The Will of Francis Methold of the City of Bath in the County of Somerset

The Will of Francis Methold

In the Name of God Amen I Francis Methold of the City of Bath in the County of Somerset of sound disposing mind and memory and understanding do xxx publish and declare this to be my last will and testament in manner following first I commend my soul to God and my body to the earth to be decently buried and should I die in Bath to be buried at Weston in the county of Somerset I will and direct that all my just debts and familial expenses and the expense of proving this my will be first payed and discharged by my executors hereinafter named I give and bequeath to my dear wife Alice Methold her administrators executors and assigns the sum of three hundred pounds to be paid her in one month after my decease also my chariot and horses and all my liquors of every sort and kind for her own absolute use and benefit also I give and devise to my said wife and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life all that messuages and tenement dwelling house with the xxx appurtenances thereinto belonging situate standing and being within xxx in the city of Bath she my said wife paying the ground rent and all taxes respecting the same and keeping the same in good xxx and tenantable repair also the use of my jewels trinkets household furniture plate prints china as well useful as ornamental and all the implements of household furniture whatsoever that shall be and about the house I may live in at the time of my death I give unto my son in law James Holmes Goble of xxx in the county of Sussex the sum of five hundred pounds I give to my nephew Thomas Methold the sum of twenty pounds I give to my niece Catherine Waters the sum of twenty pounds I give to my sister Elizabeth Monkton the sum of twenty pounds I give to my brother Thomas Methold the sum of one hundred pounds I give to my sister Ann Nail the sum of one hundred pounds I give to my niece Mary Colson the sum of one hundred pounds I desire rings may be given to Sir John and Lady Burges & Mrs Catherine Methold & Mrs Lys & Mrs xxx Senr and Junior I give to Gill Badeley Esquire of the city of Bath one of my executors and trustees in case he shall act and take upon himself the trust hereby reposed in him and not otherwise the sum of one hundred pounds to be my other trustee and executor I appoint my son Henry Methold all which legacies and bequests I

will that they be paid to my several legatees within six months after my decease I give and bequeath to the said Gill Badeley and Henry Methold their heirs executors administrators and assigns the sum of fifteen thousand pounds capital stock in the four per cent bank annuities standing and being in my name to and for the several trusts xxx and purposes hereinafter mentioned and declared for and concerning the same that is to say that my wife Alice Methold and her assigns do and have take and enjoy the interests dividends and profits of the said fifteen thousand pounds four percent annuities during the term of her natural life and I do further will that should the interest of the four percent bank annuities be reduced in that case my executors shall pay my said wife the difference so as to make her income at least six hundred pounds per annum and in case there should be at my decease any deficiency in the principal sum of fifteen thousand pounds four percent bank annuities my executors shall purchase out of the rest and residue so much as will make that stock complete fifteen thousand pounds and I do hereby declare that the several bequests by in and of this my will made by me in favour of my said wife are by me intended and shall and shall be accepted by her in full xxx satisfaction and recompense of all dower and xxx at common law or my custom or otherwise which my said wife can or may or otherwise might claim challenge or demand or be entitled unto out of all my freehold messuages lands hereditaments and real estate and for a certain annuity or annual sum of one hundred pounds settled and secured to her by my bond for her life given by me to trustees on my marriage with her and unless my wife do and shall within three calendar months after my decease if required thereunto by my executors by writing under her hand and seal by two or more credible witnesses declare her assent to and acceptance of the same I do then in such case declare that the said several gifts devises and bequests herein by me before given or made to in favour of my said wife shall be absolutely null and said to all intents and purposes whatsoever after the death of my said wife Alice Methold the above mentioned fifteen thousand pounds four percent bank annuities in further trust to my executors administrators and assigns to the intents ends and purposes hereinafter mentioned I do by this my will declare impower my executors administrators and assigns to divide and pay to the children of my son Henry Methold equally share and share alike

sons and daughters of my said son Henry Methold on their attaining the following ages that is to say the sons of my son Henry Methold upon his or their attaining the age of twenty one years and the daughter or daughters of my said son Henry Methold upon her or their attaining the age of twenty one years or day of marriage of said daughter or daughters of my said son Henry Methold provided it be with the consent and approbation of their parents and guardians but not otherwise I will and direct that my son Henry Methold do and shall have take and enjoy and receive the interests dividends and profits of the said fifteen thousand pounds four pc bank annuities until his children arrive to their respective ages above mentioned but no longer in case he should have no child or children to live to be above the ages mentioned or married then in that case the said principal sum of fifteen thousand pounds four pc bank annuities to become the property of my son Henry Methold for ever I do direct and will that my executors admons and assigns do pay yearly and every year to my sister Ann Nail during her life the sum of one hundred pounds and after the death to my niece Elizabeth Nail the sum of sixty pounds yearly and every year during the life of the said Elizabeth Nail I give and bequeath to Edward Blackwell of Islington Midx the sum of fifteen pounds a year and every year during his life I do give and bequeath to my nieces Mary Nail and Hannah Nail daughters of my sister Ann Nail the sum of twenty pounds a year to each of them during the time they shall remain single and unmarried after their mothers death but no longer Upon their marriages these annuities to be void and revise when either of their marriages shall take place I give and bequeath to them three hundred pounds to each of them as a marriage portion all the above annuities on the death of said annuitants or marriage of my said nieces Mary and Hannah Nail to be and become the property of my son Henry Methold or his sons for ever I do give and bequeath unto the said Gill Badeley and Henry Methold their executors administrators and assigns in trust the sum of six thousand pounds to be by them placed out in Government security to and for and upon the trust ends intent and purposes hereinafter mentioned and declared concerning the same that is to say upon trust and to the intent and purpose that my daughter Mary Magdalene Goble shall have and receive take and enjoy the interests dividends and profits of the said capital sum of six thousand pounds

for and during the term of her natural life and after the death of my said daughter in trust for all the son or sons daughter or daughters by the body of my said daughter by the present or any future husband that shall hereto attain the age of twenty one years or the days of lawful marriage of the daughters whom marry with the consent of their guardians to be equally divided among such children share and share alike sons and daughters and in the meantime until such son or sons daughter or daughters shall have attained his her or their ages of twenty one years or lawful marriage the daughters aforesaid in trust to receive the interests dividends and profits of the said six thousand pounds to apply and pay the same after the death of my said daughter to and for the maintenance and education or other use and benefit of all and every such child or children of my said daughter In case there should be no child or children of my said daughter live to attain the age of twenty one years or marriage as before mentioned then the said six thousand pounds in trust I give to my son Henry Methold and his sons for ever I give and devise all the rest residue of all my real and personal effects whatsoever and wheresoever not here by me particularly disposed of to my son Henry Methold his executors administrators and assigns for ever I do hereby appoint the said Gill Badeley and Henry Methold in trust for this my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time made in writings whereof I the said Francis Methold have in two sheets of paper set my hand and seal to this second sheet thereof the twelfth day of December one thousand seven hundred and ninety three

Francis Methold signed sealed published and declared by the said testator Francis Methold in the presence of us to be his last will and testament and by his desire have subscribed our names as witnesses thereunto - Matthew Patton St Andrews Terrace Bath – William Fanthurn No16 Coirus Bath – John Ellis

This will was proved at London the twenty fourth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety four before the worshipful Thomas Champion xxx doctor of laws surrogate of the Right Honourable Sir William Wynne Knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oaths of Gill Badeley and Henry Methold Esquire the son of the deceased

and xxx the executors named in the said will to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased having been first sworn only to administer.