THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of me the Reverend Benjamin Slight of Nenthorn in the Parish of East Grinstead and County of Sussex Minister of the Gospel I appoint the Reverend James Cattell of Stone Villa Chipstead in the County of Kent Minister of the Gospel James Richardson Pearless of East Grinstead aforesaid gentleman and William Young of East Grinstead aforesaid Grocer and Draper to be Executors of this my Will I give and bequeath my silver teapot and cream jug to Gertrude Rueb niece of my dear wife Charlotte Slight I give and bequeath provided my said wife shall have died in my lifetime and I shall have become entitled through or under any Will Codicil or testamentary appointment respectively made by my said wife in exercise of power given to her by her Marriage Settlement and the Will of John Scott deceased as to a moiety of two thousand pounds in such Will mentioned or either of them to gross principal money stock or investment and by gross I mean without deducting expenses to the extent of one thousand five hundred pounds the legacy or sum of five hundred pounds to the trustees for the time being of the Congregational Church at Ashurst Wood Upon trust that they and other the Trustees from time to time of the said Church do invest the same and apply the income towards the support of the Minister or the current expenses of the said Church as to such its Trustees shall from time to time seem expedient And I give and bequeath under the like circumstances the legacy or sum of fifty pounds to the English Congregational Chapel Building Society and the receipt of its Treasurer or Secretary for the time being to be good to discharge And I direct that such legacies or sums of five hundred pounds and fifty pounds shall be raised exclusively out of such part of my personal estate not specifically bequeathed as may lawfully be appropriated to such purposes and preferably to any other payment thereout I give devise and bequeath all my real estate whatsoever and wheresoever and all the rest residue and remainder of my personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto the said James Cattell James Richardson Pearless and William Young To hold the same according to the several and respective tenures natures and qualities thereof unto them and their heirs executors and administrators and assigns respectively herein after called my trustees or trustee for the time being Upon trust so soon after my decease as conveniently may be but subject to the power of postponement herein after contained to call in get in and receive all such parts of my residuary personal estate as shall consist of money or securities for money and sell and convert into money all such parts of the same as shall not so consist And upon trust to hold the proceeds so arising from the sales calling in getting in receipt and conversion of the whole of my real and residuary personal estate which shall remain after payment of my debts and funeral and testamentary expenses and which remaining proceeds are hereinafter called my principal trust fund Upon the trusts and for the purposes hereinafter declared And upon trust if my said wife shall be living at my decease to invest my principal trust fund and to pay the income thence arising to her for and during the term of her natural life I give and bequeath out of my principal trust fund provided my said wife shall have died in my lifetime and I shall have become entitled through or under any Will Codicil or testamentary appointment respectively made by my said wife in exercise of power given to her by her Marriage Settlement and the Will of John Scott deceased as to a moiety of Two thousand pounds in such Will mentioned or either of them to gross principal moneystock or investments and by gross I mean without deducting expenses to the extent of one thousand five hundred pounds the legacies or sums following that is to say Two hundred and fifty pounds to our friend Catherine Morris now living with us and Two hundred and
fifty pounds to our Servant Frances Esther Grove such gifts or legacies to be independent of any other benefits under this my Will I give and bequeath provided my said wife shall have died in my lifetime the residue of my principal trust fund to the extent of the gross principal money stocks or investments and by gross I mean without deducting expenses by which I may have become entitled through or under any Will Codicil or testamentary appointment respectively made by my said wife in exercise of power given to her by her Marriage Settlement and the Will of John Scott deceased as to a moiety of two thousand pounds in such Will mentioned or either of them but less one thousand pounds And also less such legacy of two hundred and fifty pounds to the said Catherine Morris if not lapsed and such legacy of two hundred and fifty pounds to the said Frances Esther Grove if not lapsed in manner following that is to say I give and bequeath six twenty third parts thereof unto and if more than one equally between such of the three following children of my said wife's late brother Frank Twiss namely Robert Twiss Mary Mossel and Cateau Gildemeester as shall be living at my decease provided that in the case of any of them the said Robert Twiss Mary Mossel and Cateau Gildemeester who shall have died in my lifetime and of whom there shall be any child or children in the strict sense of the term that is excluding more remote issue than child or children living at my decease I direct that such child or children shall stand in his her or their deceased parents place and take equally between them if more than one the share whether original or original additional or surviving to which such deceased parent would have been entitled if living And I give and bequeath two other twenty third parts thereof unto Robert Twiss of Rotterdam eldest son of my said wife's late brother Henry Twiss provided that in case such Robert Twiss shall have died in my lifetime and there shall be any child or children of his in the strict sense of the term that is excluding more remote issue than child or children living at my decease I direct that such child or children shall stand in his her or their deceased parents place and take equally between them if more than one And I give and bequeath five other twenty third parts thereof unto and if more than one equally between each child or children in the strict sense of the term that is excluding more remote issue than child or children of my said wife's late niece Charlotte De Lange wife of Samuel De Lange of Rotterdam as shall be living at my decease And I give and bequeath the remaining ten twenty third parts thereof unto and if more than one equally between such child and children in the strict sense of the term that is excluding more remote issue than child or children of the late Benjamin Alexander Suermondt of Batavia as shall be living at my decease I direct and bequeath that in case of any share or shares that is six twenty third parts which shall happen to lapse the lapsed share or shares shall go to the rest of such beneficiaries in the same proportions as an addition to the original shares And with regard if my said wife survive me to the whole of my principal trust fund subject nevertheless to the interest therein hereinbefore given to her for life or with regard if I survive my said wife to the remainder of my principal trust fund beyond so much if any as shall be under the provisions of this my Will divisible into twenty three parts as aforesaid I give and bequeath (subject to the following legacies which I hereby bequeath namely to the said James Cattell provided he shall prove this my Will forty guineas To the said William Young provided he shall prove this my Will forty guineas To the mother of the said Frances Esther Grove nineteen guineas To Emily Grove sister of the said Frances Esther Grove nineteen guineas and to John Widrington Whinfield of 46 Jesmond Road Newcastle upon Tyne or if he die in my lifetime to his wife nineteen guineas) as follows that is to say I give and bequeath two eighth parts thereof to my sister Christina Slight if she survive me And I give and bequeath two or if my said sister Christina Slight do not survive me three eighth parts thereof unto and if more than one equally between such child or children of my late sister Elizabeth Robson as shall be living at my decease provided that in the case of any child of the said Elizabeth Robson who is now dead or shall hereafter die in my lifetime and of whom there shall be any child or children in the strict sense of the term that is excluding more remote issue than child or children living at my decease I direct that such child or children shall stand in his her or their deceased parents place and take equally between them if more than one And I give and bequeath two or if my said sister Christina Slight do not survive me three eighth parts thereof unto and if more than one equally between such child or children of my late sister Marianne Bruce other than her daughter Charlotte as shall be living at my decease provided that in the case of any child other than her said daughter Charlotte of the said Marianne Bruce who is now dead or shall hereafter die in my lifetime and of whom there shall be any child or children in the strict sense of the term that is excluding more remote issue than child or children living at my decease I direct that such child or children shall stand in his her or their deceased parents place and take equally between them if more than one And I give and bequeath one other eighth part thereof unto the said Catherine Morris And I give and bequeath the remaining eighth part thereof unto the said Frances Esther Grove And I direct and bequeath that in the case of the death of both or either of them the said Catherine Morris and Frances Esther Grove in my lifetime their shares or the share of the one so dying as the case may be shall go to my said sister Christina Slight and the Robson and Bruce families or to the Robson and Bruce families alone as the case may be in the manner and proportions before directed as to original shares I declare that my trustees or trustee for the time being shall have a discretionary power of postponing the sale and conversion of the whole or any part of my real and personal estate until after my said wife's decease and of allowing her to occupy any part of my real estate and use any part of my furniture and effects And that the rents of any undisposed of realty and the income of any
investments shall be applied in like manner as the income arising from the proceeds if converted would have been Provided nevertheless that for all purposes of transmission and otherwise conversion shall be deemed to have taken place immediately after my decease I expressly direct that the said James Richardson Pearless shall notwithstanding his acceptance of the office of trustee and executor of this my Will and his acting in the execution thereof be entitled to make the same
professional charges as a Solicitor and to receive the same pecuniary emoluments and remuneration for all business done by him and all attendances time and trouble given or bestowed by him in or about the execution of the trusts and powers of this my Will or the management and administration of my trust estate real or personal as if he being himself not a trustee or executor of this my Will were employed by the trustee or executor or trustees or executors thereof as Solicitors to such trustee or executor trustees or executors and shall be entitled to retain out of the trust moneys or to be allowed and to receive from his cotrustees if any out of the same moneys the full amount of such charges any rule of equity to the contrary notwithstanding nevertheless without prejudice to the right or competency of the said James Richardson Pearless to exercise the authority controul [sic] judgement and discretion of a trustee of this my Will And I direct that and irrespective of any legacy given to him any executor or trustee for the time being of this my Will shall be entitled to charge for all costs loss of time and expenses And lastly hereby revoking all former Wills and Testamentary dispositions by me at any time heretofore made I declare this to be my last and only Will and testament In witness whereof I the said Benjamin Slight the testator have to this my last Will contained in six sheets of paper set and subscribed my hand namely at the bottom of each of the first five sheets thereof and at this the end of the sixth and last sheet thereof this twenty second day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty three Benjamin Slight Signed and declared by the said Benjamin Slight the testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request in the presence of each other and at the same time have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses Jno: Argent Clerk to Messrs Pearless & Sons Solicitors East Grinstead Jas Thomas Lynn East Grinstead Clerk to Messrs Pearless & Sons

