The will of Rev Thomas Willis of Bloomsbury

Thomas Willis's wife got £500 and an allowance of £800 a year (in addition to the £100 a year due to her under the terms of their marriage settlement), as well as his plate, linen, china and furniture, whichever books had her name in, 26 dozen bottles of port and twelve dozen of white wine, and the enjoyment of the family portraits. His son Francis got his watch, and his brother John got the black cane given to him by George the third. Nineteen guineas apiece went to his hairdresser, his parish clerk and the parish beadle. There was £300 to his daughter Catherine, and £400 a year to her whilst his wife was still alive. The rest of the estate was divided into five parts, with one part given to each child. Sophia's was held in trust until she reached 21 or married, and John's part was to be invested and he was only to receive the income. If he tried to raise money in any way against it, he would lose this interest. He was, however, allowed to pass his share on when he died. Dr John Willis was allowed to purchase the share of the Braceborough Estate if he so desired.

This is the Last Will and Testament of me The Revd Thomas Willis Rector of St George Bloomsbury in the County of Middlesex LLD. I direct that all my just debts funeral expenses and Legacies shall in the first place be paid by my Executors hereinafter named I give and bequeath unto my dear Wife Catherine Willis the Sum of Five hundred pounds and to my Daughter Catherine the Sum of Three hundred pounds to be paid to them as soon as may be after my decease and I also give and bequeath to my said Wife so much of my Plate Linen China and furniture as she shall elect to have a for her own use and also such of my books in which were name may be written by me and I also give to her twenty-six dozen of Port Wine and twelve dozen of such White Wine as she shall chuse to take I give and bequeath unto my Eldest Son Francis Willis M.D. my watch I give to my Brother Doctor John Willis the black Cane or Stick given to me by His late Majesty King George the third with the Initials G.R. and the Crown engraved thereon I give to my much valued Relation Miss Maria Strong Five hundred pounds as a token of the regard and affection which I entertain for her also I give to William Burn of Museum Street Hair Dresser Nineteen Guineas and to John Harrison Parish Clerk of Saint George Bloomsbury the like Sum of Nineteen Guineas and the like Sum of Nineteen Guineas to Robert Lent Beadle of the same Parish all the Rest Residue and Remainder of my Real and Personal Estates of what nature or kind soever and wherever exceptionally Family portraits which I give the use and enjoyment of to my Wife for her life and afterwards to my Son Francis absolutely I give devise and bequeath unto my said Brother Doctor John Willis and Peter Still and George Law of Lincoln's Inn in the County of Middlesex Gentleman their heirs Executors and admons according to the nature of the said Estates respectively Upon Trust that they the said John Willis Peter Still and George The law under the Survivor of them and the heirs Executors and admors of such Survivor do and shall when and as they or the Survivor of them shall in their or his discretion think proper cell and dispose of my said Real Estate either by public auction or private Contract and also call in and receive all such part of my personal Estate as shall consist of monies or securities for monies and do and shall lay out and invest the said monies in their names or in the name of the Survivor of them upon Government or Real Securities or in Parliamentary Funds at Interest and from time to time alter and change the same Securities as they shall think fit and upon further trust by and out of the Interest and Dividends of the said monies under the Rents of the said Estates until Sale to pay to my said Wife Catherine Willis the yearly Sum of Eight hundred pounds over and above the yearly Sum of one hundred pounds to which she will be entitled by virtue of the Settlement made upon our marriage the said yearly Sum of Eight hundred pounds to be paid to the said Catherine Willis during her natural life by quarterly payments that is to say on the twenty fifth day of March the twenty fourth day of June the twenty ninth day of September and the twenty fifth day of December in each year the first payment thereof to comments on the next quarter day after my decease and I direct that the said yearly Sum of Eight hundred pounds shall be paid to the said Catherine Willis for her sole and separate use and benefit independent of any future Husband she may happen to marry and that her receipt alone notwithstanding such future Coverture shall be a good and effectual discharge for the same and that after the decease of my said Wife the said yearly Sum of Eight hundred pounds all the money which shall be set apart to ensure the same shall sink into and become part of the residue of my Estate and upon further trust to pay to my said Daughter Catherine Willis the yearly sum of Four hundred pounds during the natural life of my said Wife to be payable to her my said Daughter Catherine in the same manner in the same proportions and that the like