Description:Wills and their accompanying inventories of goods and chattels, are an excellent source of information for family, social and economic history. A will can provide all kinds of useful information about family relationships and the social and economic status of the testator, that is the person making the will. In addition before 1750, an itemised inventory of the goods of the deceased was drawn up by between two and five unbiased persons called appraisors, overseers or supervisors. The inventory includes all the moveable goods, including where appropriate household goods, clothing, stock-in-trade, farm stock, growing and cut corn, loose money and any rent and debts due but it does not include land.
"The words of Elizabeth Grindy of Rushley spinster the eighteenthe daye of September 1661 deceased I give unto John Bagnold foure pounds And one Londe iron And the house wherein I did inhabit and dwell payinge the Rent to the Earl of Ardglasse And I give to Isacke Shipley ffive poundes a Table and a frame and a paire of bedsteeds a Cheare and a stoole at Ashburne and a payre of 2 bedsteeds and stoopes and flocke bedd and payre of sheetes one payre of blankitts the best bedhillinge one boulster and one pillowe at Rushley And to my sister Ann Bagnolde foure poundes and my best hatt and my browne peticoate one kettle and a paire of sheetes in my trunke and my cofer that standeth in the parlor And to my sister dorothie Asten fortye shillinges And to Margrot Aston therty shillinges And to Phillipp Aston that cowe and a ffillie which he hath in his possession allredye one pewter dishe and a little pott And to little Ann Bagnold one little trunke and one pewter cupp And to Alice Bagshawe one paire of sheetes in the trunke and one paire of sheetes which shee lyeth on one feather bed ticke one payre of blankitts one coverlid one ould bedhillinge one chaffe bed one pillow one boulster one pewter dishe one candlesticke and twoe napkines And to Elizabeth Johnson one greate pann one greate tubb and twoe milke bowles one paire of bedstids which stand in the parlor and the Curtins which hange aboute the bed And I give Edward Asten all that he owes mee ---------- I ordaine and make Thomas Greenesmyth my executor these beinge witnesses
Edward Oakeden
William Bagnold
John Bagnold
Alice Aston
Date of Probate
Caverswall 27 September 1661
Thomas Greensmith executor
Sworn before Walter Littleton"
Copyright : Lichfield Record Office , B/C/11 1661 Grindy Elizabeth
Reproduced by courtesy of the Lichfield Diocesan Registrar.