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 Twenty second day of October in the year of our Lord God One thousand seven hundred & seven, I Mary Henshall in the parish of Biddulph & County of Stafford widdow, being weake of body yett in good & perfect memory praised be allmighty God therefore, doe ordaine & make this my last will and Testament in manner & forme following viz
Imprimis First and principally I comitt & comend my sole into the hands of Allmighty God my Creator & Redeemer, hopeing through the merrits of my Saviour to have pardon & forgiveness of my Sinns, And my Body to the Earth from whence it was taken to be decently Buried at the descretion of my Executor hereafter named. And as for my Temporall Estate & goods moveable and unmoveable of what kinde or natur soever they bee; I doe giue bequeath & dispose of the same as hereafter foloweth.
Item I doe give & bequeath to John Henshall my sone one shilling in full discharge of his Childes part, Item I doe give & bequeath to Ralph Henshall my Sone one shilling in full discharge of his Childes part, Item I doe give & bequeath unto Thomas Henshall my sone one shilling in full discharge & satisfaction of his Childes part Item I doe give & bequeath unto Thomas Shaw my Grandchilde five shillings, in full discharge & satisfaction of his Childes part. Item I doe give & bequeath to Mary Ford my daughter Thomas Forde my Gransone William Forde my Gransone Ann Forde my Grandaughter & Sarah Forde my Grandaughter, All arrears of Rent that is due to me from my sone John Henshall by vertue of a bond bareing date the Tenth day of January Anno Domini, 1699, equally to bedevoided amongst them, & allsoe I doe give to my daughter Mary Ford and Thomas Ford William Ford Ann Ford & Sarah Forde my Granchildren all the rest and Residue of my Goods ready Money Cattells & Chattells whatsoever in their possession or wheresoever they are to be found of what nature or quality soever the bee equally to be devoided amongst them, when my Grandaughter Sarah Forde doth attaine unto the age of one & Twent years. my debts & funerall expenses beeing first paid & discharged And Lastly I doe ordain & make Sarah Forde my Grandaughter my true & Lawfull Executor of this my Last will & Testament hopeing she will performe all things according to the trust I doe repose in her “
Copyright : Lichfield Record Office, B/C/11 1710 Henshall, Mary
Reproduced by courtesy of the Lichfield Diocesan Registrar