periods on which the said annuity of Eight hundred pounds a year is directed to be paid to my said Wife and I direct that in the event of the death of my said Wife the said annuity of Four hundred pounds a year shall sink into and become part of the residue of my Estate and Upon further Trust that my said Trustees and the Survivors and Survivor of them under the Executors and admors of such Survivor do and shall stand and be possessed of all the Rest and Residue of my said Real and Personal Estates and the Stocks Funds and Securities in or upon which the same or the produce thereof shall be placed out or invested upon the Trusts and for the intents and purposes hereinafter declared or expressed of and concerning the same that is to say as to one full and equal fifth part thereof In Trust for and to pay assign or transfer the same unto my said Daughter Catherine Willis her Executors or admors for her and their own use and benefit and as to one other full and equal fifth part thereof In Trust for and to pay assign and transfer the same unto my said Son Francis Willis his Executors or admors for his and their own use and benefit and as to one other full and equal fifth part thereof In Trust for and to pay assign and transfer the same unto my said son The Reverend Thomas Willis his Executors or admors for his and their own use and benefit and as to one other full and equal fifth part thereof In Trust for my Daughter Sophia Willis to be an Interest vested in and to be paid or assigned to her when and as she shall attain her age of twenty-one years or be married with the consent of my said Wife which shall first happen and I direct that the Interest and Dividends of the said last mentioned fifth part shall be paid and applied by my said Trustees in or towards the maintenance or Education of my said Daughter Sophia during her minority and in case my said Daughter Sophia shall die under the age of twenty-one years and without having been married with such consent as aforesaid Then I direct that my said Trustees shall stand possessed of the said last mentioned fifth part upon the same or the like Trusts as are hereinbefore and hereinafter declared of and concerning the other four fifth parts or shares of the said Trust Monies Stocks Funds and Securities Upon trust to layout and invest or continue the same upon Government or Real Securities or in Parliamentary Funds at Interest and stand possessed thereof In Trust during the life of my Son The Revd John Willis to receive and take the Interest and Dividends thereof as the same shall become due and pay the same into the proper hands of my said Son John Willis or unto such person or persons as he by writing under his hand shall from time to time but not by way of anticipation appoint to receive the same and I declare my mind and will to be and I do hereby expressly direct that if my said Son John Willis shall sell assign charge or in any manner incumber the said Interest or Dividends or any part thereof or enter into any contract agreement or engagement to sell assign charge or incumber the same or any part thereof then and in either of the said cases and immediately after ? happening thereof the interest of my said Son in the Interest and Dividends of the said last mentioned fifth part shall cease and determine in the same manner as if he was dead and then in such case the interest and dividends of the said fifth part which shall become due during the then remainder of the life of my said Son John shall be paid unto my said Sons and Daughters Catherine Francis Thomas and Sophia in equal shares for their own use and benefit and from and immediately after the decease of my said Son John Willis In Trust to pay assign or transfer the said last mentioned fifth part or share of the said Trust Monies or the Stocks Funds and Securities in or upon which the same shall be invested unto such person or persons for such interests and purposes in such shares and proportions and in such manner and form as my said Son John Willis by his last Will and Testament or any Codicil thereto to be respectively signed and published by him in the presence of and attested by two or more Credible Witnesses shall limit or appoint give or bequeath the same and in default of any such appointment gift or bequest Then In Trust for and to pay and assign the said last mentioned fifth part unto such person or persons as at the time of the decease of my said Son John Willis shall be of kin to him according to the Statute of Distributions provided always and I do hereby declare and direct that the several bequests hereinbefore made to or in favour of my said Children are upon the this express condition that the same shall be accepted and taken by them and be considered in lieu and in full reparation of every right claim and interest which they or any or either of them shall or may be entitled to under the Will of their Grandfather The Revd Francis Willis deceased and that they shall when required by my said Trustees or the Survivor of them his heirs Executors or admors release every such right claim or interest accordingly or in case of their refusal to do so when requested they shall be considered as not entitled to any part or