THIS is a Codicil to the last Will and Testament of me The Reverend Benjamin Slight of Nenthorn in the Parish of East Grinstead and County of Sussex Minister of the Gospel which Will bears date the twenty second day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighty three whereas since the date of my said Will my dear wife Charlotte Slight has died and it is my wish to make some further provision for Catherine Morris and Frances Esther Grove in my said Will respectively mentioned by way of acknowledgement of their devoted attention to her Now I increase the legacy of two hundred and fifty pounds which in the events which have happened I have by my said Will given to each of them as shall be living at my death by one hundred pounds thus making it Three hundred and fifty pounds and reducing the portion of my residuary trust fund divisible into twenty three parts And I give to each of them as shall be living at my death the further legacy of fifty pounds to be raised out of my residuary fund remaining beyond such portion thereof And I confirm the gift to each of them as shall be living at my death of one eighth of such residuary fund remaining beyond such portion thereof and which shall remain after payment thereout of the legacies given there and by my said Will and this my Codicil I declare that all the legacies and benefits by my said Will and this my Codicil to the said Catherine Morris and Frances Esther Grove given or to be in no way dependant upon whether or not they shall be living with me at the time of my decease I declare that in allusion in my said Will to principal money stock or investments to which I might become entitled through or under any Will Codicil or Testamentary appointment respectively made by my said wife in exercise of power given to her by her marriage Settlement and the Will of John Scott deceased as to a moiety of Two thousand pounds in such Will mentioned or either of them I neither had nor have any intention of deducting any sums which I may have held or borrowed on security but considered and consider myself simply as a stranger borrower I declare that the one thousand pounds mentioned in my said Will as a deduction therefrom I intended and intend to be an addition to my general residuary estate And in all other respects I confirm my said last Will and testament As witness my hand this eleventh day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty five Benjamin Slight Signed and declared by the said Benjamin Slight the Testator as and for a Codicil to his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request in the presence of each other and at the same time have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses Jno: Argent Clerk to Messrs Pearless & Sons Solicitors East Grinstead Jas Thomas Lynn East Grinstead Clerk to Messrs Pearless & Sons Solicitors.

