Will of William Keys, gardener, 1867

Principal Probate Registry

I hereby declare this to be the last Will and Testament of me William Keys widower of the Parish Winslow in the County of Buckingham, Gardener, dated this first day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty seven I constitute and appoint Charles Chaplin of Winslow Gent(lema)n my sole Executor of this my Will and that he be paid all reasonable expences he may incur performing the same and also that he will pay out of my property my funeral expences and all my just debts which may be oweing at the time of my death I give and bequeath the following legacies for each of their own absolute use and benefit to Elizabeth Fountain ten pounds to Sarah Dover ten pounds to Maria Halls[?] ten pounds to Sophia Roads ten pounds to Elizabeth Rogers ten pounds to Sarah Clark ten pounds to the Rev(eren)d A Preston as Vicar of Winslow five pounds for him to apply at his own discression [sic] for the benefit of Winslow Church or Schools Charities to the Trustees for the time being of the Independent Chapel at Winslow the sum of five pounds for the benefit of their Chapel Charities  to the Trustees of the Chapel called the Tabernacle at Winslow of five pounds to be applied by them for their Chapel Charities to the aforesaid Charles Chaplin five pounds provided  he acts as executor to this my Will and Testament I give to Alfred Dodd my watch to Emanuel Clark my best great coat and two best suit of wearing apparel and the remainer [sic] of my wearing apparel I give to be divided between Benjamin Sear and John Sear and I bequeath all the household furniture and Residue of my property whatsoever and weresoever [sic] to the aforesaid Sarah Clark for her own absolute use and benifit [sic] and I hereby revoke all former Wills by me at any time made and declare this to be my last Will and Testament dated as aforesaid the first day of February 1867 In Witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal
William Keys [signature]
In the presence of us as witnesses William Clifton [signature] Richard Gough [signature]

In Her Majesty’s Court of Probate The Principal Registry 
In the Goods of William Keys deceased
I Richard Gough of Adstock in the County of Bucks make oath that I am one of the subscribing witnesses to the last Will and Testament of William Keys late of the Parish of Winslow in the County of Buckingham Gardener the said Will being now hereunto annexed bearing date the first day of February one thousand eight hundred and sixty seven and that the said Testator executed the said Will on the day of the date thereof by signing his name at the foot or end thereof as the same now appears thereon in the presence of me and of William Clifton the other subscribed witness thereto both of us being present at the same time and we thereupon attested and subscribed the said Will in the presence of the said testator And I further make oath that I have particularly observed the following alterations appearing in the said Will to wit the word “apparel” written between the seventh and eighth lines and the words “household furniture and “ written between the tenth and eleventh lines of the second page of the said Will and I lastly make oath that the said recited alterations were made in the said Will previously to the execution thereof
Richard Gough [signature] Sworn at Buckingham in the County of Bucks this 21st day of September 1867 Before me Geo(rg)e Nelson [signature] A Commissioner to Administer Oaths in Chancery in England
Proved at London 30th of September 1867, by the oath of Charles Chaplin the sole Executor to whom Ad(ministrati)on was granted.

ON the 30th day of September 1867, the Will of William Keys late of the parish of Winslow in the County of Buckingham Gardener deceased, who died the 21st day of August 1867, at Adstock afores in the said County was proved in the Principal Registry of Her Majesty’s Court of Probate, by the Oath of Charles Chaplin of the said parish Gentleman the sole Executor named in the said Will, he having been first sworn duly to administer.
Effects under £200.

Notes

William Keys died aged 80.  He was born at Padbury, and in 1861 was living at 4 Buckingham Road (which was his link to Charles Chaplin) with his wife Mary (b. Botolph Claydon; she died earlier in 1867 aged 86). In the 1841 and 1851 censuses they were living at Adstock. William's will seems to have been witnessed at Adstock. He doesn't seem to have a close connection to the other Keys families of Winslow.

The beneficiaries do not seem to be Winslow people. In 1861:
Sophia Roads, widow, 68, b. Botolph Claydon, was a servant at Stewkley.
Sarah Clark (née Harris) was a farmer at Adstock, widow aged 51 with son Emanuel aged 27.
Elizabeth Fountain widow 62 and her son John Sear were living at Padbury & born there.