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 there 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 three & Twentieth day of Februari in the xxxiith yeare of the Raigne of our soveraigne Lorde king Charles the second over England xx Annoque Domini 1680 I Gerves Ash of Drayton Bassitt in the County of Stafford yeamon being weake in body but of a sound disposeing mind & memory praised be Almighty God for the same doe make & ordaine this my last will & Testament in manner & forme followeing (That is to say First I give & bequeath my soule unto god my Creator hopeing by the merrits of Jesus Christ my saviour to have everlasting life & my body to the earth to be decently buried according to the discretion of my Executor – herein after named And as touching my worldly estate which it hath pleased god to intrust me with I give & bequeath as followeth That is to say I give devise & bequeath unto Rowland Hunt of Drayton Bassitt aforesaid & his heires for ever All that my messuage or Tenement with the appurtenances in Dreaton Bassett aforesaid now in the tenure of me the said Gerves Ash & John Hunt Father of the said Rowland And all barnes buildings gardens orchards crofts backsids, closes, leasowes, medowes & hereditaments whatsoever to the said messuage or Tenement belonging And also all other my Tenements buildings lands closes grounds & hereditaments whatsoever in Drayton Basset aforesaid yet soe as that the same premises shal be liable to & chargeable with the payment of the severall legacyes hereinafter mentioned And which I bequeath as followeth To John Hunt father of the said Rowland twelve pence To my sister Lettes Hunt wife of the saide John Hunt Tenne pounds for her oune proper use & disposing & if the said Lettes happen to be a widdow my mind is that She shall have only a biding place or house roume in the said premises so long as she doth continue or remain but no longer I bequeath To Elizabeth Taylor daughter of Elizabeth Talor six pounds To Penelope daughter of Penelope Tompson six pounds, To Elizabeth Tompson daughter of Penelope Tompson Six pounds To Lettice Standitch daughter of Penelope Tompson six pounds which said severall Legacyes my will is shall be paid within three yeares next after my decease Item I give & bequeath to John Hunt sonne of the said John Hunt six pounds To Littice Hunt daughter of the said John Hunt the elder six pounds and my mind & will is that these two last menconed Legacyes shall be paide within foure yeares next after my decease ............”
copyright: Lichfield Record Office, B/C/11 Ash, Gervaise
Reproduced by courtesy of the Lichfield Diocesan Registrar