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.
"In the name of God Amen the eleveneth day of march Anno Domini 1676/7 Before us Thomas Aspinall of Blurton minister & William Peover of Hanford yeoman both in the parish of Trentham and County of Stafford our late neighbour Dorothy Brerehurst of Hanford widow expressed and declared her last will and Testament in this forme I Dorothy Brerehurst being weake and not of Abillity to cause my Testament to bee putt in writing by reason of the aproach of death, before you my good Freinds doe exprese and declare this my last will, First I bequeath my soule to Almighty God and my body to Christian buryall, Allsoe I give and bequeath unto my Grandchild Andrew Vise Twenty pounds to bee Imployed after the best manner for his profite I allsoe give and bequeath to my Grandchild Susanna Burgess Tenn shilling to buy her A ring, And I give & bequeath to John Fenton my servant Tenn shilling , And lastly I give & bequeath to the poore of Ashley forty shillings, And for the rest of my goods I give & bequeath them to Andrew Vise my sonne in law and Dorothy his wife my daughter to order and dispose of as to them seemes good And them the said, Andrew Vise and Dorothy his wife I ordaine make and Constitute my executors lawfully to execute and fullfill this my last will, in witness wherof wee the Thomas Aspinall & William Peover have to these presents put our seales in the presents of the witnesses here after named the 26th day of Aprill 1677
Sealed in presents of viz [no witnesses recorded]
26 Aprill 77
Probate granted to Andrew Vise and Dorothy his wife Sworn before me
Tho[mas]: Tresser
Surrogate"
Copyright : Lichfield Record Office , B/C/11 1676/7 Brerehurst , Dorothy
Reproduced by courtesy of the Lichfield Diocesan Registrar.