Will of Mary Pollard of Little Horwood, widow, 1836 (proved 1838)

TNA PROB 11/1901/47

This is the last Will and Testament of me Mary Pollard of Little Horwood in the County of Bucks Widow First I give and devise unto my Great Niece Jane Clark wife of John Clark and daughter of my Niece Lydia Harding all those my several pieces and parcels of Copyhold Land or ground lying and being dispersed in the open and Common Fields of Great Horwood in the County of Bucks with the rights members commons & appurt(enance)s thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining to hold the same & every part thereof unto and to the use of the said Jane Clark her heirs & assigns for ever

[The will continues with a bequest to great-niece Jane Clark: Mary Pollard’s ready money, securities for money and all rent arrears due to her. Jane’s husband John Clark is required to ‘collect, receive and get in’ all manner of funds to which Mary Pollard would have been entitled and to discharge all her just debts including funeral and testamentary expenses. He is further directed to invest any residue in specified stocks, funds and securities with the ensuing income to be paid to Mary’s brother Thomas Clark during his natural life. Thomas Clark is also entitled to a lifelong annuity of £3 yearly from Jane’s initial legacy mentioned above. Upon Thomas’ death the residual estate passes to great-niece Jane Clark. Provision was made for Mary Pollard’s niece Jane wife of Francis Hale Clarke, who was to receive £50 an equal share of Mary’s wearing apparel (with great niece Jane Clark) and selected items of Mary’s furniture. Her servant Olive Parrott is left her bed, bedding and a black gown with a similar bonnet. The legacies conclude with a wrap up of all hitherto unbequeathed household goods personal estate and effects being given to Jane with her husband John Clark being nominated sole executor]

… In Witness whereof I the said Mary Pollard the Testatrix have to the first two sheets of this my last Will and Testament contained on three sheets of paper set my hand and seal only and to this the third and last sheet that of my hand and Seal this seventh day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six Mary Pollard [signature] Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Mary Pollard the Testatrix as and for her las Will and Testament in the presence of us who in her presence at her request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses thereof the interlineations appearing between the second and third lines of the first side and between the twenty fourth and twenty fifth lines of the second sheet being first severally made – Dav Tho Willis [signature] Ann Coleman [signature] Ann Dawkins [signature]

Proved at London the 17th Septr 1838 before the Judge by the Oath of John Clark the sole Ex(ecut)or to whom Adm(inistrati)on was granted having been first sworn by Comm(issi)on) duly to Administer

Notes

Mary Pollard's death was registered at Winslow in the first quarter of 1838. She was aged 75. She was née Clark, and the widow of Robert Pollard, whom she married at Little Horwood in 1783.

Lydia Harding (nee Clark) the niece was the widow of Robert Pollard Harding of Winslow (d.1832), and ran the Nag's Head.