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Will of George West, gentleman of Oxford, formerly tanner of Winslow, 1864
Oxford Probate Registry
On the Eighteenth day of June 1864 the Will of George West formerly of Winslow in the County of Buckingham, Tanner, and late of No. 3 Clarendon Villas, Park Town near the City of Oxford in the County of Oxford, Gentlemen, deceased who died on the Twenty fifth day of May 1864, at No. 3 Clarendon Villas, Park Town aforesaid was proved in the District Registry attached to her Majesty’s Court of Probate at Oxford by the Oaths of Melbourne Russell West of Queen’s College in the University of Oxford, Gentleman, and John Herbert West of No. 128 High Street, Cheltenham, in the County of Gloucester, Bookkeeper, Sons of the Deceased, two of the Executors therein named they having been first sworn duly to administer: Power being reserved of making a like Grant to Caroline West, Widow, Relict of the Deceased, the other Executor named in the said Will.
It is hereby certified that the above is a correct copy.
Dated this Twenty third day of June 1864.
Effects under £9000. No Leaseholds
Extracted by William Wharton Robinson
Solicitor, Oxford
This is the last Will and Testament of me George West late of Winslow in the County of Buckingham, Tanner, but now of No. 3 Clarendon Villas, Park Town, near the City of Oxford, Gentleman. I bequeath to my Wife Caroline West all my wearing apparel and the wines liquors provisions and consumable stores which shall be in and about my Dwellinghouse at the time of my decease I bequeath to my Eldest son Melbourne Russell West the sum of four thousand pounds sterling and to each of my three other children namely Charles Ernest West, Georgina Caroline West and John Herbert West the sum of One thousand pounds sterling and direct that these Legacies shall be paid within Six calendar months after my decease I give devise and bequeath All the real and personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever which at the time of my death I may have power to dispose of or appoint (except what I otherwise dispose of by this my Will) unto and to the use of my said Sons Melbourne Russell West and John Herbert West their heirs executors and administrators respectively Upon trust during the life of my Wife to allow her the use and enjoyment of all my household furniture linen china books plate pictures and household effects and also to pay to her my said Wife during her life for her use and benefit the net annual income arising from my real estate and from the investment of my personal Estate And upon further trust after the decease of my said Wife to sell and convert into money the whole of my real and personal estate and to stand possessed of the net monies to arise from such sale and conversion (after payment of the expenses attending the same) In Trust for such of my said four children Melbourne Russell West, Charles Earnest West, Georgina Caroline West, and John Herbert West as shall be living at the time of the decease of my said Wife and the issue (if any) then living of such of my said children as shall previously have died where either in my lifetime or after my decease, such child children and issue to take in equal shares per stirpes yet so that no person shall be entitled under this trust if his or her parent shall be living and entitled thereunder and so that the issue of any person who would have taken if living at the time of the decease of my said Wife shall take only the share which his her or their parent would in that event have taken and such issue if more than one shall take such share equally between them I authorise my said trustees or trustee in their or his discretion to permit such part or parts of my residuary personal estate as at my death shall be in any state of permanent investment to remain in such state during the life of my Wife and subject to such discretionary power I direct that my residuary personal estate shall be invested in the names or name of my Trustees or Trustee upon any of the Public Stock or Funds or Government securities of the United Kingdom or of India or upon freehold copyhold or leasehold or chattel real securities in England or in or upon the Debenture Stock, Debentures, Mortgages or Securities or the guaranteed or preference shares of any Public Company in the United Kingdom or of India incorporated by Act of Parliament or otherwise or in or upon Mortgage of the rates of any County City or Borough in England with power to alter and vary such investment whenever deemed expedient for or into others of any of the kinds hereinbefore authorized I hereby declare that it shall be lawful for my said trustees or trustee if they or he shall think it expedient to sell and convert all or any part of my real Estate during the life of my said Wife with her consent in writing and that in the event of any such sale the moneys to arise therefrom shall be forthwith invested in manner hereinbefore authorized and held upon the same trusts as are hereinbefore declared concerning my said real and personal Estate I give and devise unto my said trustees their heirs executors and administrators all the Estates as well real as personal as may be invested in me upon any trusts or by way of Mortgage, subject to the equities and trusts affecting the same respectively and to be applied so far as I may be beneficially interested therein as part of my personal estate for the purpose of this my Will I declare that it shall be lawful for my trustees and trustee to postpone the sale of all or any part of my real and personal Estate after the death of my Wife for such time as he or they may think expedient, and that until the Sale thereof the net rents and annual Income arising from the unsold portion thereof shall after my Wife’s decease be paid and applied unto the persons and for the purposes to whom and for which the moneys arising from such sale would be payable and applicable in case the sale had actually been made I declare that my real Estate shall from the period of my death be deemed in equity to be converted into personal estate and transmissible as such I authorise my trustees and trustee during the lifetime of my said Wife but with her consent in writing to pay or advance to or for the benefit of any of my said children any part not exceeding one half of his or her presumptive or expectant share in my said real and personal estate under the trusts hereinbefore contained I appoint my said Wife Caroline West and my said two Sons Melbourne Russell West and John Herbert West to be the Executors of this my Will And I revoke all former Wills and declare this alone to be my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the Nineteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and sixty four [signed] Geo West
Signed and acknowledged by the said George West as his Will in the presence of us present at the same time and who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses
John Thorp Chaplain of the County Prison, Oxford
W.W. Robinson, Solicitor, Oxford
On the Eighteenth day of June 1864, the Will of George West formerly of Winslow in the County of Buckingham Tanner, and late of No.3 Clarendon Villas, Park town near the City of Oxford in the County of Oxford, Gentleman, deceased, who died on the Twenty fifth day of May 1864, at No.3 Clarendon Villas, Park Town, aforesaid was proved in the District Registry attached to Her Majesty’s Court of Probate at Oxford, by the Oaths of Melbourne Russell West of Queens College in the University of Oxford, Gentleman, and John Herbert West of No.128 High Street, Cheltenham, in the County of Gloucester Bookkeeper, Sons of the Deceased, two of the Executors therein named they having been first sworn duly to administer. Power being reserved of making a like Grant to Caroline West, Widow, Relict of the Deceased, the other Executor named in the said Will.
