16 Feb 2017

The text of Mary Squire's will

Mary Squire's Almshouses


This is the third post in my series reporting my research findings into Mary Squire's Almshouses in Walthamstow, London, formerly in the county of Essex; and Mary Squire herself.

Sorry that this is a very long blog post but Mary Squire wrote a very long will!

© National Archives, Kew

This is the text of Mary's will:

Will of Mary Squire, Widow of Walworth, Surrey 
21 March 1797  PROB 11/1288  [Transcript reference at the National Archives]

This is the last Will and Testament of me Mary Squire of Walworth in the County of Surry Widow I order all my just debts to be first [‘first’ is an insert above the line] paid and I desire to be decently Buried in the Church Yard of Saint Mary Walthamstow in the County of Essex
I give to Jonathan William Stackhouse of East Smithfield London Citizen and Grocer To Joseph Page of Tower Street London Carpenter and to John Capel of Cornhill London Stock Broker their Executors [admors??] and assigns all my Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever not specifically given by me subject to the payment of the pecuniary Legacies by this my Will and which I shall bequeath by any codicil thereto and to the directions hereinafter contained upon the Trusts and for [next page]

the purposes hereafter expressed and declared of and concerning the same (that is to say) [brackets sic] upon Trust immediately after my decease to appropriate or purchase thereout in their Names Seven hundred pounds Bank three pounds per centum Consolidated Annuities and from time to time to pay the Dividends and Income thereof to my Nephew in Law William Squire late Apprentice to Mrs Blakesley in Mark Lane London or permit him to receive the same for and during the term of his natural life and from and immediately after his decease to transfer the said Seven hundred pounds to the Trustees of the fund established for the relief of poor clergymen their widows and children of the County of Essex for the use of that fund and upon further Trust immediately after my decease to appropriate or purchase out of my said Estate and Effects in their names the like Sum of Seven hundred pounds Bank three pounds per centum Consolidated Annuities and from time to time [‘to time’ is an insert above the line] to pay to Elizabeth Cook late Elizabeth Squire Sister to my said Nephew in Law William Squire to and for her own sole and separate use and during the term of her natural life independent of her husband and in no wise liable to his debts Management or Controul the Dividends and Income of the last mentioned Annuities and I will that her receipt alone notwithstanding her coverture [?] shall be a good and sufficient discharge from time to time for the same and from and immediately after [‘after’ is an insert above the line] her decease to transfer the said Seven hundred pounds Annuities to the Trustees of the Society for the relief of the Sons of the Clergy for the use of that Society and upon further Trust immediately after my decease to appropriate or purchase out of my said Estate and Effects in their Names the Sum of three hundred and fifty pounds Bank three pounds per centum Consolidated Annuities and from time to time to pay the Dividends and Interest thereof to Mary Dowsett Widow of George Dowsett late of Low Layton in the County of Surry Butcher or permit her to receive the same for and during the term of her natural life and from and immediately after her decease to transfer the said three hundred and fifty pounds Annuities to the Society for Promoting Religious Knowledge among the Poor where Mrs Richard Watts is now Secretary for the use of such Society and upon further Trust immediately after my decease to appropriate or purchase out of my said Estate and Effects in their Names the like sum of three hundred and fifty pounds Bank three pounds per centum Consolidated Annuities and from time to time to pay the Dividends and Interest thereof to Dorothy Thompson Spinster now or late living in the family of John Roberts Esquire or permit her to receive the same for and during the term of her natural life and from and immediately after her decease to transfer the [next page]

