Will of James Caleb Hawley, 1929 (proved 1932)

Oxford Probate Registry

THIS IS THE LAST WILL of me JAMES CALEB HAWLEY of “Cotswold” Station Road Winslow in the County of Buckingham Esquire

  1. I revoke all other Wills and testamentary dispositions by me heretofore made
  2. I appoint my son LESLIE JAMES HAWLEY and GEORGE HATT-COOK of Winslow aforesaid Solicitor (hereinafter called “my Trustees”) to be the Executors and Trustees of this my Will
  3. I give to my Son the said Leslie James Hawley my gold watch and chain and all other my personal jewellery or trinkets (free of Duty)
  4. I give the following pecuniary legacies to be paid (free of Legacy Duty) as soon as possible after my decease namely
    (a) To the said Leslie James Hawley the sum of One Thousand two hundred Pounds
    (b) To my sister Frances Rosetta Braggins the sum of Twenty-five Pounds
    (c) To each of them Frank Gutteridge Joseph Goss and Philip Henry Dodwell all of Winslow aforesaid who shall be in the employment of my said Son in the firm of “J.C.Hawley & Son” at the time of my death and shall not then be under notice to leave whether given or received the sum of Ten Pounds
    (d) To George Odell of Winslow aforesaid if he shall be in the employment of my said Son in the firm of “J.C.Hawley & Son” at the time of my death and shall not then be under notice to leave whether given or received the sum of Five Pounds
  5. I release and forgive to my Son-in-law James Graham Johnstone or to his representatives if he shall die in my lifetime the loan of Two hundred Pounds which I made to him some time ago at interest or so much thereof as may remain owing to me at the time of my death and all interest for the same and I direct that any acknowledgement or security I may hold in respect of the said loan shall be cancelled and given up to my said Son-in-law or his representatives by my Trustees and I declare that this release and bequest shall be free of Duty
  6. I bequeath to each of my two Grandchildren Gordon Reynolds and Winifred Reynolds the children of my late daughter Winifred Mary Reynolds if living at my death the sum of Five hundred Pounds Five per cent War Stock One thousand nine hundred and twenty nine – One thousand nine hundred and forty seven (free of Duty) and in case I shall not have any such Stock or Stock to that amount standing in my name at the time of my death I direct my Trustees out of my personal estate to purchase in the name of each of them the said Gordon Reynolds and Winifred Reynolds the sum of Five hundred Pounds Five per centum War Stock or so much of the same Stock (as the case may be) as will make up the said sum of Five hundred Pounds which I hereby give to each of them the said Gordon Reynolds and Winifred Reynolds 
  7. I bequeath to my Trustees the sum of Five hundred Pounds upon trust to invest the same in their names in any of the investments authorised by law for the investment of trust funds and to pay the annual income of the said sum of Five hundred Pounds or the investment thereof to my sister Clara Una Hawley during her life and I declare that the capital and so much of the income as shall remain in the hands of my Trustees at the death of my said sister Clara Una Hawley shall fall into the residue of my personal estate.
  8. As to all the rest residue and remainder of my real and personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever (including lapsed legacies) I give devise and bequeath the same unto my Trustees upon trust to sell call in and convert into money the same or such part thereof as shall not already consist of money And out of my ready money and the proceeds of such sale calling in and conversion to pay my debts funeral and testamentary expenses and death duties and to stand possessed of the remainder of my ready money and of the said proceeds upon trust for my two daughters Florence Emily Shapland and Edith Gertrude Johnstone in equal shares as tenants in common absolutely
  9. Notwithstanding the trusts for sale hereinbefore contained I direct that so far as regards my Yard Coach-houses Garage and premises situate in Horn Street Winslow aforesaid at present in the occupation of my Son the said Leslie James Hawley my Trustees shall not exercise the said trusts for sale without the consent in writing of the said Leslie James Hawley and that the said Leslie James Hawley shall be entitled so long as the said premises shall remain unsold to occupy the same as a yearly tenant at a rent of Ten Pounds a year the said Leslie James Hawley during his occupation thereof keeping the said premises insured against loss or damage by fire and in good tenantable repair and paying all rates taxes and outgoings imposed or assessed thereon (Property Tax excepted) and further I direct that upon giving one calendar month’s notice in writing to my Trustees within six months of my death the said Leslie James Hawley shall be entitled to purchase the said premises at the price of One hundred and seventy-five Pounds
  10. I hereby authorise the said Leslie James Hawley notwithstanding his being a trustee hereof to purchase any part or parts of my real or personal estate hereinbefore devised and bequeathed in trust for sale or sales thereof, by public auction or by private contract provided in the latter case the sale shall be at a price fixed by George Wigley & Sons of Winslow aforesaid Auctioneers.
  11. My Trustees shall have the power at their uncontrolled discretion instead of acting personally to employ and pay any other person or persons to transact any business or to do any act of whatever nature in relation to the trusts hereof including the receipt and payment of money without being liable for [loss?] incurred thereby and I declare that any Executor or Trustee hereof being a Solicitor or other person engaged in any profession or business may be so employed or being a sole Executor or Trustee may so act and shall be entitled to charge and be paid all usual professional or proper charges for business transacted time expended and acts done by him or his firm in relation to the executorship or trusts hereof including acts which an Executor or Trustee not being in any profession or business could have done personally.
  12. No Trustee of this my Will shall be liable for any loss not attributable to his own dishonesty or to the wilful commission by him of an act known by him to be a breach of trust and in particular he shall not be bound to take any proceedings against a Co-trustee for any breach or alleged breach of trust committed by such Co-trustee

IN WITNESS whereof I have to this my last Will written on three sheets of paper set my hand this thirty first day of October One thousand nine hundred and twenty-nine.

JAMES CALEB HAWLEY –

SIGNED and acknowledged by the said James Caleb Hawley the Testator as and for his last Will in the presence of both of us together we being present at the same time and we at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.
G.P.Ewens, Lloyds Bank Limited, Winslow, Bucks. Deputy Manager.
R.J.Haines, Lloyds Bank Limited, Winslow, Bucks. Cashier.
[15 Folios]
On the 3rd day of November 1932
Probate of this Will was granted at Oxford

[PROBATE] JAMES CALEB HAWLEY of “Cotswold” Station Road Winslow in the County of Buckingham died there on the 9th day of September 1932
[Administration granted to] LESLIE JAMES HAWLEY OF High Street Winslow aforesaid Grocer son of deceased and GEORGE HATT-COOK of Horn Street Winslow aforesaid Solicitor the executors named in the said Will.
Gross value of Estate £13079:113:9
Net value of Personal Estate £8398:13:[1?]
Resworn £13545-13-0
Extracted by Hatt-Cook & Vale, Solicitors, Winslow

Notes

J.C. Hawley (1851-1932) was the 3rd generation of his family to run the grocery business at 6 High Street, initially in partnership with his older brother George as James Hawley & Sons and, after 1882, on his own. It became J.C. Hawley & Son around 1913. He bought Aldeburgh House (9 Station Road) in 1919 and renamed it Cotswold. He and his wife moved there after their son took over the shop.

In 1878 he married Susan Perkins from Moreton in Marsh. At the time of the 1921 Census they were staying at Blenheim House Private Hotel, Brighton, and she died in 1926 at Brighton. Their children were:

D/WIG/2/9/600: valuation of J.C. Hawley’s property, 1932, includes:

Copyright 9 March, 2026