Will of Grace Tofield, spinster, 1764

Herts RO 202AW22

In the Name of God Amen I Grace Tofield of Winslow in the County of Bucks Spinster being Sick and Weak in Body but of Sound Mind Memory and Understanding (Praised be God for the Same) Considering the Certainty of Death and the Uncertainty of the time thereof Do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament in Manner and form following First and Principally I recommend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God my Creator And my Body to the Earth to be Interred in Decent Manner at the Discretion of my Executor herein after Named  And as to the Worldly Goods and Temporal Estate which God hath Given me I Give and dispose thereof as followeth (that is to say) I Give Devise and bequeath unto John Price of Winslow aforesaid Carpenter All that my Messuage or Tenement Situate and being in Great Horn Street in Winslow aforesaid wherein I now Dwell Together with all and Singular the Appurtenances thereunto belonging To hold to him the said John Price his Heirs and Assigns for Ever Also I further Give and bequeath unto the said \John/ Price All those my Two Messuages or Tenements Situate Standing and being upon or near the Market Hill in Winslow aforesaid  And now in the Occupation of John Deblois and Harry Read with all and Singular the Appurtenances thereunto belonging  To hold to him the said John Price his Heirs Executors and Administrators Upon Trust and Confidence Nevertheless and upon this Condition and not otherwise That (As Soon as Conveniently may be after my Decease) the said John Price shall Vend Sell and dispose of the said Two Messuages or Tenements aforesaid to the best Benefit and Advantage and for the most that he can and may get for the same  Also I further Give and bequeath all my Goods Chattels and Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto the said John Price his Executors and Administrators to Sell and dispose of the Same  And with the Money arising from the Sale of my said Two Messuages or Tenements and Personal Estate as aforesaid to pay and Satisfy all my Just Debts and Funeral Expenses And in Case any Overplus Money shall remain out of the Sale or Purchase Money for my aforesaid Two Messuages or Tenements and Personal Estate (after the payment of my Debts and Funeral Expenses as aforesaid) I Give and bequeath such said Over plus Money as follows (that is to say) I Give and bequeath unto Josiah Deverell and Robert Coulson Ten Pounds  a Piece of Lawful Money of Great Britain I do give and bequeath unto Ann Swannell the Sum of Six Guineas of like Lawful Money and the rest of such Overplus Money as aforesaid (if any) I do give and

[signed] Grace Tofield

[p.2] Bequeath the Same unto my Kinsmen and Kinswomen Joseph Tofield Benjamin Tofield Daniel Tofield Richard Grace Mary Tofield and Hester Tofield to be Equally Divided between them Share and Share alike  Also I Give and bequeath unto my Kinsman William Tofield  All that my Messuage or Tenement Situate and being upon the Market Hill in Winslow aforesaid and now in the Occupation of William Gibbs Together with all and Singular the Appurtenances thereunto belonging  To hold to him the said William Tofield his Heirs and Assigns for Ever  Subject Nevertheless and upon this Condition that if the said William Tofield or his heirs do and shall out of the Same Well and truly pay or Cause to be paid unto the aforesaid Joseph Tofield Benjamin Tofield Daniel Tofield Richard Grace Mary Tofield and Hester Tofield the Sum of Six Pounds Thirteen Shillings and four pence apiece within Twelve Months next after my Decease  And I do Charge my said Messuage and Tenement so given to the said William Tofield with the true payment of the Same  Also I do give unto my Kinswoman [    ] Grace the Wife of Richard Grace All my Wearing Apparel of all sorte both Linnen and Wollen  And as for all the rest residue and remainder of my Real and Personal Estates whatsoever and wheresoever not herein before given and bequeathed I do give and bequeath the Same unto the said John Price his Executors Administrators and Assigns  And Lastly I do nominate Constitute and Appoint the said John Price full and Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament  And I do hereby revoke and make void all former Wills by me before made and this only to be taken for my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have to this my Will Contained in Two Sheets of Paper to the first Sheet thereof Set my hand only  An to this my Hand and Seal this Thirtieth day of January In  the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty four.

[signed] Grace Tofield

Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said Testatrix
as and for her last Will and Testament in the Presence of
us who have hereunto Subscribed our Names as Witnesses
 in the Presence of the said Testatrix and also in the Presence
of each other.  (The word) John in the first Sheet being first
Interlined.