Said last mentioned Sum of three hundred and fifty pounds Annuities to the Kings Head Society for Educating young Men for the Ministry at Hammerton [could be Hanmerton, Haumerton, or Hacimerton, Hasimerton, Horsimerton?] Academy I give to Ann Hester and Agnes Helme Hester of the parish of Saint Mary Newington in the County of Surry Spinsters in equal shares and to the Survivor of them my Thirty pounds per Annum in the fund called the Short Annuities But in case they shall both die before the determination of the said annuity Then I will the same shall fall into my Estate and Effects I give to the said Ann and Agnes Helme Hester and to the Survivor of them the Enjoyment of my Leasehold House with the appurtenances [this means: accessories, trappings, trimmings!] in Queens Row Walworth aforesaid together with the Enjoyment of all my Household Goods and Furniture Plate Linen and China which shall be in or about the same at my decease (except so much thereof as I have already disposed of by any Instrument or paper) [in brackets!] To hold onto the said Ann and Agnes Helme Hester and the survivor of them for and during so long and such part of the Remainder of the term I have in my said House which shall be unexpired at the time of my decease as they or the Survivor of them shall live subject to the Rent and Covenants reserved and contained by and in the Lease whereby I hold the same and I direct that such part of the said term as shall be unexpired at the decease of the Survivor of them together with all my said Household Goods and Furniture Plate Linen and China which shall be then remaining shall into my Estate and Effects I give the following Legacies (vizt) [in brackets] To the said Jonathan William Stackhouse One hundred and Fifty Pounds To Richard Mills Junior Fifty pounds To Thomas Mills Thirty pounds To Elizabeth Lumsden Thirty pounds To Martha Anderson Twenty pounds To Frances Scott Twenty pounds which three last mentioned Legacies shall be for their own sole and separate use independent of and in no wise subject to the Debts receipt Management or Controul of their present or any after taken respective husbands and their receipt alone notwithstanding their coverture shall be a good and sufficient discharge for the same which said Richard Mills Junior  Thomas Mills  Elizabeth Lumsden  Martha Anderson and Frances Scott are five of the Children of Richard Mills Senior by his first wife I give to Henry Mills Senior One hundred pounds to Henry Mills Junior One hundred pounds the said Henry Mills Senior is Son to the said [next page]

Richard Mills Senior by his first wife and the said Henry Mills Junior is Grandson to the said Richard Mills Senior I give to Sarah Mills  Susan Mills  Phillis Mills  Amy Mills  David Mills and William Mills who are six of the children of the said Richard Mills Senior by his second wife ten pounds each To Mary Ann Mills the other child of the said Richard Mills Senior by his second wife one hundred pounds To the said Richard Mills Senior of Morden in the County of Surry farmer One hundred and fifty pounds To Elizabeth Mills Lumsden daughter of the said Elizabeth Lumsden one hundred pounds To Martha Mills wife of the said Richard Mills Senior ten pounds To Sukey Wilton widow of the late William Wilton of Tower Street London ten pounds To my Godsons John Jacob Beltz and Clark Henry Beltz the sons of John Beltz Senior of Carnaby Street London one hundred pounds each which sums I direct to be paid within three Months after my decease unto their said father for their use and if either of my said two Godsons shall die before he attains the age of twenty one years his said Legacy shall go to the Survivor of them and if they shall both die under that age then I give the said two Legacies to their said father whose receipt shall be a good discharge to my Executors for their said two Legacies I give to Tyrrell Herbert Henderson Son of Captain William Henderson one hundred pounds to be paid to him no his attaining the age of twenty one years but if he shall die before he arrives at such age then I will that the said Legacy shall be paid to his Brother Jasper Rollins Henderson on his attaining the age of twenty one years and if they shall both die before they attain such age then I will that this said one hundred pounds shall be paid to their Brother Benjamin Clifton Henderson on his attaining the like age I give to Mary Beltz wife of the aforesaid John Beltz Senior ten pounds To [two words] Cornish of Walworth Surry five pounds Guineas To the Reverend William Crawford five Guineas To the Curate of Saint Mary Walthamstow aforesaid five Guineas [two words] each To the Clerk of the last mentioned parish at my decease two Guineas To Mary Page of Tower Street London Spinster my Gold Watch To my Maid Servant if she shall have lived with me twelve months at my decease ten pounds over and above her wages To the said Joseph Page one hundred pounds and to the said John Capel fifty pounds and I hereby direct that all the Legacies here in before given to such persons as shall be infants [next page]

