June 30 1816

My dear friend Mr Hoggins if any thing shd happen to me will you have the goodness to lock up as well as you can &n put my seal upon all till you hear from my dear Son Charles all letters & papers to be put in a wooden box & you will find a book in my writing desk the account of what money I have in my Pocket book & purse I know not who you can consult with about me but you must do for the best which I know you will. I have a half Brother but he is so much engaged in business that he can render no assistance. Mary knows where every article of mine is if she will be but attentive the best way will be to purchase a large box or chest to put all my things into my articles of plate consist of 1 Pint silver mug 1 milk pot 5 Table spoons & desert 12 Teas 1 pr Sugar tongs 1 pair Silver salts 2& 2 spoons 1 Manow Spoon 1 Tea shall 2 Silver Ladles one broke in box & one in secretarey drawer with other things table lineing napkins etc. there is a list of them In respect of my funeral I shd wish to lay where my Husband is in Bunhill Burying Ground City Road a head stone & a foot stone to the grave next to Doctor Watts whom you have heard much spoken of my funeral to be decent but quite plain but I trust some of my Children may be in this Countrey when it is the Almighty wish to call me hence but my dear Charles must be wrote to as soon as possible I have left a letter directed to him with all I wish in this world in any article which I have not mentioned here are my Drawers and Closets & Book Case I dread any thing happen to me in this house I have often been very unwell tho endeavour to keep my spirits up as much as I could the loss of my dear children particularly Charles & Amelia has been a severe cut & hard hard trial to me but the Almighty wills be done , I must submit. Mrs Ward whom I relied on so much is now engaged I must say after the attention I paid her for so many months when she had no other friend I did expect she would not have engaged herself so very closely that she could not come to me if taken dangerously ill but such is the way of this World we know no one till we try them & I thank you most sincerely for yr very kind attention at all times to me & often when I know it has been very inconvenient but God bless you & may he ever be a support to you in all yr trials in this uncertain world My dear Charles I trust will always be your friend may the Almighty spare his life & grant him success for indeed he deserve the friendship of good men the death of Poor Mr Taylor I feel much – I believe them to be a worthy family kind & attentive I have found them – I have nothing more very particularly to say but If I leave any letter send them as directed God bless you Albany & may you see many happy years is the very sincere wish of your friend Amelia Furlonger I fear you will hardly be able to read this if I am better would write it over again Let the boxes with the papers etc. etc. & Letters be tied round with a cord & all sealed up with the seal, how could Amelia leave me all amongst Strangers you would write my dear Charles soon as possible & take his direction for every thing concerning me I have had very many & unpleasant things to teaze & worry me for the last 6 months here. My silver milk Pot to be given to Amelias little Girl

30th October 1818

Appeared Personally Albany Hoggins of Marlborough Row Brompton in the County of Middlesex Gentleman Ann Beard (wife of Charles Beard) of Castle Street Finsbury Square in the same County and Mary Johnson (wife of David Johnson) of Tyson Place Kingsland Road in the same county and first the said Albany Hoggins for himself made oath that he is the sole Executor according to the tenor of the last Will and Testament or Testamentary Disposition of Amelia ffurlonger late of Tyson Place Kingsland Road in the Parish of Saint Leonard Shoreditch in the County of Middlesex aforesaid Widow deceased who departed this life on the thirteenth day of September last and that on the following day he the Appearer went to the house of the said deceased when a letter sealed up with his address thereon was delivered to him by Mary Bailey the deceaseds Servant that upon opening the said Letter and perusing the same he discovered various alterations and interlineations therein which the said letter purported to be the last Will and Testament or Testamentary disposition of the said deceased bearing date June 30th 1816 And he lastly made Oath that the said Paper Writing is now hereunto annexed in the same plight and condition as when received and read over by him the appearer as aforesaid and hath not since that time received any manner of alteration either by obliteration interlineation ….or otherwise And the said Ann Beard and Mary Johnson for themselves respectively made Oath that they knew and were well acquainted with the said Amelia Furlonger Widow deceased for some time before and to the time of her death and during such their knowledge of and acquaintance with her have frequently seen her write and subscribe her name and by that means are become well acquainted with the manner and character of handwriting and subscription and having now carefully viewed and perused the said paper writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament or testamentary disposition of the said deceased as aforesaid which begins thus “June 30 1816 My dear friend Mr Hoggins if any thing suddenly should happen to me” ends thus “God bless you Albany & may you see many happy years is the very sincere wish of yr friend” and is thus subscribed “Amelia Furlonger” with a few lines written after the said name these Appearers ay that they verily believe the whole body series and intents of the said paper writing together with the subscription “Amelia Furlonger” thereto set and subscribed as aforesaid to be of the proper hand writing and subscription of the said Amelia Furlonger Widow deceased and of no other person whomsoever

Albany Hoggins

Ann Beard

Mary Johnson

Same day the said Albany Hoggins Ann Beard and Mary Johnson were duly sworn to the truth of this Affidavit before J.Addams Surr

Proved 31 October 1818

London Metropolitan Archives