Effects under £9000 No Leaseholds
Extracted by William Wharton Robinson
Solicitor, Oxford.
It is hereby certified that the foregoing is a correct copy. Dated this Twenty third day of June 1864.
Notes
How George West transformed himself from Winslow tanner to wealthy Oxford gentleman is so far unclear. He was the son of George West, currier (d.1827) and his wife Sarah West (d.1830) (nee Bowler), and brother of Mary Elizabeth West (d.1878), q.v. for more about the family. He inherited the Greyhound Lane tannery from his father but nothing from his mother. He married Caroline Maynard at Weston-on-the-Green in 1829. In the 1851 Census he was living at the tannery with four children and two servants but described himself as farmer employing 8 men and 3 boys. They had moved to Oxford by 1861 when he called himself a landed proprietor in the Census. He owned about 8 acres of copyhold land in Winslow which was transferred to his sons at the 1864 manor court. Caroline West the widow died in Oxford in 1870.
Melbourne Russell West the eldest son was listed at Oxford in 1861 as a tanner employing 4 labourers and 1 boy, presumably at Winslow. He bought Staniford House in Winslow in 1857 when he was described as a farmer, but sold it in 1864 and the land behind it in 1866. However, in 1862 he enrolled at Queen's College Oxford, where he graduated BA in 1865 and MA 1868. He then became a clergyman and was Vicar of Ullenhall, Warws (1878-99), and died at Leamington in 1901 aged 63. He was probably the first person from a working Winslow family to go to Oxford.
Charles Ernest West the second son returned to Winslow at the end of his life and died there in 1884: see his will.
SALES BY AUCTION. By Messrs. DUDLEY & SON.
WINSLOW AND SWANBOURNE,
BUCKS.
FOUR CLOSES OF RICH ACCOMMODATION LAND
VALUABLE for Building Purposes, in the Parishes of Winslow and Swanbourne, and FIVE SHARES in the WINSLOW GAS COMPANY,
TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION, BY DUDLEY & SON, EARLY IN FEBRUARY,
At the BELL HOTEL, WINSLOW, by direction of the Executors of the late George West, Esq.
Further particulars may be known on application to Messrs. Willis and Willis, Solicitors; or to Messrs. Dudley and Son, Auctioneers and Land-agents, Winslow.
Manor court, 30 Oct 1871
Surrender: Rev. Melbourne Russell West of Ashfield nr Ross, Herefs, clerk & John Herbert West of Swansea, merchant on 5 Oct by Thomas Price Willis
Admission: Samuel Burnham Dudley of W land agent
Consideration: £425
Close of pasture called Peas Furlong Close in Red Field of Shipton containing 2a 3r 7p
+ adjoining close of pasture in the Cow Pasture containing 1a 2r 14p formerly in the occupation of Joseph Mead, afterwards Matthew Mead, now and for some time SBD.
MRW & JHW admitted 1864 as devisees in trust of George West.
Surrender: Rev. Melbourne Russell West of Ashfield nr Ross, Herefs, clerk & John Herbert West of Swansea, provision merchant on 5 Oct by Thomas Price Willis
Admission: David Thomas Willis of Winslow gentleman
Consideration: £313 10s
Two undivided moieties of close of pasture ground in Winslow containing 1a 3r 7p for many years in the occupation of Francis Budd, afterwards John Arnott, now or late William Keys.
MRW & JHW admitted 1864 as devisees in trust of George West. Rent [blank], fine [blank]
Surrender: Rev. Melbourne Russell West of Ashfield nr Ross, Herefs, clerk & John Herbert West of Swansea, provision merchant on 5 Oct by Thomas Price Willis
Admission: Henry Wigley of Winslow gentleman
Consideration: £517 7s 6d
Two undivided moieties of close of pasture in Winslow containing 3a 0r 4p for many years in the occupation of Francis Budd, afterwards John Arnott, now or late William Keys.