Thomas Whieldon (bef. 1719 - bef. 1795)

Born before 6 Sep 1719 in Stoke upon Trent, Staffordshire, England

Died before 6 Mar 1795 at about age 75 in Stoke upon Trent, Staffordshire, England

Biography

Baptism

Date : 6 Sep 1719

Place: St Peter ad Vincula, toke upon Trent, Staffordshire, England

son of Joseph & Alice Whieldon

First Marriage

Date : 18 August 1744

Place: Barlaston, Staffordshire, England

Spouse: Ann Shaw who died in 1757

Second Marriage

Date : 13 May 1758

Place: St Giles, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, England

Spouse: Alice Parrott who died whilst attending church in October 1773

Third Marriage

Date : 13 September 1776

Place: St Peter ad Vincula, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, England

Spouse: Sarah Turner relative of John Turner the Potter of Lane End Staffordshire who was a party to her Marriage Settlement.

Occupation

Master Potter

It is not known where Whieldon was apprenticed but he is acknowledged as a Potter in 1744 on his marriage to Ann Shaw. Before 1747 Whieldon became a tenant at Fenton Vivianthe freehold of which he bought in 1748 and he remained at this site throughout his career. Whieldon's significant reputation enabled him to attract some of the most important figures in the early history of Staffordshire pottery into his employment . These included Aaron Wood, the most prominent ceramic block-cutter or modeller of the day; Josiah Spode, who went on to found his own renowned ceramics factory and William Greatbatch, also from 1754 to 1759 Whieldon enjoyed a partnership with the young Josiah Wedgwood.^[1]