share of my said Real or Personal Estate Provided also and I do hereby direct that in case my said Brother John Willis shall be desirous of purchasing my share and interest in the Braceborough Estate in the County of Lincoln late the property of my Father that my said Brother John Willis shall have the option of purchasing the same and in case my said Brother shall so desire to become the purchaser of my said share and interest in the Braceborough estate Then and in that case I direct that my said Trustees or the survivor of them his heirs Executors or admors shall Convey and surrender all my Estate and Interest therein to my said Brother at such price as shall be agreed upon or thought proper by my said Trustees provided always and I do hereby declare that if the Trustees appointed by this my Will or to be appointed as hereinafter is mentioned or any of them or their or any of their heirs Executors admors and assigns shall happen to die or be desirous of being discharged from all refuse or declining or be incapable to act in the Trusts hereby in the them respectively reposed as aforesaid before the said Trusts shall be fully executed then and in such case and when and so often as the same shall happen it shall and may be lawful to and for my said Wife Catherine Willis during her life and after her decease to and for the then surviving or continuing Trustee or Trustees or Exors or Admors of the last surviving or continuing Trustee by any Deed or Deeds Settlement or Instruments in writing to be by her them or him Sealed and Delivered in the presence of and attested by two or more Credible Witnesses from time to time to nominate substitute or appoint any person or persons to be a Trustee or Trustees in the stead or place of the Trustee or Trustees so dying or desiring to be discharged or refusing declining becoming incapable to act as aforesaid and when and so often as any new Trustee shall be nominated and appointed as aforesaid all the Trust Estates Monies and Promises the Trustee or Trustees whereof shall so die or desire to be discharged or refuse or decline or become incapable to act as aforesaid shall be thereupon with all convenient speed conveyed assigned and transferred in such sort and manner and so as that the same shall and may be legally and effectually vested in the person or persons so to be appointed as aforesaid solely or jointly with the surviving or continuing Trustee or Trustees as occasioned shall require to the uses and upon and for the trusts interests and purposes hereinbefore expressed and declared of and concerning the said Trust Estates Monies and Premises or such of them as shall be then subsisting undetermined and capable of taking effect and the person or persons so to be appointed as aforesaid shall have all the powers and authorities of the Trustee or Trustees in whose room he or they shall be substituted and appointed and for facilitating the Sale of my said Estates I do hereby declare that the receipt or receipts of my said Trustees and the survivor of them his heirs Executors or admors shall be a good and effectual discharge and good and ineffectual discharges to any person or persons who shall become purchaser or purchasers of any part of my said Estates for so much of the said purchase money as shall be in such receipt or receipts expressed and that such purchaser or purchasers shall not be liable to see to the application of such purchase money nor shall be answerable or accountable for the misapplication or nonapplication thereof and that it shall be lawful for them to retain and reimburse themselves all such Costs Charges and expenses as they or either of them shall pay expend or be put unto in the execution of the Trusts of this my Will and that they shall not be accountable the one for the other but each of them for his own acts only nor for any loss or damage or misfortune that may happen to the said Trust Estate committed to their charge unless such damage or misfortune happened through their or any of their own wilful neglect and I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said Brother John Willis Peter Still and George Law Executors of this my last Will and Testament and request their acceptance of one hundred pounds each and I appoint them and my said Wife Guardians of my said Daughter Sophia and revoking all former Wills by me heretofore made I do hereby declare this to be my only true last Will and Testament In Witness whereof either said Thomas Willis have to this my last Will and Testament written on seven sheets of paper to the first six sheets hereof set my hand and to this the seventh and last sheet here of my hand and seal this 25th day of May in the year of our Lord 1827 - Thos Willis - Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said Thomas Willis the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto - Farro Witman S. A. Woods - Wm. Grenville Servt to Dr Willis

Proved at London 10th December 1827 before the Worshipful Joseph Chapman Dr of Laws and Surrogate by the oaths of Peter Still and George Law Esq two of the Executors to whom admon was granted been first sworn duly to administer power ? To John Willis Dr of Physic the Brother the other Executor.