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Will of Susanna Hawkins, spinster, 1783
Herts RO 219AW11
Extracted from the Registry of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Archdeaconry of Saint Alban the 17th Day of December 1819
This is a copy, not the original document; see further below.
(1) In the Name of God Amen I Susanna Hawkins of Winslow in the County of Bucks Spinster being sick and weak in Body but of sound Mind Memory and Understanding (praised be God for the same) Do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First I give and bequeath unto my Nephew John Hawkins (son of my late Brother John Hawkins deceased) the Sum or Legacy of one shilling to be paid to him in full lieu barr and satisfaction of all claims and
(2) demands which he can or may have claim challenge or demand unto or upon all or any part of my real or personal estates Also I give and devise unto my Niece Martha Hawkins (daughter of my late Brother Matthew Hawkins deceased) All that my Messuage now divided into two Tenements situate and being at Swanbourne in the said county of Bucks now in the occupation of William Philips and Wm Seaton Together with all and singular Houses Outhouses Edifices Buildings Yards Orchards Gardens Backsides and Appurtenances thereunto belonging To hold the same unto and to the use of her my said niece Martha Hawkins her Heirs and Assigns for
(3) ever Also I give and bequeath unto my Nephew and Nieces John Hawkins Elizabeth the wife of John Shrimton Sarah Hawkins and the said Martha Hawkins (Son and Daughters of my late Brother Matthew Hawkins deceased) All my Household Goods Furniture and Implements of Household whatsoever And also all my Wearing Apparel both linen and woollen And also all my Sheets and using Linen of all sorts to be equally divided amongst them each to have share and share alike Also I give and bequeath unto my said Nephew and Niece John Hawkins and Martha Hawkins
(4) (Son and Daughter of my late Brother Matthew deceased) All other my Goods Chattels ready Money and Securities of Money Stock in Trade personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever Upon this Special Trust and Confidence and to the intent and purpose that they the said John Hawkins and Martha Hawkins and the survivor of them do and shall as soon as conveniently may be after my decease sell and dispose of and convert into ready money All my said Goods Chattels Stock in Trade personal Estate whatsoever and
(5) wheresoever (Except as is hereinbefore excepted) and when and so soon as the same shall be sold and converted into ready Money as aforesaid I do hereby order direct and appoint that they the said John Hawkins and Martha Hawkins and the Survivor of them and the Executors and Administrators of such Survivor do and shall in the first place pay satisfy and discharge all my just Debts Funeral Expences Probate and Charges in executing this my Will And also to detain in their hands the sum of ten Pounds a
(6) piece of lawful Money of Great Britain for their trouble in the Sale of my Personal Estate And I further Order that my said Trustees out of the Money that shall come to their or either of their hands pay unto my Brother Thomas Hawkins the sum of two shillings weekly and every week during the Term of his natural life And from and after his decease Then I further give and bequeath the Surplus Money that shall remain in their hands unto and between the said John Hawkins and Martha Hawkins
(7) my Trustees Elizabeth the Wife of John Shrimton and Sarah Hawkins Children of my said late (Sur: TO Hawkins) Brother Matthew Hawkins to be equally divided amongst them share and share alike But in case any or either of them shall happen to depart this Life before his her or their share or shares shall become due and payable by virtue of this my Will then my Will is that the share or Legacy of him her or them so dying shall go and remain to the Use of the Child or Children of his her or their Bodies
(8) lawfully begotten to be equally divided among them (if more than one) share and share alike But if any or either of them die without leaving Child or Children then my Will and Meaning is that the Share or Legacy of him her or them so dying shall go and be paid to the Use of the Survivors or Survivor of them each to have an equal Share thereof And I will that my Trustees and Executors shall not be answerable the one for the other or for the act deed or default of the other nor shall either of them
(9) be answerable for any part of my Estate but such as shall come to his or their hands respectively And I do hereby will and appoint that my Trustees and Executors shall by and out of my Estate retain and satisfy themselves all such Costs and Charges as they or either of them shall be put unto in the execution of this my Will And Lastly I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said John Hawkins and Martha Hawkins (son and daughter of my said late Brother Matthew Hawkins deceased) joint Trustees Executor and Executrix of this my last Will and Testament