Last Will and Testament

Date: 23 September 1773

In the name of God Amen by Thomas Whieldon of Fenton Vivian in the parish of Stoke on Trent in the county of Stafford Esquire being of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding praise to be God do make this my last Will and Testament in the manner and form following to wit first and principally I commend my soul to almighty God my Creator trusting through the meritorious suffering and death of my blessed Lord and saviour Jesus Christ to obtain pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and to inherit eternal bliss and glory after death and my body I commit to the earth to be therein decently interred at the discretion of my executors hereinafter named and as to my worldly estate I give and dispose thereof in manner following that is to say whereas in and by the settlement made upon my marriage with Sarah my now wife (late Sarah Turner) by indentures of lease and release bearing date respectively the 30th day of June and first day of July 1777 the said indenture of release being of five parts and made between me the said Thomas Whieldon of the first part the said Sarah my wife (late Sarah Turner spinster) daughter of John Turner late of Great Cumberland Street in the parish of Saint Marylebone in the county of Middlesex Esquire of the second part the said John Turner of the third part Jeremiah Smith of Great Fenton in the parish of Stoke upon Trent aforesaid in the said county of Stafford Esquire and the Reverend John Ferneyhough of Newcastle under Line in the said county of Stafford clerk of the 4th part and John Smith Meggott of Great Seymour Street in the said parish of Saint Marylebone Esquire and James Christie of Pall Mall in the parish of Saint James within the liberty of Westminster in the said county of Middlesex auctioneer of the 5th part in pursuance of the agreement entered into by the parties as to my said marriage for and every the messuage lands tenements and hereditaments of me the said Thomas Whieldon therein particularly mentioned and situate lying and being at Fenton Vivian aforesaid and in the said parish of Stoke upon Trent or elsewhere in the said county of Stafford were granted and conveyed unto the said Jeremiah Smith and John Fernyhough and their heirs upon and for the several uses trusts intents and purposes thereby mentioned and amongst other uses from and immediately after the decease of me the said Thomas Whieldon as for and concerning all that capital message in Fenton Vivian aforesaid wherein I then did and do now dwell and the out houses yards gardens orchards and appurtenances thereto belonging and two closes of land lying behind the said capital messuage called the Stoke Leys and Fingal containing together about 7 acres to the use of the said Sarah Whieldon my wife and her assigns for her life and as for and concerning all other the messuages lands tenements and hereditaments and premises therein mentioned from and immediately after my decease to the use intent and purpose that the said Sarah Whieldon and her assigns if she should survive me should have receive and take therefrom yearly for her life for her jointure the annual sum of £200 by two equal half yearly payments on the 29th day of September and 25th day of March clear of all deductions the first half yearly payments thereof to be made on such of the said days as shall first happen next after my decease and whereas I have in and by my said marriage settlement covenanted to and with the trustees therein named that the said sarah Whieldon my said wife shall if she survives me have hold up possess and enjoy all the household goods furniture and utensils plate pictures china ware linen and woollen and other implements of household which shall at my decease be standing and being in or about my dwelling house for and during her life without any payment for the use thereof now I do hereby ratify and confirm my said marriage settlement both in respect to the said annuity of 200 pounds to my said wife for her life and likewise in respect to the enjoyment of the said household goods and furniture for her life but it is my mind and Will and I do hereby direct that there shall be an inventory or catalogue made and taken of the said goods and furniture as soon as maybe after my decease but there be two parts thereof one for my said wife and one that to be signed by her and to be kept by my other executors hereinafter named also I do hereby give and bequeath unto the said John Ferneyhough Clerk Thomas Lovett of Chirk Castle in the county of Denbigh gentlemen and John Turner of Lane End in the said county of Stafford potter being three of my executors hereinafter named and to the survivors and survivor of them his executors administrators and assigns one annuity or clear yearly sum of 100 pounds in trust to apply the same unto and for the use of my said wife sarah Whieldon and her assigns for the term of her natural life provided she shall remain and continue a widow from and after the time of my decease the same should be paid to her half yearly on every 25th day of March and 29th day of September by equal payments the first payment thereof to be made on such of the said days as shall first happen after my decease and I do hereby order and appoint that the said annuity shall be raised and paid from and out of my personal estate not herein specifically given but in case my said wife Sarah Whieldon shall happen to marry again after my decease then it is my will that the said annuity of 100 pounds so given to her as aforesaid should from thenceforth cease and be no longer paid to her but the same shall then sink into and be part of the residue of my personal estate also I give and bequeath unto my said wife Sarah Whieldon the sum of £50 for morning which I do direct shall be paid to her within one month next after my decease also I give and bequeath unto my said wife my post chaise and chaise horses with the harnesses to the same belonging and whereas in and by the said settlement so as aforesaid made upon my said marriage with my now wife a certain sum of 5000 pounds and the interest thereupon therein is secured in such manner as therein mentioned to the trustees therein from and immediately after my decease in trust for all and every the child and children of me the said Thomas Whieldon by my wife Sarah begotten or to be gotten whether born in my life or after my decease (other than oldest or only son) now I do hereby by virtue of the power visited in me by the settlement order appoint and apportion the said sum of 5000 pounds to and amongst my younger children in manner following that is to say I give and bequeath the sum of 3000 pounds (part of the said principle sum of 5000 pounds) unto my second son Thomas Whieldon the same to be paid unto him at his age of 21 years also I give and bequeath unto my daughter Charlotte Whieldon the sum of 2000 pounds being the remainder of the said principle sum of £5000 to be paid to her at her age of 21 years or day of marriage which shall first happen but in case that I shall happen to leave my wife with child at my decease but then the sum of 1500 pounds part of the said sum of £5000 shall go and be to such after the one child at his or her attaining to the age of 21 years and that in such case my said son Thomas Whieldon shall abate the sum of 1000 pounds and my said daughter Charlotte Whieldon shall also abate the sum of 500 pounds from an out of the respective pots and shares of the said sum of 5000 pounds so given to them as aforesaid also I give to my said two younger children Thomas Whieldon and Charlotte Whieldon (in addition to and over and besides the said fortunes provided for them by my said marriage settlement) the sum of 500 pounds above the legacy so given to the said Thomas Whieldon to