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 I Robert Baker of Barton under Needwood in the Countie of Stafford yeoman being weake in body but of good & perfect minde & memerie praised be god therfore doe constitute & ordaine this my last will & testament in manner and forme following first & princepally I bequeath my soule unto the hands of Almighty God my maker trusting through the onely merit death & passion of my Lord & saviorJesus Christ to require remission and forgivenes of all my sinnes & to be made partaker of everlasting glorie in his heavenly kingdome when this mortall life is ended & my body to be buried in decent & Christian buriall by my wife and my sonn Thomas Baker and as for my goods what hath pleased god to blesse me with all I dispose of them as followeth and first I give and bequeath unto my eldest sonne Henery Baker if hee be liveing the sume of five pounds of good & lawfull money of England I allsoe give & bequeath unto my sonne John Baker one shilling I give & bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Bucknall one shilling I give & bequeath unto my daughter Katharine Baker thirtie pounds I doe give & bequeath unto my daughter Elinor Baker thirtie pounds of good & lawfull money of England I doe give & bequeath unto my daughter Ann Baker the sume of thirtie pounds of good & lawfull money of England and allsoe my minde & will is that these saide three daughters of mine Katherine Ellinor and Ann to be payde these severall sumes here mentioned that is twenty pounds a peece with in one yeare after my desease and my minde & will is that these saide three daughters Katherine Ellinor & Ann shall have payde unto them tenn pounds a peece with in twoe yeares after my decease either in goods or money and I doe make and ordaine my wife and my sonne Thomas Baker my full & soule executors of this my last will & testament In witnes hereof I have here unto sett my hand & seale the eight day of febraary 1666................................... ”
Copyright: Lichfield Record Office, B/C/11 Baker Robert 1668 June 3
Reproduced by courtesy of the Lichfield Diocesan Registrar.