Document Request: 1798 Will of William Richardson of Gainford
Document Description: 1798 Will of William Richardson of Gainford, born in Limehouse and lived in Calcutta, with Codicil
Transcription URL: https://richardson.surnametree.com/library/vdocs/D_67#67
Document Transcription:
Will of William Richardson of Gainsford
6 January 1798
This is the last Will and testament of me, William Richardson of Gainford in the County of Durham
being of sound and [disposing] mind, memory and understanding praised be Almighty God for the
[same] first & principally I [assign] my Soul unto my Creator and my Body & commit to
the Earth to be buried at Gainford aforesaid or wherever my Executor may think proper and as
to my worldly property which it hath pleased God to bestow upon me I dispose thereof as follows:
I give and bequeath unto Anna Maria Lacy of Calcutta in Bengall the use with [ipuro] & profit of
our Upper Room’d & our Lower Room’d House situate in the Town in a Lane leading from the
Whaddy Bazar to the Muryii [Bantta] & numbered 14 and 15 near unto a house formerly occupied
by Mr. [Wisp] the Title Deeds of which are now in her possession together with the [dutrist] of
eight thousand Sicca Rupees which I have deposited on Bond with the House of Fairlie1 &
Co. for and during the term of her natural life this bequest being meant as a handsome & ~~
comfortable maintenance for her, she having been a confident good servant a [truder] and
affectionate Mother and from and after her decease I give [devise] & bequeath the before
mentioned two houses & the said eight thousand Sicca Rupees together with all other effects she
may be possess’d of at the time of her death (which is also her desire) unto her son Captain
William Richardson Junior who is now in [Zudig] to & for his sole use & benefit and to whom I do
likewise bequeath an Upper Room’d House situate near the Ramparts on the [Zoland] Bombay
the title deeds of which are in possession of my attorney Mr. John [Forbes] [there] & also registered
in the Mayor’s Court in the year One thousand seven hundred and ninety
To my friend Charlotte Richardson daughter of the aforesaid Anna Maria Lacy I have three
thousand pounds East India stock standing in my name in the Books of that Company (subject to
the payment of one hundred sixty pounds p’ Annum arising from the dividends thereof) unto Mrs.
Mary Potter of Cleasby in Yorkshire spinster or ~ 2 to Mrs. Elizabeth Gouldsborough of the same 2 3
place Widow to be [routurned] to the longest survivor To my friend Harriet Richardson daughter of the aforesaid Mother I have three thousand pounds East India Stocks standing in my
name in the Books of that Company (subject to the payment of One hundred sixty pounds p’
annum araising from the dividend thereof unto her Brother Christopher Rowland Richardson until
he hath attained the age of twenty one years & [to] honour the dividends on the above mentioned
stock to be [revised] by the said Charlotte & Harriet Richardson and the principal to be transferred
to them as they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years. But if either the said Charlotte
or Harriet ^or Christopher^ Richardson should die before attaining the age of twenty one years
having lawful [issue] then my Will is that such issue shall enjoy & be possess’d of the bequest
before mentioned intended for their respective parents to & for their sole use & benefit But should it
so happen that both the said Charlotte & Harriet Richardson die before attaining the age of twenty
one years not having any lawful issue then it is my Will that everything I have bequeathed unto
them shall become the property of their surviving Brothers & Sisters (Children of the said Anna
Maria Lacy) share and share alike - The Stock [there] [p.] Govt Consolidated [Grant] Annuities
standing in my name in the Books of the Governor & Company of the Bank of England I give &
bequeath as follows viz To my Aunt Mrs Mary Potter of Cleasby in Yorkshire Spinster the Interest 4
of Two thousand pounds for & during the term of her natural life & from and after her decease
bequeath the said Interest of Two thousand pounds held for this purpose of paying the Interest be
transferred unto Christopher Rowland Richardson Son of the before mentioned Anna Maria Lacy of Calcutta aforesaid to whom [otherwise] leave the sum of six thousand pounds Stock to be put in
possession thereof on his attaining the age of twenty-one years but should he die before that
period [short] the said ^[two] thousand pounds^ Six thousand pounds shall be equally divided
between his surviving Brother & Sisters all children of the said Anna Maria Lacy. To Mrs.
