that at the date hereunder written the last Will and Testament of John Elley of Winslow in the County of Buckingham, retired Baker, deceased, who died on the 21st day of November 1898, at Winslow aforesaid, and who at the time of his death had a fixed place of abode at Winslow aforesaid, within the District of the Counties of Oxford, Berks and Buckingham, was proved and registered in the District Probate Registry of Her Majesty’s High Court of Justice at Oxford and that Administration of all the estate which by law devolves and vests in the personal representative of the said deceased was granted by the aforesaid Court to  Edwin John French, Printer and Stationer, and Richard John Coxill, Cooper, both of Winslow aforesaid, the Executors named in the said Will.
Dated the 29th day of May 1899
Gross value of  Estate £2,033-3-0
Net value of Personal Estate £1,464-0-10
Extracted by Willis and Willis, Solicitors, Winslow.

This is the last Will and Testament of me of John Elley of Winslow in the County of Bucks Retired Baker I appoint my friends Edwin John French of Winslow aforesaid Printer and Stationer and Richard John Coxill of Winslow aforesaid  Cooper (hereinafter referred to as “my said Trustees”) to be the Executors and Trustees of this my Will I bequeath all my shares and interest in the New Winslow Gas Company Limited unto my Grandson John Elley absolutely together with all dividends bonuses and interest which may be due thereon at my decease  I devise all the real Estate to which I shall be beneficially entitled at my decease and I bequeath the residue of the personal Estate to which I shall be then entitled unto my said Trustees Upon trust to sell my real Estate together or in parcels by public auction or private contract and to convert and get in my residuary personal Estate and to pay thereout my just debts my funeral and testamentary expenses and upon further trust to pay one equal third share of the residue of the moneys to arise from such real Estate and residuary personal Estate unto and equally between and among the children of my late Son Charles Elley One other equal third share of such residue unto and equally between and among the children of my late Daughter Ann Maria Dickins and to stand possessed of the one remaining equal third share of such residue In trust to invest the same in the names of my said Trustees in any stocks funds or securities authorised by law for trust funds or in the purchase of inscribed stock of any British Colony or on Mortgage of real securities in England with the power for my said Trustees from time to time at their discretion to vary such investments and to pay the income arising from such one equal third share and the investments representing the same unto my Daughter Elizabeth Grace Clear during her life And from and after her decease I bequeath
[p.2] the one equal third share and the investments representing the same unto my Granddaughter Rebecca Grace Clear the Daughter of the said Elizabeth Grace Clear absolutely I declare that in the event of either of the children of my said late Son Charles Elley or my said late Daughter Ann Maria Dickins dying under the age of Twenty one years without leaving issue the share of residue to which the child would have been entitled if living hall be divided among his or her Brothers and Sisters as and when they shall severally and respectively attain the age of Twenty one  years and that in the event of the decease of the said Rebecca Grace Clear under the age of Twenty one years without leaving issue the said one third share of residue to which the said Rebecca Grace Clear would have been entitled on the decease of the said Elizabeth Grace Clear shall be divided equally between and among the children of my said late Son Charles Elley and my said late Daughter Ann Maria Dickins then living and the issue of such as shall then be dead such last named issue taking only the share to which his her or their parent would have been entitled if living Lastly I  revoke all other Wills In Witness whereof I the said John Elley the Testator have hereunto set my hand this Twenty sixth day of October One thousand eight hundred and ninety four.
John Elley [signature]

Signed and acknowledged by the above named John Elley  the Testator as his Will in the presence of us present at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses.
Thos Price Willis [signature] Solicitor, Winslow
Wm N. Midgley [signature] his Clerk

On the Twenty ninth day of May 1899, Probate of this Will was granted at Oxford to Edwin John French and Richard John Coxill, the Executors.
It is hereby certified that the foregoing is a correct Copy
Dated this Fifth day of June 1899

Bucks Herald, 26 Nov 1898
  OBITUARY.- We regret to record the death of another of Winslow’s veterans, Mr. John Elley, who passed away during Monday night.  Mr Elley was born at Great Horwood in 1815, and started in business as a baker at Winslow when quite a young man, occupying the premises where Mr. R. Benbow now lives.  Being very industrious and upright in all his dealings, he soon acquired a good business.  Just then the railway was being made, and in addition to his baking, he did a good business as a mealman and grocer.  About twenty years ago he retired in favour of his son.  By all the farmers, millers, and corn dealers in the neighbourhood has was well known and respected as “a man of his word,” while those who knew him intimately were aware that behind his business qualities there was a sterling character as well as a generous disposition, ready to help the deserving to the utmost of his ability.  The funeral was arranged to take place at the Congregational Church - of which he was an esteemed member - on Friday (yesterday) afternoon.

Notes

John Elley began his bakery business, according to the obituary, at 58 High Street. In 1846 he bought the site which became 73 High Street, and in 1862 he moved to 87 High Street. In 1873 he and his wife Arabella (nee Grace) gave evidence when their neighbour John Ingram tried to murder his wife. After John retired later in the 1870s they moved to 180 High Street. Arabella died in 1886 aged 71.

John and Arabella were married in 1845. The children mentioned in the will are:

In 1900 John Elley's grandson, also John Elley, by then living at Watford, married Alice Walker of the former Old Crown. Follow the link for a photo of the wedding party which includes Elizabeth and Rebecca Clear and Annie Elizabeth Elley.

 

Copyright 27 November, 2023