Will of John Peachey of Soham, Cambridgeshire, Gentleman, 1767

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

This is a transcription of the register copy of the will of John Peachey or Pechey of Soham, Cambridgeshire who described himself as a Gentleman. John had his will drawn up on 16 August 1766 and appointed his brother Richard as his executor. Richard survived John but died before he could administer the estate, and administration was granted at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury to his eldest daughter Mary Pechey on 4 July 1767. ^[1]

Transcription conventions used in this text:

• Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
• The text was originally in one block of text. Paragraph breaks at change of bequest ("Item"), and bold text for names have been added for ease of reading.
• Where present, ff has been rendered as F, and the old letter Thorn has been rendered as th.
• Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets].
• Additions and margin notes, where they occur, have been added where indicated in the text.
• Crossings through, where they occur, have been included Struck out.
• The image quality was good, and the handwriting legible.

Persons mentioned:

• John Peachey of Soham...Gentleman Testator. Signs as Pechey.
• Brother Richard Pechey of Soham... Gentleman Testator's brother and executor. Guardian of Testator's underage children. Alive on 16 August 1766, had died before 4 July 1767.
• Farmer Allen leases Testator's lands in Hayshott and Cockin, Sussex
• my wife Elizabeth Testator's second wife
• The following children all under the age of 21 years:
  • John received £100 to be put out to apprenticeship (Probably the son of his first wife, Mary)
  • Sarah (Probably the daughter of his first wife, Mary)
  • Richard (Probably Elizabeth's son, born 1762)
• Daughter Mary by unnamed first wife, over the age of 21, unmarried. Administrator of Testator's estate, born before his marriage.
• Mrs Mary Bagshell Widow also spelled Bagshall. Relationship not give. When she dies, Testator will have reversion of her property in Hayshott (Heyshott) and Cockin (Cocking), Sussex, and in Soham, Cambridgeshire
• Thos Pierson witness to will
• James Clack witness to will
• S Samuel witness to will

____

[folio 294 verso]
In the Name of God Amen
I John Peachey of Soham in the County of Cambridgeshire Gentleman
do make publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in
manner and form following First I Give and devise unto my
Brother Richard Pechey of Soham aforesaid Gentleman and his
heirs all my Freehold Messuages Lands Tenements and Heredit[aments]
whatsoever situate and being in Hayshott and Cockin in the
County of Sussex now or late in the occupation of Farmer
Allen his undertenants or assigns to hold the same unto the
said Richard Pechey and his Heirs upon Trust and Confidence
nevertheless that my said Brother Richard Pechey shall and
will immediately after my decease sell vend and dispose of the
same for the best price he can get and out of the money
arising by Sale thereof to pay unto my Wife Elizabeth the
sum of two hundred pounds in full of her dower or thirds that
she may claim out of my real or personal Estates and the
Sum of One hundred pounds to my Son John Pechey to be
applyed for his benefit by my said Brother Richard Pechey in
bringing him up and to put him out apprentice and the
remainder of the said Purchase I give and devise unto my
daughter Mary Pechey which I had by my First Wife before
Marriage Sarah my Daughter and Richard my Son and the
respective Shares of my said Daughter Sarah and my Son
Richard I do hereby order and direct to said Brother Richard
Pechey to apply to their respective uses in such manner as
he shall think proper for their Maintenance and Education
in bringing them up until their Ages of twenty one years
and in case my said Daughter Sarah or my Son Richard shall
dye before their respective ages of Twenty one years Then I Give
and bequeath such part of their respective Shares so remaining
if any be unto my Daughter Mary and the other survivor

