The Will of Henry Beard 1820 Shiplake

Date: 23 Apr 1819 to 5 Apr 1820
Location: Shiplake, Oxfordshire, England
Surname/tag: Beard

The Will of Henry Beard was written on 23 April 1819 in Shiplake, Oxfordshire, England, and proved at London on 5 May 1820.^[1]

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the register copy. Capital F is rendered as F rather than ff. Abbreviations are expanded and additions noted in [square brackets]. Paragraph breaks (where added) and bold text for names are my own for ease of reading. An indistinct copy but readable.

People mentioned in the Will

• Sarah Beard (wife)
• William Dentry & William Serjeant (tenants)
• Benjamin Beard (son)
• Thomas House of Lashbrook, farmer (trustee)
• Robert House of Marsh Mills, miller (trustee)
• Francis James Beard of Shiplake Row (brother)
• Thomas Pyke, George Searle, Martha Dell (witnesses)
• Other children unnamed

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In the Name of God Amen
I Henry Beard of Shiplake Row in the Parish of Shiplake in the County
of Oxford Blacksmith and Farmer being in ill health of body yet of sound
and disposing mind and memory and understanding and being desirous to
settle my Worldly affairs whilst I have clear capacity to do so do so publish
and make this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former
Wills by me heretofore made In manner following that is to say I give devise
and bequeath to my dear Wife Sarah Beard all those my Farmhouses
Outbuildings Yards Farming Lands Grounds and Premises thereto belonging
and now in my occupation together with my Workshop and two Cottages in the
occupation of William Dentry and William Serjeant Bricklayer to hold the
same to her for and during her life only and also I give and bequeath to my
said Wife Sarah all that Lease of the Farm I have lately taken called
Buits in Sonning Parish together with the said Farming Lands and
Grounds and the Crop and Stock thereon to hold the same for and during
her life only for her to carry on my businesses and to do the best she can
in maintaining supporting Cloathing and providing for my Children
and I also give and bequeath to my said Wife Sarah all my money
Securities for money Stock in my Businesses Bills Debts and all my Estate
whatsoever and wheresoever the same may be for and during her life
only and from and after her decease I give and devise to my Son
Benjamin Beard all those my own Farm Lands Houses Outbuildings
and Premises thereunto belonging and all my Real Estate whatsoever and
wheresoever the same may be to hold to him the said Benjamin Beard
his heirs and Assigns for ever and all other my Property in the Farming
Business Stock in Trade and Personal Estate whatsoever of mine that my
said Wife Sarah may leave at her decease I then direct and give the
same to be sold and the money arisind therefrom Igive and devise bequeath
to be equally divided share and share alike between all my Children
then living except the said Benjamin Beard to whom I have given
my Real Estate as above mentioned and I hereby nominate connstitute and
appoint the said Sarah Beard sole Executrix of this my last Will and
Testament and also Thomas House of Lashbrook Farmer Robert House
of Marsh Mills Miller and my brother Francis James Beard of
Shiplake Row trustees to assist Sarah Beard in the execution thereof and I
hereby revoke and make void all former and other Wills by me at any
time heretofore made and I do declare this and this only to be my last Will
and Testament In Witness whereof I the said Henry Beard the Testator
have to the first sheet of this my Will and Testament set my hand and to
this second and last sheet the whole being contained in two sheets I have
set my jand and Seal this twenty third day of April in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and nineteen /-/ Henry Beard (LS) Signed
Sealed Published and declared by the said Henry Beard the Testator as and for
his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his
presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses
thereto /-/ Thomas Pyke /-/ George Searle /-/ Martha Dell .//.

Proved at London 5^th May 1820 before the Judge by the oath of Sarah
Beard W[ido]^w the Relict sole Ex[ecu]trix to whom adm[inistrati]on was granted having
been first sworn by Com[missi]on duly to adm[iniste]r.//.
[Initialed]

Sources

1. ↑ Will: "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
   The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 1629
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #350400 (accessed 12 May 2023)
   Will of Henry Beard, granted probate on 5 May 1820. Died about 1820 in Shiplake, Oxfordshire, England.