THIS is a second Codicil to the last Will and Testament of me The Reverend Benjamin Slight of Nenthorn in the Parish of East Grinstead and County of Sussex Minister of the Gospel which Will bears date the twenty second day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighty three and the first Codicil whereto bears date the eleventh day of May one thousand eight hundred and eighty five I desire and direct that my said Will shall be read as though instead of using the words "I give and bequeath six twenty third parts thereof unto and if more than one equally between such of the three following children of my said wife's late brother Frank Twiss namely Robert Twiss Mary Mossel and Cateau Gildemeester as shall be living at my decease provided that in the case of any of them the said Robert Twiss Mary Mossel and Cateau Gildemeester who shall have died in my lifetime and of whom there shall be any child or children in the strict sense of the term that is excluding more remote issue than child or children living at my decease I direct that such child or children shall stand in his her or their deceased parents place and take equally between them if more than one the share whether original or original additional or surviving to which such deceased parent would have been entitled if living And I give and bequeath two other twenty third parts thereof unto Robert Twiss of Rotterdam eldest son of my said wife's late brother Henry Twiss provided that in case such Robert Twiss shall have died in my lifetime and there shall be any child or children of his in the strict sense of the term that is excluding more remote issue than child or children living at my decease I direct that such child or children shall stand in his her or their deceased parents place and take equally between them if more than one" I had used the words "I give and bequeath eight twenty third parts thereof unto and if more than one equally between such of the following six persons as shall be living at my decease that is to say Robert Twiss Mary Mossel and Cateau Gildemeester as shall be living at my decease provided that in the case of any of them the said Robert Twiss Mary Mossel and Cateau Gildemeester (who are three children of the late Frank Twiss a brother of my said wife) Robert Twiss (of Rotterdam eldest son of my said wife's late brother Henry Twiss) the said Gertrude Rueb (a niece of my said wife) and Louis Auguste C. Suermondt (a brother of the said Gertrude Rueb)" and also instead of using in a passage a little further on the words "Six twenty third parts, two twenty third parts" I had used the words "eight twenty third parts" And I give and bequeath out of my residuary fund remaining beyond the portion thereof which under the provisions of my said Will as altered by my first said Codicil is divisible into twenty three parts the additional legacy or sum following that is to say To my Man servant George Martin if living and still in my service at the time of my decease the legacy or sum of twenty five pounds free of legacy duty And in all other respects I confirm my said last Will and Testament as altered by my said first Codicil and confirm my said first Codicil As witness my hand this nineteenth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty eight Benjamin Slight Signed and declared by the said Benjamin Slight the Testator as and for a Codicil to his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request in the presence of each other and at the same time have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses Jno: Argent Clerk to Messrs Pearless & Sons Solicitors East Grinstead Sussex James T. Lynn East Grinstead Clerk to Messrs Pearless & Sons.