be paid to him on his attaining the age of 21 years and the legacy to my said daughter Charlotte to be paid to her at her age of 21 for day of marriage which shall first happened but in case I shall happen to have any after born child then it is my will that 250 pounds part of the said legacy of 500 pounds so given to my said daughter Charlotte as aforesaid shall go and be paid to such after child on his or her attaining to the age of 21 years and in case either of the said Thomas Whieldon and Charlotte Whieldon shall happen to die before his or her legacy of 500 pounds shall become payable as aforesaid then it is my mind that the legacy of him or her so dying (in case he or she shall not have any issue) shall not be raised and paid but that the same shall sink into the residue of my personal estate for the benefit of my eldest son John Whieldon and I do hereby order and direct that the interest of the several shares and legacies so given to my said younger children shall be had and received by my executors until the same shall become payable and be applied by them in the clothing maintaining and education of my said of children in the manner and proportions following to it it is my mind that not more than £40 a year shall be paid and expended in the maintenance clothing and education of my said daughter Charlotte until she shall arrive to the age of 10 years during which time I would have that's unpaid to her mother if she shall so Long live to provide for her clothing maintenance and education and also the sum of £30 for the yearly maintenance and clothing of my said son Thomas Whieldon until his arrival at 10 years of age during which time I would have my said children to be under the sole management of my said wife and after my said daughter Charlotte shall have attained at the age of 10 years it is my mind and will that not more than £50 a year shall be expended in her clothing maintenance and education until her fortune shall become payable and I also order and direct that not more than £40 a year shall be expended in the clothing maintenance and education of my son Thomas Whieldon after he has attained the age of 10 years until he shall be of the age of 15 and from his arriving at 15 until the age of 21 it is my mind that not more than £200 a year shall be expended on his account as aforesaid it being my will and mind that the remainder of the interest of the fortunes of my said younger children over and above what I have directed to be paid out as aforesaid shall accumulate and be saved for their benefit and be paid to them when the said fortune shall become payable also I do hereby give and bequeath unto the said John Ferneyhough Thomas Lovett and John Turner or two such of them who shall join in the probate and execution of this my will the sum of 20 Guineas each and from and after the payment of all my just debts funeral expenses the annuity and several legacies by me herein before given and subject thereunto I do hereby give device and bequeath all of my real estate in the counties of Stafford and Warwick both freehold and copyhold and also my personal estate not hereinbefore specifically bequeathed unto my eldest son John Whieldon his executors administrators and assigns forever and in case my said son John Whieldon shall happen to die before he shall attain to the age of 21 years without leaving any issue then in such case I give devise and bequeath all my said property and also the remainder of my said personal estate unto my son Thomas Whieldon his executors administrators and assigns forever subject in that case to the payment of the sum of 1000 pounds to my said daughter Charlotte Whieldon on her attaining to the age of 21 years or day of marriage which shall first happen in addition to the other sums already given and secured to her as aforesaid and I do hereby order and direct that during the minority of my said oldest son John Whieldon the rents of the estates hereby devised to him and also the interest of the residue of my personal estate hereby bequeathed to him shall be had and received by my executors and the survivors or survivor of them and shall be paid and applied by them for his benefit and advantage and in his clothing maintenance and education shall arrive at the age of 21 years provided always and I do hereby order that not more than the yearly sum of £50 shall be so expended until he shall arrive at the age of 15 years nor more than the yearly sum of 200 pounds from and after he shall have attained the age of 15 years until he shall arrive to the age of 21 years at which time I direct that the surplus arising from the rents of my said real estate and interest of my said personal estate so given and bequeathed to my said eldest son as aforesaid shall be paid to him and I do hereby order and declare that my executors and the survivors or survivor of them his executors and administrators shall be only charged and chargeable with and accountable for such money as he they or any of them shall actually receive by and out of the premises and with no more nor the one that for the others of them and that they every or any of them shall not be chargeable with or responsible for or any part of the money which shall be by them or any of them placed out at interest and happen to be lost by reason of any bad security or securities should be taken for the same or by the insolvency of any person or persons to whom the same shall be lent without his or their wilful neglect or default and also that they each and every of them shall and may be saved harmless and deduct out of the money which shall come to their hands off and for all costs charges damages and expenses as they or any of them shall suffer or be put to by reason of the premises or the trusts there of hereby declared or the execution defence or management thereof or in any wise sue <????> or to <????> the same and lastly I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said three friends the same John Ferneyhough clerk Thomas Lovett and John Turner together with my sad wife Sarah Wheildon executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby revoke all former Wills by me at anytime before it made in witness whereof I the said Thomas Whieldon the testator have to this my last Will and Testament contained in four sheets of paper set my hand and seal that is to each of the three first sheets I have set my name and to this 4th and last sheet I have set my hand and seal this 23rd day of September in the year of our Lord 1773. Thomas Whieldon signed sealed published and declared by the said Thomas Whieldon the testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other the word 2 being first wrote up on an erasure in the 18th line of the third sheet before the execution here of Eliza Fenton John Sargent Thomas Fenton. ^[2]

Burial

Date : 6 March 1795

Place: St Peter ad Vincula, Stoke upon Trent, Staffordshire, England^[3]

Probate

Date : 18 May 1795

Place: Prerogative court of Canterbury, London, Middlesex, England

This Will was proved at London at the 18th day of May in the year of our Lord 1795 before the right honourable so William will night doctor of laws master keeper or commissary of the prerogative court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oath of the reverend John fernyhough Clark Thomas Lovett and Sarah Whieldon widow the relic of the deceased and the executors named in the said will to whom administration was granted all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased they having been first sworn at by commissioner duly to administer.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Whieldon#
2. ↑ Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills PROB11/1261
3. ↑ St Peter ad Vincula
4. ↑ Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills PROB11/1261