I also give and bequeath unto my said Brother Richard Pechey
and his Heirs the Reversion in Fee of all my Messuages
Lands Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever scituate
lying and being at Hayshott and Cockin aforesaid or in any
other place in the said County of Sussex expectant on the
death of Mrs Mary Bagshell Widow to hold the same unto
my said Brother ^Richard Pechey and his Heirs upon Trust nevertheless
that immediately after the decease of the said Mary Bagshell
he the said Richard Pechey shall Sell Vend and dispose of
the same to the best benefit and advantage and the Money
arising by Sale thereof to be equally divided between my
said daughters Mary Sarah and my son Richard Share
and Share alike and in case my said Daughter Sarah
and my said son Richard Shall not be of the Age of twenty
one years at the time of the Sale of the said Estate then
I do hereby order and direct that such of their respective
shares shall be placed out at Interest by my said Brother
Richard for their respective Interest until their respective
ages of twenty one years and in case either my said Daughter
Sarah or my Son Richard shall dye before their respective

[folio 295 recto]
ages of twenty one years then I Give and bequeath the Share
or Shares of such so dying to the Survivors of my said Children
Mary being one

I also give and bequeath unto my son
John Pechey and his Heirs for ever the Reversion in Fee of
all my Freehold and Copyhold Messages Lands Tenements
and Hereditaments whatsoever Expectant upon the death
of the said Mary Bagshall scituate lying and being in Soham
aforesaid also all other my Freehold and Copyhold Lands
and Tenements in Soham aforesaid in possession reversion
or wherein I have any right of Equity of Redemption to
be enjoyed be him at his age of Twenty one years and in case
of my said Son Johns Death before his age of twenty one
years then I give and bequeath the same unto my Son
Richard and his Heirs for ever to be enjoyed by him at his
age of Twenty one years and in case of his death before
his said age of twenty one years Then I Give the said
Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments to be equally
divided between my said Daughters Mary and Sarah and
their Heirs Share and Share alike but if my said Daughter
Sarah should dye before her said age of twenty one years
the I Give and bequeath the same unto my Daughter Mary
and the Issue of her Body and for want of such Issue ^then I
give and bequeath the same unto my right Heirs
forever

Also my Will and Mind is that my said Brother
Richard Pechey shall not at any time be subject or lyable
for the payment of any sum or sums of Money that
shall by any unforeseen accident be lot in the Execution of
the Trusts reposed in Him in the my Will and also shall
and Will from time to time repay himself out of my said
Childrens respective Shares and proportions equally all
such necessary Expences and Charges that he shall from
time to time Pay Expend and disburse in the due Execution
of this my Will and Lastly all my Worldly Goods Chattels
and Effects whatsoever I Give devise and bequeath to my
said Brother Richard Pechey he paying all my Special
and Simple Contract Debts whatsoever that I shall owe
at the time of my death and after payment of all my
Debts I Give and bequeath the overplus if any there be
to be equally divided between all my Sons and Daughters
Share and Share alike and the same to be applyed for their
several uses as my said Brother shall think proper and I do
hereby nominate and appoint my said Brother Richard
Sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament and also
Guardian and Trustee for my said sons John and Richard
and my Daughter Sarah during their Minority hereby
revoking all former Will and Wills by me heretofore made

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the
Sixteenth day of August one thousand Seven hundred and
Sixty six / Jno Pechey / Signed Sealed and published and declared
by the above named John Pechey as and for his Last Will
and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto
subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto in the presence

[folio 295 verso]
of the Testator and the presence of Each other / Thos Pierson
James Clack / S Samuel his X

On the fourth day of July in the year of our Lord one
Thousand Seven hundred and Sixty Seven administration (with
the will annexed) of the Goods Chattels and Credits of John Pechey
late of Soham in the County of Cambridge deceased was granted
to Mary Pechey Spinster the Daughter of the Deceased and one of
the Residuary Legatees named in the the said Will she having
been First sworn duly to administer Richard Pechey the Brother
of the said Deceased Sole Executor and Residuary Legatee in
Trust named in the said Will survived the said Testator but
died before he had taken upon him the Execution thereof

Sources

1. ↑ Will of John Peachey of Soham 1767: "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: 930
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #306214 (accessed 6 August 2023)