Will of Henry John Russell, mechanical engineer, 1893 (proved 1901)

Oxford Probate Registry

This is the last Will and Testament of me Henry John Russell of Winslow in the County of Buckingham Mechanical Engineer I hereby revoke all former Wills and appoint my dear Wife Emily Russell  to be Executrix and Trustee  of this my Will I give and devise unto my said dear Wife my copyhold House Workshop and premises situate in the High Street and near the Church in Winslow aforesaid absolutely for her own use and benefit  I also give and devise unto my said dear Wife absolutely all the household furniture consumable stores and other effects which at the time of my death shall be about or belong to my then Dwellinghouse I give devise and bequeath unto my said dear Wife all my Business stock in trade book debts money in the Bank and all other my real and personal  Estate whatsoever Upon trust to call in sell and convert into money the same and after payment thereout of my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses to divide the same equally amongst all my children living at my decease the child or children of any child of mine dying in my lifetime taking the share his her or their parent would have taken had he or she survived me In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this Twenty fifth day of November One thousand eight hundred and ninety three.
Henry John Russell [signature]
Signed by the said Henry John Russell Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us both present at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses the word copyhold having been substituted for Freehold in the sixth line of this Will before being signed by the Testator.
Herbert Bullock [signature] Solicitor, Winslow.

Hugh J. Ray  [signature] Clerk to Mr. Bullock, Solicitor, Winslow.

This is a Codicil to the last Will and Testament Henry John Russell of Winslow Mechanical Engineer which Will bears date the Twenty fifth day of November One thousand eight hundred and ninety three In addition to the bequests of my said Will given to my dear Wife Emily Russell I give and bequeath to her absolutely and for her own benefit all my Shares in the New Winslow Gas Company Limited and also any Bicycles either new or second hand that may belong to me at the time of my death I also give to my said Wife all moneys in my name in the Post Office Savings Bank In Trust for my Son Henry John Russell a Seaman in Her Majesty’s Navy to be paid to him when he shall have served his time in and have obtained his discharge from Her Majesty’s Navy And I hereby authorise and empower  my said Wife to advance to or use to the benefit of my said Son Henry John at any earlier date any portion of the said money in her absolute and sole discretion And in all other respects I hereby confirm my said Will In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this Sixteenth day of July One thousand nine hundred.
Henry John Russell [signature]
Signed by the said Henry John Russell Testator as and for a Codicil to his last Will and Testament in the presence of us both present at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses
T.L. Kennish [signature] Doctor of Medicine, Western Lodge, Winslow.
Hugh J. Ray [signature] Clerk to Mr. Bullock, Solicitor, Winslow.

On the Twentieth day of July 1901 Probate of this Will with one Codicil was granted at Oxford to Emily Russell, Widow, the Relict, the sole Executrix.
It is hereby certified the foregoing is a correct copy. Dated this Twenty fifth day of July 1901.
BE IT KNOWN that Henry John Russell late of Winslow in the County of Buckingham, mechanical engineer, 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, died on the 16th day of June 1901 at Winslow aforesaid.
AND BE IT FURTHER KNOWN  that on the date hereunder written the last Will and Testament with a Codicil thereto, of the said deceased was proved and registered in the District Probate Registry of Her  \His/ Majesty’s Court High Court of Justice at Oxford, and that administration of all the estate which by law devolves to and vests in the personal representative of the said deceased was granted by the aforesaid Court to Emily Russell of Winslow aforesaid, widow, the relict of the Deceased, the sole Executrix named in the said Will.
Dated this 20th day of July 1901.

Gross value of Estate                      £282 - 10 – 5
Net value of Personal Estate        £254 - 10 – 7

Extracted by Herbert Bullock, Solicitors, Winslow.

Notes

Henry and Emily Russell lived at 3 High Street (later Winslow Filling Station), which at the time was separated from the Market Square by 27 Market Square. They moved there in the 1880s, and Henry bought the property in 1893, which must be why he made his will then. It had been a blacksmith's since the 18th century, and Henry normally described himself as a blacksmith, but evidently branched out into bicycles. The cycle business was taken over in 1900 by E.H. Lundy. Emily was Henry's second wife. They don't appear to have had any children together.

The son mentioned in the codicil, Henry John Russell, joined the Navy in 1895 and was a WW1 casualty: he drowned in Sep 1914 when his ship was torpedoed.

1901, 29 June, Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News
  DEATH OF MR. H. J. RUSSELL.- The tolling of the passing bell on the morning of Sunday, the 16th inst., told the town of Winslow that Mr. Henry John Russell had passed away, and all who knew him - who in Winslow did not? - must have felt their regret tempered by a feeling of thankfulness that an end had come to the terrible life of suffering which had been his for so long.  For five years past his health has been failing, and three severe operations brought only temporary relief.  For nearly a year he had not left his bed, and only those who saw him frequently during that time can know the fortitude with which his terrible pain was borne.  The late Mr. Russell came to Winslow from Croydon some seventeen years ago, succeeding to the business formerly carried out by Mr. [John] Sirett.  He took a prominent position in many matters connected with the town, having been Captain of the Fire Brigade, Secretary of the Conservative Association, Constable of the Market Square, Collector of Income Tax, etc.  He was also a member of the choir and a sidesman of the parish church, and by his ready geniality he won the respect of all whom these various appointments brought him in contact with.  The funeral took place on Thursday, the 20th inst.  The remains, in a polished oak coffin, which bore the inscription - Henry John Russell, born November 22nd, 1846, died June 16th 1901 - were borne to the church by Messrs. Chandler, Keys, Rolfe, Royce, Scott, and Williams, members of the Fire Brigade, and on the coffin rested the brass helmet which the deceased had worn as one of that useful body.  A large number of his brother Oddfellows also testified their respect for their departed brother by their attendance in funeral regalia.