Will of Richard Staniford, lately brickmaker, 1849 (proved 1857)

National Archives, PROB 11/2252/184

This is the last Will and Testament of me Richard Staniford of Winslow in the County of Bucks lately a brickmaker but now out of business I devise unto my sister Kitty Staniford her heirs and assigns absolutely all that my copyhold messuage or tenement and barn situate in Winslow aforesaid in the occupation of William George with the appurtenances thereto belonging I bequeath unto my said sister Kitty Staniford the legacy or sum of twenty five pounds to be paid to her within one calendar month next after my decease and also all my household goods furniture plate linen glass china books pictures prints wines liquors fuel housekeeping stores and provisions and other effects of the like nature I devise the residue of the freehold copyhold and other real estates to which I shall be entitled at my decease (except estates vested in me as trustee or mortgagee) And I bequeath All the Residue of the Personal Estate to which I shall be then entitled to my friends David Thomas Willis of Winslow aforesaid Gentleman and John Belgrove of the Parish of Hogston in the said County of Bucks Dairyman and my nephew Thomas Cornborough their heirs executors administrators and assigns respectively Upon trust to sell my residuary real estates together or in parcels by public auction or private contract and to convert and get in my residuary personal estate and out of the monies to arise from such residuary real and personal estates in the first place to pay all such debts as I may justly owe at the time of my decease my funeral expences and the costs and charges of proving and establishing this my will and carrying the same into execution and in the next place to retain to each and every of them the said David Thomas Willis John Belgrove and Thomas Cornborough the legacy or sum of Five pounds of lawful British money as an acknowledgment for the trouble they will have in the execution of this my will And in the next place to retain in their own hands the several legacies or sums of Seven hundred pounds and Three hundred and sixty pounds of lawful money aforesaid Upon the several trusts hereinafter respectively mentioned concerning the same and to pay share and divide the residue of the monies to arise from my said residuary real and personal estates remaining after answering the several purposes aforesaid equally part and share alike unto and among my nephews and nieces Richard Allen Mary the wife of Benjamin Willis Sarah the wife of Richard Beckett John Allen Thomas Allen Eliza the wife of the said Thomas Cornborough William Allen and George Allen the children of my late sister Mary Allen (deceased) Sarah the wife of William Wilcox Mary the wife of Stephen Payne Elizabeth the wife of William Brown and Benjamin Kingston (the children of my late sister Elizabeth Kingston deceased) William Cornborough and the said Thomas Cornborough (the children of my late sister Sarah Ward deceased) and Mary Norman (the daughter of my said sister Kitty Staniford) or such of them as may be living at the time of my decease per capita and not per stirpes I direct that the share of the said Sarah Beckett shall be received enjoyed and disposed of by her as her separate estate without the control or interference of her present or any future husband and that her receipt shall be notwithstanding coverture an effectual discharge for the same And I direct that my said Trustees shall stand possessed of the said legacy or sum of Seven hundred pounds upon the trusts next hereinafter mentioned (that is to say) Upon trust to invest the same in the names or name of the trustees or trustee for the time being of my will in or upon any of the public stocks funds or securities of the United Kingdom or on real securities in England with liberty for the said trustees or trustee to vary and transpose the investment from time to time for any other investment of the description aforesaid And upon further trust to permit and empower my said sister Kitty Staniford to receive the annual income of the said sum of Seven hundred pounds or the stocks funds and securities whereon the same shall be invested during her life And from and immediately after her decease Upon trust as to the said principal sum of Seven hundred pounds and the stocks funds and securities whereon the same shall be invested for all and every the children of my said niece Mary Norman in equal shares to be absolutely vested at the age of twenty one years whether the preceding trust shall be determined or not and so that the share or shares as well original as accruing of either or any of such children dying under that age shall accrue to the other or others of the said children and if more than one in equal shares and be vested as aforesaid And during the minority or minorities of either or any of the children of the said Mary Norman I