at the time of my decease (except such as are otherwise directed) shall be as soon as conveniently may be after my decease Invested in Government Securities in the Hands of my Executors upon Trust to transfer the funds in which the said respective Legacies shall be Invested unto the said respective Legatees upon their severally [separately?] arriving at the age of twenty one years or to such other person or persons as shall otherwise be entitled thereto with power for my said Trustees to apply for funds in which the said Legacies shall be invested and the Interest and Dividends thereof or any part thereof respectively towards the respective Maintenance and Education of or for placing out the said Legatees in the world at the discretion of my said Executors and without being answerable for loss arising from any fall of stocks or otherwise which shall be borne by the respective Legatees or other person or persons entitled I give unto the Executors of the aftersaid Society for Promotion  Religious knowledge among the Poor shall [several illegible words here, in margin of page: ‘orig so’] in London twenty pounds to be applied to the uses of the said Society [sic] To the Treasurer of Tower Ward Charity School in London one hundred pounds for the use of the said Charity School To the Treasurer of the five Schools at Kensington Butts in the County of Surry fifty pounds for the use of the said Schools  To the Treasurer of the Charity School of Saint Mary Walthamstow Two hundred pounds for the use of the said Charity School To the Trustees of the Society for the propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts three hundred pounds three pounds per centum Consolidated Bank Annuities for the use of the said Society and I will that my executors shall out of my efforts transfer to the Trustees at my decease of six almshouses lately built by me at Walthamstow Nine hundred pounds three pounds per centum reduced Bank Annuities and Nine hundred pounds three pounds per centum Consolidated Bank Annuities in Trust that they and their successors shall out of the Interest and Dividends arising therefrom pay to each of the six poor widows who are or may be the Inhabitants of the said six almshouses yearly sum of Eight pounds by four equal quarterly payments of forty shillings each which when so added to the five pounds per Annum already settled by me on them will make the sum of Thirteen pounds per Annum to each such widow for ever and upon further Trust to apply from time to time the sum of Six pounds in the Month of October in every Year being the Residue of the Interest  of the said Eighteen hundred pounds three per centum [next page]

Bank Annuities in purchasing coals and to distribute such coals as equally as may be among twelve poor housekeepers of the said parish of Walthamstow who shall not be Inhabitants of any almshouses in the said parish and I desire that the said six poor widows may be of the Communion of the Church of England and no wise dissenting therefrom and that they shall strictly adhere to the printed Rules and orders by me published and I direct that all the duties payable to Government upon the Legacies by me given shall be discharged out of my Effects and not by the respective Legatees and I direct that the said Jonathan William Stackhouse  Joseph Page and John Capel do stand possessed of the Residue of my said Estate and Effects In Trust to apply the same for such Charitable Purposes as they shall think fit and I do hereby appoint the said Jonathan William Stackhouse Joseph Page and John Capel Executors and Trustees of this my last Will and Testament and it is my will that my said Executors and Trustees or any of them shall not be answerable or accountable for any more money than they shall actually respectively receive nor the one of them for the others or other of them nor for any Involuntary loss or damage happening to my Estate and Effects or any part thereof and that they shall respectively from time to time deduct thereout or from the produce thereof all such charges and expenses as they or any of them shall at any time or times sustain in or about the Execution of this my Will or any matter relating thereto and it is my will that in case of any deficiency in my Estate and Effects to answer the payment of the pecuniary Legacies hereby given the parties respectively Interested in such Legacies shall abate in proportion thereto
I revoke all other wills by me formerly made and declare this only to be my last will and Testament In witness thereof I the said Mary Squire the Testatrix have to one part of this my last Will and Testament contained in five sheets of paper set my Hand to the first four sheets thereof and to the last sheet my hand and seal this third Day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety six Mary Squire [‘a squiggle’]
Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said Mary Squire the Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the Presence of us who in her [next page]

presence at her request and in the presence of each other of us have subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto the Legacy of Twenty Pounds to the Society for promoting Religious Knowledge among the poor being first struck out in the forth sheet
Tho Astley Maberly  Henry Cooper both of Bedford Row

