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 an Blyth of Cannoke In the county of Staffort widdow being weak in body but of sound mind and memory blessed be God for itt do make constitute and ordane this my Last will and testament In manner and form following First of all I committ my soul into the hands of God Almightty hoping through the merritts and death and passion of Jesus Christ my onely Savior and Redeemer to obtane fule and free pardon and forgiveness for all my sins and to inherit everlasting life And my body I committ to the Earth to be decently buried att the discretion of my Executors hearein after named and as touching the Disposition of all such temporall Estate as itt hath pleased God to bestow upon me I give devise and dispose there of as followeth thatt is to say Imprimis I will and desire thatt all my Debts and funerale Charges Expenses be firest paid and discharged Item I give unto my younger son walter Blyth one bed In the parler and all the furniture belonging to itt and A Round table In the parler and one bed In the Chamber over the howse which Runs of weels and all furniture belonging to itt and fore puter dishes and six puter plates and one brass Candlestick and one brass basting spoon and A box In the Chamber over the howse and my linen to be Equally devided between my eldest son thomas Blyth and my younger son walter Blyth………..”
Copyright: Lichfield Record Office, P/C/11 1728 Ann Blyth
Reproduced by courtesy of the Lichfield Diocesan Registrar.