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 I John Dolman Vicar of Womborn very weak in body but compos mentis laudatis deo do make this my last will & Testament In maner & Form Following : First I give & bequeath my immortall Soul Into the hands of God trusting in his infinite mercy & ?true grace through the merits of Jesus christ my redemer to obteyn Eternall lyf when this is Ended As For my Temperall Estate: Imprimus I give & bequeathe to my Eldest Daughter Mary besides what is already settled uppon her & in her own possession by good security into Sherwins morgage taken in my name she paying the interest of it to her Mother during her life Also I give her my silver Tankerd Also I give her my best bed & the wrought furniture in the best chamber: Item I give to my Daughter Byllingsly my sylver year peece also I give to her one cow also another to her son John & my Godson another Cow Also I give to my Son Mathew Forty pounds that is in my cousin John Hayes hands to be Sett out in his name also I give him ten pounds to be payd two yeares after my death: Moreover I being undoubted Patron of Broom in the Dioces of Worcester doe devise give & grant unto my said son Mathew Dolman the next presentation of the said Rectory of Broom nevertheless my wyll is that if his Eldest Brother Thomas shall give unto his Brother Mathew twenty pounds that my son Mathew that he doe resighn this power of presentation unto my Son Thomas Dolman over Item I give unto my son Thomas my Mare & Sadle & Desk Item I give unto my Sons Thomas & [Nathaniel] All my Books besides which my wife shall choose For herself & Daughter Mary Item I give unto John the Son of my Son Nathaniel & Elizabeth his Daughter one morgage of twelve pounds from one Bradley lying in Swynford Item I give unto the Daughter of my son Mathew one bed which my wife shall apoynt. Item I give twenty shillings to the poer of Brewood And the lyke Summ to the poer of Womburn And the lyke summ to the poer of Trysull Item what money is left I give the interest of it To my beloved wyfe for her lyfe And afterward I apoynd it to bee divided equally amongst my children by whom my wyfe shall apoynt Not forgetting the poer nor those servants that have bene Faythfull to us Lastly I make my Son Nathaniell Sole Executor of this my last will & Testament and For his payns I give him All the Arrears of Church dues [owing to me in the Parrish of Womborn I revoke all other wills this being [written] with my own hand, & published & declared to be my last will & Testament"
Copyright : Lichfield Record Office , B/C/11 1690 Dolman , John
Reproduced by courtesy of the Lichfield Diocesan Registrar.