Will of Joseph White

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Dowgate Wharf, London, England
Surname/tag: White

Transcript of the Last Will and Testament of Joseph White. Paragraphs and emphasis added to aid legibility. Original spelling and capitalisation preserved.

Transcribed by Ros Haywood from a copy held by the National Archives (UK); used under the terms of the Open Government Licence [You are free to transcribe, translate, index and quote from published or unpublished Crown copyright material among the records as extensively as you wish and you may publish the results in any format and any medium: in accordance with the terms of the Open Government Licence.]

THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of me Joseph White of Dowgate Wharf Upper Thames Street London Coal Merchant which being of sound mind memory and understanding I make in manner following

I direct that my body be interred in the Church or Burial Ground of the parish of All hallows the great Upper Thames Street aforesaid

I direct that all my just debts and engagements funeral expenses and the expenses of proving this my Will be in the first place paid and satisfied

I give and bequeath all my household furniture plate linen china books pictures and household effects unto and between my dear Wife Mary White and my son thomas White to and for their use and benefit

I nominate and appoint my brother Thomas Whito of Pentonville in the County of Middlesex my relation William Inglish of Firs Farm Edmonton in the same County ... my said Wife and my Friend John Winder of Upper Whitecross Street Saint Lukes Middlesex Surgeon EXECUTORS and trustees of this my Will and my Will is that my said son Thomas White shall be an Executor and Trustee thereof jointly with them or the survivors of them when and as soon as he shall attain the age of twenty one years but not before

I give and bequeath to my said son Thomas the legacy or sum of one thousand one hundred pounds to be paid to him on his attaining the said age of twenty one years over and above his share of the residue of my Estate hereinafter bequeathed to him

I give and bequeath unto my said Executors and trustees all that and those my leasehold Wharf warehouses dwelling house and premises wherein I now carry on my business of a Coal Merchant and all my Estate and interest therein together with the Good Will of my said Business to hold unto them their executors and administrators Upon trust that they do and shall as soon as conveniently may be after my decease make sale and absolutely dispose of the said Leasehold premises and goodwill by public Auction for such price or prices as can reasonably be obtained for the same and my will is that my said Executors and Trustees shall stand possessed of and interested in the monies to arise from the sale thereof respectively Upon their trusts and for the purposes hereinafter mentioned And I do hereby authorize my said Executors if they shall think it expedient so to do to continue to carry on my said business until a sale of the said premises can be effected

I also give devise and bequeath unto my said Executors and Trustees my freehold hereditaments and premises situate in the High Street Shoreditch in the County of Middlesex and all other my copyhold or customary Estates whatsoever and also my leasehold houses situate in the Curtain road Shoreditch aforesaid my leasehold Brewhouse and premises in Hoydes Yard Shoreditch aforesaid my leasehold houses in Old Street Road my leasehold house in Petticoat Lane Whitechapel in the said County of Middlesex and my leasehold messuage in Upper Whitemoss Street Saint Lukes and all other my leasehold premises whatsoever and wheresoever to hold unto them their heirs executors administrators and assigns according to the nature and tenure thereof respectively upon trust nevertheless that their my said trustees their executors or administrators do and shall from time to time when and as they shall deem it expedient make sale and absolutely dispose of the said several Freehold copyhold and leasehold estates and premises respectively in public auction but not by private contract for such prices as can reasonably be obtained for the same and upon receipt of the purchase monies for the same to release convey surrender and assign the same respectively to the purchaser or purchasers thereof and my Will is and I do hereby declare that that the receipt and receipts of my said trustees or the survivors or survivor of them or the executors or administrators of such survivor shall be a good and sufficient discharge and discharges as well to the purchaser or purchasers of the said several Freehold copyhold and leasehold Estates hereinbefore lastly devised and bequeathed as to the purchaser or purchasers of my said leasehold Wharf and premises belonging thereto for their his or her purchase monies respectively or for so much thereof as in such receipt or receipts shall be acknowledged to be obliged to see to the application or be be answerable for any loss misapplication or nonapplication of his her or their purchase monies or any part thereof respectively

And my Will is that my said Executors and trustees shall stand possessed of the monies to arise from the sale of my said freehold copyhold and leasehold estates respectively Upon the trusts and for the purposes hereinafter mentioned