Jane Boles wife of Major Barnaby Boles in the service of the United East India
Company I bequeath the sum of Two thousand pounds Stock To Mrs. Frances Hogan Wife of
Captain Michael Hogan5 I bequeath the sum of Two thousand pounds Stock & to William Hogan
my Godson I bequeath the sum of One thousand five hundred pounds Stock To Martha Richardson
Daughter of my Brother Mr Christopher Richardson of Limehouse I bequeath the sum of three
thousand pounds Stock To Elizabeth Richardson daughter of my brother Mr Rowland Richardson I
bequeath the sum of One thousand five hundred pounds Stock And it is my desire that the
bequests which I have made in Stock may be transferred to the several parties immediately after
the [last] payments of the dividends. [section overwritten and illegible] and paid as due This in
order to finish & complete the House I am now Building Outhouses [for] my nephew Mr
William Richardson of Mile End having made surrender to me of a Copyhold House at Epsom I 6
desire that his Bond may be [given] up to him & that he be [exonerated] from any further payment
on it when it shall be found that the said Surrender is valid and the said House & Appurtenances
thereunto [colouring] I so give & bequeath as follows That the said House shall be sold at the
discretion of my Executor at what price he may judge proper & the [produce] thereof laid out in
[Lottery] [Erifoto] for the sole benefit of the following persons jointly & their produce to be divided
equally unto Christopher Richardson, John Richardson Peter Richardson and William Richardson
all sons of my brother Mr. Christopher Richardson of Limehouse to Wm. Richardson ^and
Row’d Richardson^ , sons of my ^late^ brother Mr Charles Richardson of Mile End a gold watch
[makers name Holmes] London No 6263 I leave to my brother Christopher Richardson together
with my ^linnen^[next six lines crossed out ] [of freehold Ground at Gainford] [of my Estate] 7
a Silver Tankard with the [Spray] engraved thereon & a large gold Seal with Cypher in R. I leave to
my son William Richardson to my friend William [Bigrro] of Calcutta in Bengall I leave the sum of
fifty
pounds for a ring or token of [souarubraure] of his [fine] attention to my family during my absence &
request he will [routinne] it _ I likewise have plans [Mourning] [Ruigo] to the following persons viz:
To Mrs. Jane Boles, Mrs. Frances Hogan Mr. William Richardson Charlotte Richardson Harriet
Richardson & Christopher Rowland Richardson all Children of the before named Anna Maria Lacy
unto my Brothers Christopher & Rowland Richardson I also give five [Guineas] cash unto my
servants for mourning Two [mis] & four [wourni] ^[indistinct]^
[ two lines deleted]
I am much at a loss to know how to provide for my faithful servant Thomas England being fearfull I
should leave him a sum of money & [not] him at liberty it might lead duly to his Ruin by leading him
into bad Company & he is not well [ralrulated] for a Servant to a strange Master [as] [fro] would put
up with his Language which appears quite impertinent: at times tho’ not meant to be so his not
knowing the [idioms] of the English language or how to express himself to the cause of his misapp[rations] of words I shall therefore leave him to my Brother Christr. Richardson to do for him
as he shall think proper allowing him to return to India if he liked it rather than to remain in England
for he hath been a most affectionate & usefull Servant to me After the before mentioned
[Sogarico] are returned & all my just [divto] funeral expenses and the charges attending proving
this my last Will and Testament are paid, I do [reinstate] and appoint my Brother Christopher
Richardson of Limehouse Sole Executor & Residuary Legator [instructing] him still to continue his
protection & be Guardian to the before named Charlotte Harriet & Christopher Rowland
Richardson until they attain their respective ages of twenty-one years not doubting he will (as
heretofore) superintend their education & take care of their Morals hereby [concurring] that if any
dispute should arise [concerning] my property that such differences shall be adjusted & settled by
friends in arbitration & upon no account whatever to be determined by Law I wrote & make void all
Wills & Testaments by me heretofore made & publish & [Solaris] this only to be my last Will &
Testament for which I have Hereunto [it] my hand & seal this sixth day of January One thousand
Seven hundred & ninety eight.
|__| Wm. Richardson |__| sign’d sesl’d publish’d & [sheared] by the said Testator William
Richardson who in his presence & in the presence of each other have subscribed our names do
[witheford] thereto |—|I Mr. Elliot Gant |—| William Kes Lurit - [defanting] & Mr [Kall] [Suryevon.
