The Will of John Travis
(1822-1912)
This is the last will and testament of me JOHN TRAVIS of 39 Woodbottom
Walsden and formerly of Gauxholme, Todmorden, in the County of
Lancaster, retired Iron Founder. I revoke all testamentary dispositions
heretofore made by me and I appoint my friends HOWARTH FIELDEN of
Henshaw Cottage, Picker Manufacturer, and CROSSLEY FIRTH of Garden
Terrace, Walsden, Beamer and Twister, executors and trustees of this my
will (thereinafter called my Trustees.) and in case they require any
assistance or advice in dealing with my estate I desire that they
consult with my nephews WILLIAM TRAVIS and CHARLES TRAVIS.
In the event of my dear wife RACHEL ANN TRAVIS continuing to reside with
and attend to me until my decease I give to her such of my furniture as
she may select to enable her to furnish a smaller house for her
residence and until my Trustees sell the house in which we now reside I
authorise them to permit her to reside there and to pay her 8 shillings
per week until it is sold. And I also give unto my said wife the legacy
of £150.
I devise and bequeath all my real and personal estate (including my
books, pamphlets and manuscripts and the house in which I now reside) to
my Trustees upon trust that they shall sell, call in and convert so much
thereof as shall not consist of money, and out of the monies to arise
from such sale, calling in and conversion, and the ready money of which
I shall be possessed at the time of my death, shall pay my funeral and
testamentary expenses, debts and the legacies bequeathed by this my will
or any codicil hereto.
I bequeath the sum of £120 to be equally divided between the nephews and
nieces of my first wife JANE CROWTHER of Strines Barn Farm, Walsden, and
£30 to be equally divided between the children of the half blood brother
JOB and half blood sister HANNAH.
I bequeath the sum of £150 to be equally divided between my nephews and
nieces, the children of my late brother JAMES TRAVIS and the issue of
such of them as may be dead leaving issue, such issue to take amongst
them equally of their parents share.
I bequeath the sum of £10 to TOM TRAVIS of Lydgate, the eldest grandson
of my brother JAMES.
Whereas many years ago I sold the houses at numbers 11, 13, 15 and
number 2 at Shipka Pass, Bacup Road, Gauxholme, Todmorden, to my sister
MRS. SARAH DAWSON for a loan owing by me to her of £400, and since that
time I have acted as her agent in drawing the rents for her and looking
after the repairs and general supervision and paying her the proceeds of
the rents; the property was properly conveyed at the time. Since then
she lent me £100 when I purchased the ground rent in Walsden. Now I
hereby bequeath to my said sister SARAH the sum of £100, and if the
houses when they are sold not realise £400, £50 to be retained to make
up any deficiency of the said sum of £400 in full settlement of all
claims she has upon me or my estate in respect of any monetary
transactions between us.
I empower my Trustees to keep my property in repair until such time as
they think fit to sell the same.
Subject to the bequests hereinbefore contained my Trustees shall divide
my residuary estate equally amongst the grandchildren of my 3 brothers,
namely JAMES TRAVIS, WILLIAM TRAVIS and CHARLES TRAVIS.
I empower my Trustees to postpone the sale of the property so long as
they may, in their uncontrolled discretion, consider proper. If it be
necessary to invest any of the trust monies which shall remain after
such payments I empower them to invest the same in the public stocks or
funds or government securities of the United Kingdom or upon mortgage of
freehold or leasehold property in England (provided that such leasehold
shall not be less than 60 years of unexpired lease at the time of the
investment) or upon the stocks, funds, mortgages or securities of any
corporation body or company, municipal county, local commercial, or of
any other description in England or upon the preference stock of any
company incorporated by Act of Parliament, and paying a dividend by its
ordinary shares.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th. Day of April
1912.
John Travis
Signed and acknowledged by the said testator JOHN TRAVIS as his last
will and testament in the presence of us present at the same time who in
his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed
our names as witnesses:
F.DENNETT clerk to Messrs. Eastwood & Sutcliffe Solicitors Todmorden
WILLIE SMITH of 55 Hollins Road, Walsden, cotton weaver
*The testator died 21st. May 1912. The will was proved on 26th. July
1912 by the executors named in the will. Gross value: £1020. 0s. 1d.
*Attached to the will are the following hand written notes:
Grandchildren of brother JAMES TRAVIS
TOM TRAVIS son of JOSEPH
Children of JOHN TRAVIS
JAMES TRAVIS (deceased) 2 children
LOUISA SAGAR Victoria Street, Littleborough, wife of Mr. Sagar, stone
quarryman
JOSEPH TRAVIS Colne, labourer
JOHN WILLIAM TRAVIS Infirmary Drive, Rochdale, traveller
ANN FISH York Street, Heywood, wife of Mr. Fish, draper.
THOMAS TRAVIS Harehill Road, Littleborough, profesional window cleaner
ESTHER EMMA TRAVIS 95 Victoria Street, Littleborough, spinster
WALTER TRAVIS 3 Clifton Street, Scarborough, window cleaner
Children of ELIZABETH GREENWOOD
FRED GREENWOOD of 250/252 Rochdale Road, Shade,Todmorden, grocer
ANNE CLARKSON 5 Hamerton Terrace
Children of WILLIAM TRAVIS
ELIZABETH TRAVIS 89 Manchester Road, Broadheath, Altrincham, spinster
Children of CHARLES TRAVIS
EMILY GAZEY 296 Lees Road, Oldham, wife of SAMUEL GAZEY, confectioner.
JAMES THOMAS TRAVIS 182 London Road, Oldham, confectioner
SARAH TRAVIS 20 Dimperly Street Oldham. spinster
EVELYN TRAVIS 20 Dimperly Street Oldham. spinster
Children of JAMES TRAVIS
ANNIE BUTTERWORTH 9 Market Street, Shaw, wife of TOM BUTTERWORTH,
spinner
KATE TAYLOR Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, wife of RALPH TAYLOR,
farmer.
Grandchildren of WILLIAM TRAVIS
MARY ELIZABETH NICHOLL Whitelees Road. Littleborough
JOSEPH WILLIAM LEACH Brookfield Terrace, ??
Grandchildren of CHARLES TRAVIS
who left BETTY TRAVIS (Spinster), NANCY ANN (dead) and HANNAH JANE
TIDSWELL.
Children of NANCY ANN WHITEHEAD
CHARLES WHITEHEAD, Dawson Weir
JANE HORSFALL Ebbw Vale, Monmouthshire
CLARA HAWORTH, Ewood Lane
BERTHA SUTCLIFFE Nuffield Street
Child of HANNAH JANE TIDSWELL
FANNY TIDSWELL Silver Hall Cottage, Syke, Rochdale