Thomas Morecraft   Richard Scott   Joseph Hunt

Inventory of Grace Tofield, spinster, 1764

Herts RO A25/4743

A True and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goods Chattells Rights and Credits of Grace Tofield late of Winslow in the County of Bucks Spinster deceased which since her Death have come to the hands possession or knowledge of John Price Executor of the last Will and Testament of the said deceased as the same were taken Appraised and sold by Joseph Dudley the 21st. day of April 1764
Vizt

£
s
d
One paire of sheets 0 3 0
One Night Cap 0 0 3
Two small kettles 0 2 11
One large Do 0 6 5
One long Brush and Table Matt 0 0 8
Fire Shovell Tongs and Bellows 0 1 0
Three Saucers and one Teapot
0
1
0
Three old Boxes
0
1
6
One Barrell
0
3
0
One Corner Cupboard
0
3
6
One old Cupboard and one Jarr one Waiter and one Baskett
0
1
6
One Hold-fast and Flesh Hook
0
0
8
A paire of Brass Snuffers
0
0
6
Four pewter Spoons and one Ladle
0
0
6
Four old Curtains
0
1
0
One pair of Steps
0
0
6
Two old Blanketts and one Rugg
0
3
0
Two old Quilts
0
4
0
A parcel of earthenware
0
1
6
One leather Trunk
0
0
6
One small Looking Glass
0
0
6
Seven Pewter Plates and two Dishes
0
5
0
One Hatchett one Hammer and Mallett
0
0
8
Two Spits
0
1
0
One old Bedstead
0
3
6
One Lacemaking Pillow and bobbins
0
1
6
One Easy Chair and six pictures
0
4
0
 
--------------------
Carried over
2
13
1
[p.2] Five Trenchers and one Cullinder
0
0
8
One Box Iron and Padds
0
1
6
Two tin pots and one tinder box
0
0
4
Seven Pictures
0
2
0
Four napkins
0
0
6
A parcel of Earthenware
0
1
0
Four pillow Drawers and one Table Cloth 0 6 0
One Buckett  Meash Rule and Tapwist 0 1 6
Odd cups on the Mantlepiece 0 0 6
A Gun rod 0 0 6
A parcel of books 0 2 0
One warming Pann 0 1 6
One joint stool 0 1 0
One Stool and Dogirons 0 0 4
Two Iron candlesticks Flower Drudger &c 0 1 0
Pestile and Mortar 0 2 0
Five old Boxes's 0 1 0
One oak Coffer 0 3 0
One Feather Bed one Bolster two pillows one Bedstead & Curtains 2 10 0
One Flock Bolster 0 1 6
Four old Chairs 0 1 0
Two basketts two Cushions 0 0 3
14 Glass Bottles 0 2 0
One wooden chair 0 2 0
Four Tubbs five Bowls 0 2 0
Four old Sheets 0 3 0
Gridiron Link and Dogirons 0 0 6
One Teaboard and three boxes 0 0 2
A parcel of old Iron 0 0 8
One Coffer 0 1 2
Pipe Jack and Inkhorne 0 1 0
One old Coffer
0
0
10
One brass Cock
0
0
6
Carried up
7
6
0
 
--------------------
[p.3] Four chairs
0
1
0
One Frying Pann
0
1
0
Four old Sheets
0
3
 0
One old Table Cap and Hour Glass
0
0
9
One Drink Stand
0
0
4
One Table
0
0
6
One old Bell mettle Pot
0
4
6
 
--------------------
 
£7
17
1

April 21st. 1764 The Goods and Chattells mentionrd and Contained in this Inventory were Appraised and sold by me at the above sum of Seven pounds Seventeen Shillings and one penny
Jo. Dudley

th May 1764
John Price the sole Exor. named in the last Will and Testament of Grace Tofield was duly Sworn to the truth of the written Inventory before me
B Preedy Sur.

Notes

Grace Tofield was the great-niece of Mary Bigg (d.1745), whose property she ultimately inherited (described as a messuage in the Market Place where Mary lived and a tenement in Horn Street in the occupation of Hugh Willice). Her father was Joseph Tofield (baker), and she was baptised on 12 May 1725. William Tofield, baker (d.1748) was her brother. She seems to have been the last survivor of 6 siblings, and consequently must have inherited also from her grandfather, Stephen Bigg the blacksmith (d.1756).

The messuage "Situate and being in Great Horn Street in Winslow aforesaid wherein I now Dwell" was probably 9 The Walk, which belonged to John Price in 1781. The messuage "upon the Market Hill" in the occupation of William Gibbs was probably 27 Market Square, which was owned by William Tofield and occupied by John Gibbs in 1781. The other two messuages "upon or near the Market Hill" haven't been identified securely; they could be 25 Market Square and the blacksmith's shop which was at the rear of 25-27.

Meash Rule = mash rule: an implement for stirring the mash when making beer (Dictionary of Traded Goods and Commodities 1550-1820).

Tapwist = tap whisk (Northants and Leics word) = tap hose: a strainer placed over the tap hole in a mash tub (OED).

Copyright 25 September, 2016