The Will of William Sowton

This is the last Will and Testament of me, William Sowton (or Sowten - it is difficult to see whether the handwritten Will is Sowton or Sowten)
of no 26 Greenhills Rents and of no 93½ Saint John Street both in the parish of Saint Sepulchre in the County of Middlesex a Butcher as follows
In the first place I direct the payment of all my just and due funeral and testamentary expenses by my Executors hereunder appointed as soon after my decease as conveniently may be. I give and bequeath unto my son William Edward Sowton my silver watch and appendages to and for his own use and benefit. I also give and bequeath unto my said son William Edward Sowton the sum of five hundred pounds, three pounds and five shillings for rent annuities standing in my name in the books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England to and for his own sole and separate use and benefit and which said sum of five hundred pounds ? will together with the cash he has already had and received from me make his share and interest in my estate equivalent to that hereinafter bequeathed by me to my son William Sowton it being my desire and intention that my said two sons shall as near as is possible participate equally in my estate and effects. I give and bequeath unto my son William Sowton the goodwill of my said business of a butcher as carried on by me in and upon the premises no 93½ Saint John Street aforesaid together with all the fixtures, fittings and implements of trade in and upon the same premises and also with implements of trade and business utensils as may be in upon or about my dwelling house no 26 Greenhills Rails to ? to and for his own sole and separate use and benefit. I also give and bequeath to my said son William Sowten the sum of six hundred pounds three pounds five shillings for rent annuities so standing in my name in the books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England aforesaid to and for his own sole and separate use and benefit. I give and bequeath unto my said two sons William Edward Sowton and William Sowton all my household furniture plate linen glass china and all my other estate property and effects of a like nature that may be in upon or about my dwelling house no 26 Greenhills Rents aforesaid at the time of my decease (save and except such implements of trade and business utensils as may be in upon or about the premises and of which I have hereinbefore given by this my will to my son William Sowton and save and except also my watch and appendages herein before given by this my will to my son William Edward Sowton) to and for their own use and benefit as tenants in common and not as joint tenants But it is my wish and desire that upon my decease a valuation of my said household furniture property and effects of a like nature in and about my dwelling house as aforesaid should be made and that upon either of my sons electing to take the same at such valuation as aforesaid that he shall be at liberty so to do upon paying to the other of them one moity or equal half part of the amount of such valuation and thereupon the said household furniture property and effects of a like nature shall become the property of him who shall so elect to take the same and in case my said two sons William Edward Sowton and William Sowton cannot agree upon the amount of such valuation and election as aforesaid then it is my will and I hereby direct that my dwelling house aforesaid shall be sold and either by public auction or private contract as my said two sons may think best and the proceeds of such sale I give and bequeath unto my said two sons William Edwards Sowton and William Sowten to be equally divided between them share and share alike as tenants in common and as to ALL THE REST RESIDUE AND REMAINDER of my estate property and effects of what nature or kind soever that the same may be or consist both real and personal and whether the same shall consist of freehold estates leasehold estates money in the funds securities for money book debts bills of closure or any other description of property whatsoever that I may be possessed of interested in or entitled unto at the time of my decease whatever and what in possession ? remainder ? or expectancy I give desire and bequeath the same and every part and parcel thereof and ll my estate and interest therein thereto unto my said two sons William Edward Sowten and William Sowton to be equally divided between them share and share alike as tenants in common and not as joint tenants to and for their own sole and separate use and benefit respectively absolutely for ever or according to the nature and quality thereof and my estate and interest therein or thereto And lastly I hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said sons William Edward Sowten and William Sowten of no 75 Snow Hill near West Smithfield in the City of London Butcher Executors of my will and I hereby revoke and make void all former and other wills and testamentary dispositions by me at any time hereforeto made and this only to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I the said have to this my last will and testament contained in three sheets of paper set my hand this thirteenth day of September in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty three William Sowton
signed and declared by the said William Sowton as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have at once and at the same time subscribed our names as witnesses thereto

Benjarmin James Blackstock Turner 12 Charterhouse Lane           Philip Packman Turner 12 Charterhouse Lane

Proved at London 30th April 1856 before the worshipful Samuel Fewkes. Wambey Tortor of London and surrogate by the oaths of William Edward Sowten and William Sowton the sons the Executors to whom admon was granted having first sworn duly to administer.