I also give and bequeath to my said Executors and trustees all and singular book and other debts sum and sums of money bonds bills notes and other … for money and all other my personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and wherever and of what nature or kind soever the same may be not hereinbefore disposed of Upon trust that they do and shall as soon as conveniently may be after my decease make sale of and convert unto money all such part thereof as shall not consist of money or securities for money and collect in all such part thereof as shall consist of money or securities for money and my Will is that my said trustees shall stand possessed of and interested in as well the monies to arise from such sale or conversion and to be collected in as aforesaid as also of and in the monies to arise from the sale of my said leasehold when… premises at Dowgate aforesaid and from the sale of all other my freehold copyhold and leasehold estates and premises Upon the trusts and for the pusposes following that is to say Upon trust that they do and shall with a competent part thereof purchase the sum of two thousand five hundred pounds in four pounds per cent Bank annuities in their names and stand possessed thereof upon trust to pay the dividends thereon to my said dear Wife or permit her to receive the same from time to time as they shall become payable to and for her own use during her natural life and from and after her decease Upon trust to transfer and pay the said capital sum and the dividends and interest thereon to such person or persons and in such manner and form as is hereinafter directed with respect to the residue of my Estate and upon further trust that they do and shall lay out the sum of two thousand pounds sterling other part of the said trust monies in the purchase of Stock in some or one of the public stocks or funds and stand possessed of the Stock so to be purchased Upon trust to apply the dividends arising therefrom in and towards the maintenance and education of my daughter Mary White until she shall attain the age of twenty one years or marry which shall first happen and upon her attaining that age or day of marriage to transfer the same to her to and for her use and benefit and my Will is that in case my said daughter shall be under twenty one years of age without having been married lthe legacy so bequeathed in trust for her shall sink into and form part of the residue of my Estate and upon further trust that my said trustees do and shall lay out the sum of one thousand five hundred pounds further part of the said trust monies in the purchase of Stock in the manner aforesaid and stand possessed thereof Upon trust to apply the dividends arising therefrom in and towards the maintenance and education of my daughter Julia White until she shall attain the ago of twenty one years or day of marriage which shall first happen then upon trust to transfer the stock to be purchased as last aforesaid to her but my will is that if my said daughter Julia shall died under twenty one years of age without having been married the legacy so bequeathed in trust for her shall sink into and form part of the residue of my estate And my will is that my said trustees shall stand possessed of the monies to arise and be produced in manner aforesaid Upon trust to lay out and invest the same in the purchase of Stock in manner aforesaid and stand possessed thereof Upon trust after payment of my debts and engagements funeral and testamentary expenses and the legacies hereinbefore bequeathed for my said Son Thomas and my other Sons Joseph Benjamin Richard and Timothy as tenants in common in equal shares and proportions and Upon trust to transfer the same to them respectively when and as they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years

And I hereby direct that in case any one or more of my said Sons shall die before he or they shall attain the age of twenty one years they my said trustees shall transfer and pay the share or shares of the said stock so to be purchased with the residue of my said Estate and effects and the dividends thereof which under the trusts herein contained shall belong to the Son or Sons who shall so die as aforesaid unto the survivors or survivor of them to be equally divided between them if more than one share and share alike as tenants in common and to be transferred and payable at the respective ages thereinbefore directed respecting respecting the oriiginal share or shares of the same Son or sons or as soon after the death of such respective son dying as aforesaid as conveniently may be provided also

And I do hereby declare that it shall be lawful for my Executors to apply all or a competent part of the interest dividends or annual produce of the respective shares to which my said sons may for the time being be entitled of and in the residue of my Estate in and towards their maintenance and education respectively and also to advance and pay out of such shares respectively such sum or sums of money as my said Executors may deem expedient as and by way of premium or apprentice Fee on placing my said Sons or either of them in any profession trade or employment

And it is my particular wish that my said Executors shall be guided in the choice of a Business or Profession for my said Sons respectively bu the opinions of my said Wife and my said brother

I hereby nominate and appoint my said brother the said William Inglish my said Wife and the said John Winder Guardians of my said children during their respective minorities and I direct that my executors or trustees hereby appointed shall not be answerable the one for the other of them nor for signing receipts for the sake of conformity or for any involuntary loss And that it shall be lawful for them and each of them to reimburse himself or themseves and to pay to their co trustees respectively the costs and expenses of discharging the trusts of this my Will and hereby revoking and making void all former and other wills by me made I do declare this and this only to be my last Will and Testament

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this third day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty nine JOSEPH WHITE (seal)

Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto
Robt Rogers Pinners Hall Old Broad Street
Thomas Jennings Foord Hunter Street New Dover Road
John Thomas How Greelaw Coffee House Strand

PROVED at London 3rd November 1820 before the Worshipful Jesse Addams Doctor of Law and Surrogate by the Oaths of William English in the Will written Inglish and Mary White Widow the Relict two of the Executors to whom Administration was granted having been first sworn duly to administer Power reserved of making the like grant to Thomas White the Brother and John Winder two other of the Executors when they or either of them shall apply for the same and also to Thomas White a Minor the Son of the deceased the other Executor when he shall attain the age of twenty one years and apply for the same.

Transcript © Ros Haywood.