(10) hereby revoking and making void all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made In Witness whereof I have to this my Will contained in two sheets of Paper to the first sheet thereof set my Hand only and to this my Hand and Seal this tenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty three Sus: Hawkins (L.S.) Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said Testatrix Susanna Hawkins as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us
(11) who have hereunto subscribed our Names as Witnesses in the presence of the said Testatrix and at her request and also in the presence of each other Mary Evans Rachel Willson Joseph Hunt
Proved in the Ecclesiastical Court of the Archdeaconry of Saint Alban the 1st day of November 1783 by the within named John Hawkins and Martha Hawkins joint Trustees Executor and Executrix
J.T. Story[?] Register
Lawyer's letter, 1819
D(ea)r Sir
Matthew Hobbs )
Susanna Hawkins )
decd
You herewith receive Monitions to remove the Wills of the above named Persons and I will thank you to forward the same to my Proctors Messrs Farquhar & Co with all possible dispatch the Expenses &c attending which they will pay you and remain
Dr Sir
Your obed(ien)tly
Char: Willis
Winslow 13th Dec 1819
National Archives, PROB 11/1628/309 (1820)
[Copy of the will, as above]
On 22nd April 1820 Adm(inistratio)n with the Will annexed of the Goods Chattels and credits of Susanna Hawkins late of Winslow in the Co(unty) of Bucks Sp(inste)r dec(ease)d was granted to John Hawkins the Son & Adm(inistrat)or of the Goods of John Hawkins dec(ease)d whilst living the Nephew one of the Executors one of the residuary Legatees In Trust & one of the beneficial residuary Legatees named in the said Will hav(in)g been first sworn duly to Adm(iniste)r The said John Hawkins and also Martha Hawkins Sp(inste)r the Niece & other Ex(ecut)or And other named residuary Legatee In Trust & \one/ other of the beneficial Residuary Legatees survived the Testatrix but died without having taken upon them the Probate of the said Will at least in this Court and Elizabeth Shrimpton Wife of John Shrimpton and Sarah Hawkins Sp(inste)r the Nieces & other beneficial Residuary Legatees survived but died without having taken upon them the Letters of Adm(inistrati)on (with the said Will annexed) of the goods of the said Deceased.
[Copy of the will of Matthew Hobbs]
On the 22nd April 1820 Adm(inistratio)n with the Will annexed of the Goods Chattels and Credits of Matthew Hobbs late of Winslow in the Co(unty) of Bucks dec(ease)d was granted to John Hawkins the Administrator (with the Will annexed) of the remains unadmin(istered) Goods of William Hobbs dec(ease)d whilst living the Father sole Executor & universal Legatee named in the said Will having been first sworn duly to adm(inister) The said William Hobbs Survived the said Testator but died hav(in)g Proved the said Will at least in this Court.
Notes
Susanna Hawkins was the executrix of the will of her kinsman William Hobbs (proved 1771): she received after his wife's death 3 messuages and a close of pasture in Shipton (with reversion to John Gilbert), and his messuage in the Market Square (no.17) (with reversion to George Foster). The reference in her will to "Stock in trade" suggests that she continued to run his apothecary's shop; she seems already to have been living there in 1770. At the 1771 manor court Susanna was also admitted as the devisee of William Hobbs to "a close of pasture called the Great Baulk containing 3 acres" which she immediately sold, and "a close of pasture formerly in Old Mill Field containing 9 acres 2 roods 20 perches". This must have been the residue of his estate as it is not mentioned specifically in his will.
A note attached to William Hobbs' will dated 22 April 1820 says that Susanna did not administer it, her niece and nephew were both now dead, and administration was now granted to John Hawkins. This included the administration of the will of William's son Matthew Hobbs (proved 1767). However, the will was put into effect in 1771, at least as far as the property in Winslow was concerned. The legal problem was that Susanna owned property at Swanbourne, which was in a different jurisdiction, so her will should have been proved at the PCC and not at St Albans.
John Shrimpton married Elizabeth Hawkins at High Wycombe in 1768.
On 25 Dec 1783, Martha Hawkins married Charles Clarke of Aylesbury at Winslow, with John and Sarah Hawkins as witnesses. Presumably she was Susanna's niece. When Charles Clarke died in 1789 he was described as a grazier of Winslow, and administration was granted to his widow Martha. Sarah Hawkins married Thomas Bignell, baker at Winslow on 23 Feb 1784. It is likely that she was Martha's sister. There was a baker in Winslow in 1782 called John Hawkins (also mentioned in earlier apprenticeship records), who could be Susanna's other executor. It was his son who was finally granted administration at the PCC in 1820.