direct that my said trustees shall pay the annual income of his her or their share or shares to my said niece Mary Norman if living and after her decease apply the same at their own discretion in or towards the maintenance and education or otherwise for the benefit of such child or children during minority And I direct that my said Trustees shall stand possessed of the said legacy or sum of Three hundred and sixty pounds Upon trust to invest the same in their names in the public funds or on government securities of the United Kingdom or on real securities in England with liberty to change the investment at their discretion for any other or others of the kinds prescribed and to accumulate the yearly income of the monies from time to time remaining so invested as last aforesaid by similar investments or by depositing the same in some bank for savings at the discretion of my said trustees until the respective times that the six daughters of my late niece Sarah Belgrove the wife of the said John Belgrove or the survivors of such daughters for the time being shall attain the age of twenty one years And when and so often as any one of the said daughters of the said Sarah Belgrove shall attain the age of twenty one years thereupon to transfer to her an equal share both of the original fund and the accumulations so that they or such of them as shall live to attain the age of twenty one years may upon their severally attaining that age equally share the principal of the said legacy or sum of three hundred and sixty pounds And also participate equally in the accumulations up to those respective times And I devise all real estates if any which ^may^ at the time of my decease be vested in me as trustee or mortgagee to the said David Thomas Willis John Belgrove and Thomas Cornborough their heirs and assigns subject to the equities affecting the same respectively I empower the trustees or trustee for the time being of this my will to give receipts for all monies and effects to be paid or delivered to such trustees or trustee by virtue of my will and declare that such receipts shall exonerate the persons taking the same from liability to see to the application or disposition of the monies or effects therein mentioned And I declare that if my said trustees or any of them or any person or persons to be appointed under this Clause shall die or be unwilling or incompetent to execute the trusts of my will it shall be lawful for my said sister Kitty Staniford during her life and after her decease for the competent trustees of trustee for the time being if any whether retiring from the office of trustee or not or if none for the executors or administrators or either or any of the executor or administrators of the last surviving trustee to substitute by any writing under their her or his hands or hand any fit person or persons in whom along or as the case may be jointly with the surviving or continuing trustees or trustee my trust estate shall be vested And I exempt every trustee of my will from liability for losses occurring without his own wilful default And authorise him to retain and allow to his Co trustee or Co trustees all expences incidental to the trusteeship I appoint the said David Thomas Willis John Belgrove and Thomas Cornborough to be Executorsof my will And it being my desire that the said David Thomas Willis who is my Attorney and Solicitor shall continue to act as such in all matters relating to my property and affairs and shall make the usual professional charges I do expressly direct that he shall notwithstanding his acceptance of the office of Trustee and Executor of my will and his acting in the execution thereof be entitled to make the same professional charge and to receive the same pecuniary emoluments and remuneration for all business done by him and all attendance time and trouble given or bestowed by him in or about the execution of the trusts and power of my said will or the management and administration of my trust estate real or personal as if he not being himself a Trustee or Executor of my said will were employed by the trustee or executor or trustees or executors thereof as Attorney and Solicitor to such trustee or executor trustees or executors and shall be entitled to retain out of my trust monies or to be allowed and to receive from his Co trustees if any out of the same monies the full amount of such charges any rule of equity to the contrary notwithstanding nevertheless without prejudice to the right or competency of the said David Thomas Willis to exercise the authority control Judgment and discretion of a trustee of my said will And lastly I revoke all other wills by me made In witness whereof I the said Richard Staniford the Testator have to every sheet of this my last will and testament contained on three sheets of paper set my hand this twenty third day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty nine