THIS is a third Codicil to the last Will and Testament of me The Reverend Benjamin Slight of Nenthorn in the Parish of East Grinstead and County of Sussex Minister of the Gospel which Will bears date the twenty second day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighty three the first Codicil whereto bears date the eleventh day of May one thousand eight hundred and eighty five and the second Codicil whereto bears date the nineteenth day of July one thousand eight hundred and eighty eight I give and bequeath out of my residuary fund remaining beyond the portion thereof which under the provisions of my said Will as altered by my said first and second Codicils is divisible into twenty three parts the additional legacies or sums following that is to say To Catherine Morris mentioned in my said will one hundred pounds and to Frances Esther Grove mentioned in my said Will one hundred pounds to the intent that each of them who may be living at my death may take under the operation of my said Will as altered by my said first and second Codicils and this Codicil legacies amounting in the aggregate to Five hundred pounds And I direct that from whatever fund or funds such legacies amounting in the aggregate in each case to five hundred pounds shall come all legacy or other government duties attaching thereto shall be borne and paid for by the fund out of which payable in exoneration of the legatee And I hereby revoke the bequest of any shares or share of my yet remaining residuary fund to them and each of them and direct and bequeath that my sister Christina Slight if she survive me shall be entitled to one third instead of two eighth parts and that the Robson family and the Bruce family (other than Charlotte or child of Charlotte) shall be entitled each to one third instead of two eighth parts if my said sister Christina Slight survive me and to one half instead of three eighth parts if my said sister Christina Slight do not survive me in the manner and proportions directed by my said Will And in all other respects I confirm my said last Will and Testament and two previous Codicils in their combined effect As witness my hand this twentieth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty eight Benjamin Slight Signed and declared by the said Benjamin Slight the Testator as and for a Codicil to his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request in the presence of each other and at the same time have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses Jno: Argent Clerk to Messrs Pearless & Sons Solicitors East Grinstead James T. Lynn East Grinstead Clerk to Messrs Pearless & Sons.

ON the 31st October 1889 Probate of this Will with three Codicils was granted to the Reverend James Cattell James Richardson Pearless and William Young the Executors.

PROBATE INDEX ENTRY: PERSONAL ESTATE œ2,907 0d 8d

31 October 1889

Will with three codicils proved at Principal Registry by Rev. James Cattell of Park Lodge Bessels Green near Sevenoaks in the County of Kent Minister of the Gospel and James Richardson Pearless Gentleman and William Young Grocer and Draper both of East Grinstead the Executors.

Principal Registry Family Division