[3rd February 1796]

Whereas  I Mary Squire of Walworth in the County of Surry have by my will dated the third day of February last directed my Executors and Trustees therein named immediately after my decease to appropriate or purchase out of my estate and Effects in their Names the Sum of Three hundred and Fifty Pounds Bank three pounds per centum Consolidated Annuities and from time to time to pay the dividends and Interest thereof to Mary Dowsett Widow of George Dowsett late of Low Leyton in the County of Essex Butcher or permit her to receive the same for and during the term of her natural life and from and immediately after her decease to transfer the said Three hundred and Fifty Pounds Annuities to the Society for the Promoting of Religious Knowledge among the Poor whereof Mr Richard Watts was then Secretary for the use of such Society Now I do hereby revoke the said bequest and directions only as respects the said transfer to the said Society for the Promoting of Religious Knowledge among the Poor for the use of such Society and in lieu thereof I do hereby direct my said Executors and Trustees from and immediately after the decease of the said Mary Dowsett to transfer the said Three hundred and Fifty Pounds Annuities to the Trustees of the Charity established for the benefit of female children of Five Masons in London Road Saint Georges Fields in the County of Surry to be applied to the purposes of that Institution and whereas I have also by my said will (after giving divers other specific Legacies) directed my said Executors and Trustees to stand possessed of the Residue of my Estate and Effects In Trust to apply the same for such Charitable Purposes as they shall think fit Now I do hereby revoke such last mentioned direction and in lieu thereof I desire and direct that my said Executors and Trustees do apply and dispose of the said Residue as follows vizt To Thomas Samuel Vickers of Newington Surry One hundred Pounds To John Beckett of Tower Street London Box Maker Fifty Pounds To Mary Shelton Daughter of Hannah Shelton Widow of Low Layton [sic] Essex Twenty Pounds to be laid out for her benefit in the same manner as I have directed in my Will touching the Legacies thereby given to Infants and the Rest and Residue To the Society of the Thatched House Tavern Saint James’s Street for the Release of [next page]

Poor Debtors confined in Prison for small Debts to be applied to that purpose and I declare this to be a Codicil to my said Will which I confirm in all other respects not hereby revoked or altered In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the Eighth day of March in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety six [8 March 1796]
Mary Squire [‘squiggle’ This is a transcribed copy of the original will]

Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said Testatrix Mary Squire as and for a Codicil to her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at her request in her presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our Names as Witnesses hereto Tho Astley Maberly, Henry Cooper

This Will  was proved at London with a Codicil the twenty first Day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety seven [21 March 1797] before the Worshipful John Sewell Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Honourable  Sir William Wynne Knight  also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oaths of Jonathan William Stackhouse  Joseph Page and John Capel  the Executors named in the said will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Good Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having been first sworn duly to administer.

[End of will. The next will transcribed relates to a William Steer]

Legend and colour code:
All [] brackets denote my additions to the text as is. All round brackets () as per text.
Bolded words: the recipients of Mary Squire's money
Red words: information relating to Mary Squire herself
Dark orange: details I found particularly interesting that I hope to write about in more detail
Royal blue: mention of the Squire's Almshouses (i.e. the topic of my research)
Dark brown: witness names who may not be relevant


I am extremely happy that I found her will because it contains such a wealth of information: the people Mary knew and the causes she cared about. It also says a lot about her as a person (particularly the bits I marked in orange and red).  I am looking forward to unpacking as many of the details in her will as I can. The intriguing thing is that you keep finding more aspects worthy of investigation the more you go through this wonderfully detailed will!

I am glad to note the mention of her Walthamstow almshouses and that they are for six poor widows - those details confirm decisively that this is the correct will.  Which is nice because you can't ever be completely sure if you found the correct record if not for confirmation of specific information like this.

Next I will probably write about how I came to find her will and a little bit what a visit to the National Archives in Kew is like.


If you are wondering why I am researching Mary Squire's Almshouses then check out this first blog post.

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