Ino Atkinson 5
John Garth 5
Elizabeth Smith 5 } Savants
Elizabeth Potto 10
Elizabeth Fisher 5
Mary Port 5
It is my request
[ next three lines crossed out ]
that a plain Stone Tablet be laid over my Grave ^[illegible]^ with the following inscription - Captain
Wiliam Richardson Many years Commander of a Ship in the East Indies who died aged
The [foregoing] interlineations [hereunto] & alterations were made by me at the time of
adding the annexed Codicil |—|Wm. Richardson Gainford 22nd October 1798Codicil —
To my Last Will & Testament dated Gainford 15th Jan.y 1798 since which my daughter
Charlotte having engaged to enter into the Holy State of Matrimony - it is my will that she
become possess’d of all my Plate Furniture [s.ta] utensils Table & Bed Linnen together with my
favourite Chestnut Mare [Jenny], Chaise & [Barrufs] the rest of my Horses Carriages & []may
be sold at the discretion of my Executor - My Cloaths such as Coats Waistcoats [Britches] &
Stockings may all be made usefull to my servant Thomas England. A [new] House which I
have lately Built at Gainford & a [piece] of Garden Ground nearly opposite when completed
I likewise intend for my daughter Charlotte But as it is not entirely paid for so as to leave
those sums in the funds [rhias] - I intend sha shall pay to my Executor £150 One hundred
& fifty pounds Sterling [ two lines crossed out]
if it should be wanted to complete the same
|| Wm Richardson || Witnessed J W Elliot || Wm Mes — Willm Lishman Curate of Gainford —
Upon a supposition & hope that none of the parties to whom I have [oft] [ ligarico ] will have
occasion to remove them from the funds at present I shall estimate the same at what I
judge they must soon be worth to calculate the amount of what I have._
India Stock I value at £200 [pct] Consolidated B.An.ties 3 [pct] % [pct]
To Stock £value
Charlotte Richardson dd 3000 S £6000
Harriet Richardson 3000 6000 12000
Mary Potter C & C Consols 2000 1333
Crist.r R Richardson 6000 4000
Jane Boles 2000 1333
Frances Hogan 2000 1333
William Hogan 1500 1000
Martha Richardson 3000 2000Ann Richardson 3000 2000
Elizabeth Richardson 1500 1000
Stock 21000 £26,0008
13th September 1799
Appeared Personally John Harkneys of Broad Street [Ratliffe] [Crop] in the Parish of Saint Dunstan
Stepney in the County of Middlesex Surgeon and Benjamin King of [Risbys] Rope Walk in the
Parish of Saint Ann Limehouse in the same County Carpenter and severally made Oath that they
knew and were well acquainted with William Richardson late of Gainsford in the County of Durham
Esquire deceased for several years previous to this time of his death and during such time have
frequently seen him write and subscribe his name and thereby [saw] to know and be well
acquainted with his manner and character of handwriting and subscription and having
now viewed and carefully perused paper writings hereto annexed purporting to be the lastWill and Testament and Codicil of the said deceased the said will beginning thus “This is the last
Will and Testament of Mr William Richardson” ending thus this sixth day of January One thousand
Seven Hundred and ninety eight” and thus subscribed “Wm Richardson” the said Codicil beginning
thus “Gainsford 22nd Oct 1798” Codicil to my last Will and Testament dated Gainsford 6th Jany
1798” ending thus “ if it should be wanted to complete the same” and thus subscribed “Wm
Richardson” so [supose] that they verily and in their [rouscribors] believe the word “Sixty” interlined
between the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth lines and thirtieth and thirty first lines from the top of the
first [owe] the words “& Christopher Rowland” between the second and third lines the words “& two
thousand pounds Stock” between the twentieth and twenty-first lines the words and figures to be
made in July 1800 “Mrs Potters exempted” between the thirty-third and thirty-fourth lines from the
top of the second side the words “& Row Richardson” interlined between the ninth and tenth and
the words “Linnen” between the eleventh and twelfth lines & the word “[undermained]” betweenthe
twenty-second and twenty-third lines from the top of the third side the words and figures “Ino
Atkinson 5 [&] John Garth 5 Elizabeth [Surth] 5, Mary [port] 5 “Servants” written under the Seal the
words “It is my request that a plain stone Tablet be laid over my Grave in Gainsford Church Yard
should I die in the North) with the following description Capt William Richardson many years
Commander of a Ship in the East Indies” Who died aged and the words “The foregoing
interlineations [erasimento] and alterations were made by me at the time of adding the annexed
Codicil” and the [nanico] “Wm Richardson” to the said third side [twin] [at] and subscribed the word
“Our interlined between the second and the third lines from the bottom of the said Codicil beginning
and ending as aforesaid and the whole body [series] and [routoto] of the Schedule annexed to the
said Codicil beginning thus “Upon a supposition I hope that now” of the [partivo] to whom I have
[left] [Logarico]” and ending thus “Stock 21,000 _ £26000” to be all of the proper handwriting and
subscription of the said deceased |——| John Harkneys |—-|
Ben King |—-| [Same Day] the said John Harkneys and Benjamin King were duly Sworn to the
truth of this affidavit before me S Parson [Jur Ps] S G Christian Not Publ.
This Will was proved at London with a Codicil the twenty fifth day of September in the Year of Our
Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and ninety-nine before the Worshipful Samuel Paire Parson
Doctor of Laws Surrogate of the Right Honourable Sir William Wynn Knight also Doctor of Laws
Master Keeper or [Coacompany] of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the
Oath of Christopher Richardson the Brother of the deceased and Sole Executor named in the Will
to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said
deceased having been first sworn duly to Adm.//

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