Rich(ard) Staniford

This sheet of paper and the two sheets hereto annexed were severally signed by the said Testator Richard Staniford in the joint presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereof the word “accrue” on the fourteenth line of the second sheet being first written on an erasure
James Toy                            Benj(amin) Cole                Clerks to Mr Willis Solicitor Winslow

This is a first Codicil to the last will and testament of me Richard Staniford of Winslow in the County of Bucks lately a Brickmaker and now out of Business (which will bears date the twenty third day of October one thousand eight hundred and forty nine) I devise unto my sister Kitty Staniford her heirs and assigns absolutely All that my copyhold cottage or tenement situate in Winslow aforesaid in the occupation of William Bates I direct that the proportionate part or share of and in the monies to arise from the sale and conversion of my residuary real and personal estates to which my nephew Richard Allen would become entitled under my will in the event of his surviving me shall not be paid to the said Richard Allen but shall be retained by the trustees in my said will named in their own hands and be invested by them as soon as conveniently may be in their ^own^ names in or upon any of the public stocks funds or securities of the United Kingdom or on real securities in England and not elsewhere with liberty for them my said trustees to vary and transpose the investment from time to time for any other investment of the description aforesaid And that my said trustees shall pay the annual income of the said share or the stocks funds and securities whereon the same shall be invested to my said nephew Richard Allen or permit the same to be received by him during his life And immediately after his decease shall stand possessed of the same share and the stocks funds and securities whereon the same shall be invested and the future income thereof Upon trust in equal shares and proportions for all and every the children of the said Richard Allen or such of them as may be living at the time of his decease And I ratify and confirm my said will in all other respects In witness whereof I the said Richard Staniford the Testator have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty five.   

Richard Staniford

Signed by the said Richard Staniford the Testator as and for a Codicil to his last will and testament in the joint presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.
Tho(ma)s R. Brown Clerk to Mr D.T. Willis Sol(icito)r Winslow                        Dan(ie)l Grace Winslow

Proved at London with a Codicil 20th May 1857 before the Judge by the oaths of David Thomas Willis John Belgrove and Thomas Cornborough the Executors to whom Adm(inistrati)on was granted

Notes

Richard Staniford was the son of Richard Staniford (d.1813), and had already wound up the family's brickmaking business. He was aged 85 when he died in 1857. He lived at 32 High Street (now called Staniford House) with his sister Kitty. Kitty had an illegitimate daughter, Mary, who married William Norman of St Pancras in 1827. The other sisters were:

Richard Staniford's property was put up for sale before his will had been proved:

By Messrs. DUDLEY & SON.
WINSLOW AND NEWTON LONGVILLE, BUCKS.
A neat and comfortable RESIDENCE, with convenient PREMISES and GARDEN, a valuable piece of ACCOMMODATION LAND, in the Parish of Winslow, 5 SHARES in the WINSLOW GAS COMPANY;  and 2 Closes of PASTURE LAND, with 2 COTTAGES and PREMISES, in the Parish of Newton Longville, Bucks;
TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION, BY DUDLEY & SON,
On WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25th, 1857, at the BELL INN, WINSLOW, at 4 o’Clock in the Afternoon, in the following Lots, by direction of the Executors of the late Mr. Richard Staniford:-

LOT I. A COMFORTABLE RESIDENCE, situate in the High Street, Winslow.  The House, which is substantially built and in exceptional repair, contains 2 front parlours, kitchen, scullery, dry cellar, and 4 bedrooms; a detached Brewhouse, fitted up with coppers; wood barn, all tiled, a courtyard, in which is a pump of excellent water, and a productive garden, walled round, and stocked with choice fruit trees, the residence of the late Mr. Richard Staniford.

LOT II. A valuable CLOSE of PASTURE LAND, in WINSLOW, known as the “Brick-kiln Norden,” adjoining the Union House, and GARDEN, containing 3A. 1R. 34P. This Land is particularly desirable as a lair for droves and cattle at the various fairs, and will command a proportionate rent; it is in the occupation of Mr. William Neal, of the Bell Inn.

This Property of Copyhold of the Manor of Winslow, subject to a small annual quit-rent, a fixed fine, and a heriot according to the custom of the Manor;  it is nearly equal in value to Freehold.

LOT III. FIVE TEN-POUND SHARES in the WINSLOW GAS COMPANY.

LOT IV. TWO COTTAGES, with Gardens, Orchard, and Premises, and TWO rich CLOSES of GRASS LAND, containing 3A. 0R. 31P., situate in the village of Newton Longville, in the occupation of Richard Perry, at the annual rent of £14 0s. 0d. Part of this Property, 2A. 0R. 16P., is Leasehold, for a term of 1,000 years, commencing in 1783;  the remainder is Copyhold.

For a view apply to the Tenants; and further particulars may be known on application to D. T. Willis, Esq., Solicitor, or to Messrs. Dudley and Son, Auctioneers and Land-agents, Winslow.