Summary:

Testator:                                Margaret Scales (1), widow, of Coniston Waterhead, Lancashire

Daughters:                              Agnes Harrison, Margaret Dodson and Jane Dixon (deceased)

Son-in-law and grandchildren:   Thomas Dixon of Satterthwaite, Sarah Dixon and William Dixon

Son-in-law and granddaughters: Richard Harrison (2) of Coniston Waterhead, Emmy Harrison and Catherine Harrison

Son and sole executor:           Robert Scales (3)

Supervisors:                           Richard Harrison, John Dodson, Thomas Dixon

Signed:                                   1 January 1729

Witnesses:                              Isaac Dockray and William Dockray

Inventory:                               dated 19 May 1736

Appraisors:                            Richard Harrison and Thomas Dixon

Probate:                                 Granted 10 May 1737 by W. Bordley (4)

Bond:                                     Dated 19 May 1737

Bondsmen:                             Robert Scales and Richard Harrison

Witnesses:                              Rowland Wainhouse and William Dockray

Notes:

1. Testatrix (1648-1731) was the daughter of Robert Taylor of Hawkshead, Lancashire, and the widow of John Scale (1649-1700) of Dale Park in Hawkshead; she had two sons and three daughters, but the younger son, John, died young;

2. Testatrix’s son -in-law Richard Harrison was of Coniston Waterhead in Hawkshead and is described in the Hawkshead parish registers as a gent and as a householder;

3. Testatrix’s son Robert was of Thwaitehead in Hawkshead and is also described as a gent; he married and had children;

4. William Bordley (1667-1741) was appointed Minister of Hawkshead in 1720.

Source:

Lancashire Record Office, Will of Margaret Scales, WRW/F (1737)

Text:

Will:

In the name of God, Amen.  The twenty first day of January one thousand seven hundred twenty nine, I, Margaret Scales, of Coniston Waterhead, widow, being aged and full of days and weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given unto God, do make and ordain this my last will and testament, revoking all others be me heretofore made

And for the temporal and worldly estate it hath pleased God to bestow on me, I dispose of it as follows:

First, I give to Agnes Harrison, my eldest daughter, the sum of twenty pounds, besides what I have given to her in my life time;

Item, I give to Margaret Dodson, my second daughter, the like sum of twenty pounds;

Item, I give unto Sarah Dixon and William Dixon, two children of Thomas Dixon of Satterthwaite who married my youngest daughter Jane, the sum of twenty pounds to be put forth for interest for their uses by my executor hereafter named, and to be paid to them, with the product thereof, equally betwixt them as they shall attain severally the age of twenty one years, or the survivor of them;

Item, I give to Richard Harrison, my son-in-law, whom I have lived with for near twenty years, ever since my eldest son married, the sum of ten pounds for his kindness to me during my life;

Item, I give unto him also for the trouble he will be put to and for assisting my executor about my funeral, the sum of ten pounds;

Item, I give to Emmy Harrison, my granddaughter, my wainscot chest;

Item, I give unto Catherine Harrison and her sister Emmy Harrison all my clothes and moneys in the house to be divided equally amongst them;

And I make and ordain Robert Scales, my son, my sole executor, he paying my funeral expenses and debts;

And I nominate and appoint Richard Harrison, John Dodson and Thomas Dixon, my three sons-in-law, supervisors of this my will to see the same duly performed;

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written // Margaret Scales, her mark //

Signed, sealed, pronounced and declared by the said Margaret Scales as her last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribers // Isaac Dockray // William Dockray //

Inventory:

A true and perfect inventory of all the goods, credits and chattels which did belong unto Margaret Scales, widow, late of Whaitehead in Furness Fells, deceased, prized the nineteenth day of May Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred thirty six by Richard Harrison and Thomas Dixon as followeth:

Appraisors’ names // Richard Harrison // Thos. Dixon //

Probate:

10 May 1737.  The within written will was proved by the oath of William Dockray, one of the witnesses, and the within named executor Robert Scales was sworn to perform it and exhibited an inventory to the value of £89=9=0,

before me  // W. Bordley //

Bond:

Know all men by these presents that we Robert Scales of Thwaitehead and Richard Harrison of Thirston Waterhead, gents, in Furness Fells in the county palatine of Lancaster are holden and firmly bound unto the Right Reverend Father in God, Samuel, by Divine permission, Lord Bishop of Chester, in one hundred and eighty pounds of good and lawful money of Great Britain to be paid to the said Right Reverend Father or to his certain attorney, his executors, administrators or assigns, to which payment, well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, and each of us our heirs, executors and administrators firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals, dated the nineteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred thirty and seven

The condition of this obligation is such that if the above bounden Robert Scales and Richard Harrison shall and do well and truly execute and perform the last will and testament of Margaret Scales, deceased, and do pay all her debts and legacies so far as her goods and personal estate will extend, and the law shall bind them, if also they do exhibit into court a true and perfect inventory of the said deceased’s goods and personal estate, and give a true and just account of their acting in the premises, when they shall be thereunto lawfully called, that then this obligation to be void, or else in force

// Robert Scales // Richard Harrison //

Sealed and delivers in the presence of witnesses // Rowland Wainhouse // William Dockray //