Will of Thomas Bates, silk thrower of Whitechapel 1706

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Whitechapel, Middlesex, England

The Will of Thomas Bates, silk thrower of Whitechapel was written on 30 November 1705 and proved on 4 April 1706.^[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. Fairly clear copy.

People mentioned in the Will.

• Thomas Bates, silk thrower of Whitechapel (Testator)
• Mirriam Umfreville (daughter)
  • Thomas Umfreville, silk thrower of Whitechapel (her husband)
• Rebecca Phillimore (daughter)
  • Samuel Phillimore, silk thrower of Whitechapel (her husband, executor)
• Cicely Towers (daughter)
  • William Towers of London Haberdasher (her husband)
• Thomas Bates (son)
• Henry Bates (son)
• Ann Bates (daughter)
• Cicely Wheeler (testator's sister)
  • Henry Wheeler of Wingrove (Cicely's husband)
  • William Wheeler and Henry Wheeler (nephews)
  • Cicely Wheeler, Elizabeth Wheeler and Jane Wheeler (nieces)
• Thomas Gibbs and Hannah his Wife (brother?)
  • Christopher Gibbs (their son)
• Mary Fowler (sister)
  • Timothy Fowler of London Merchant (her husband)
• Charles Burditt (friend)
• William Theed of London Hosier (brother? executor)
• Arundell Westfield of Whitechapel, clothworker (executor)
• Witnesses: Daniel Potenger, Henry Scott, Benjamin Mould Senior

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In the Name of God Amen
I Thomas Bates of the Parish of S^t Mary Matfellon alias
White chapell in the County of Middlesex Citizen and Silkethrower
of London being somewhat indisposed in Body but of sound and
perfect memory praise be given to Allmighty God for the same but
calling to minde the uncertainty of this present transitory life Doe
make these presents to be my last Will and Testament in manner
and forme following Imprimis I commend my Soule into the hands
of Allmighty God my Creator hopeing and assuredly beleiveing
through the meritts and intercession of Jesus Christ my only Saviour
and Redeemer to have free pardon and remission of all my sinns My
Body I committ to the Earth to be decently interred at the discretion
of my Executors hereafter named And as to what worldly Estate

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it hath pleased God in his great mercy to bestow on me I doe give
devise and bequeath as followeth (viz^t) I give devise and bequeath
unto my Daughter Mirriam Umfreville Wife of Thomas Umfreville
of the said Parish of White Chappell in the County of Middlesex Silke
Thrower Five hundred pounds to be paid her within twelve Moneths
after my decease Item I give devise and bequeath unto my Daughter
Rebecca Phillimore Wife of Samuel Phillimore of the said Parish of
White=Chappell in the County of Middlesex Silke Thrower Five hundred
pounds to be paid her within Twelve Moneths after my decease Item I
give devise and bequeath to my Daughter Cicely Towers the Wife
of William Towers of London Haberdasher the sum[m]e of Five hundred
pounds to be paid her within twelve Moneths after my decease Item I
give devise and bequeath to my Son Thomas Bates All that my Estate
both Freehold and Coppyhold that I now have and enjoy or hereafter
shall have and enjoy that are scituate lying and being in Stansted
Mount Fitchet in the County of Essex To hold to him and his Heires for
ever Item I give devise and bequeath unto my said Son Thomas
Bates All that my Freehold Messuage or Tenement lately erected
and built scituate lying and being in Wingrove in the County of Buck[ingham[s]hire
and all the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments thereunto belonging
To hold to him and his Heires for ever Item I give devise and
bequeath unto my said Son Thomas Bates all the residue and
remainder time and terme of yeares that I now have to come and
are unexpired in the severall Leases by which I hold and enjoy the
two Houses I now inhabit in and the Messuage or Tenement next
thereunto adjoyning and which is in the tenure or possession of the
said Samuel Phillimore and are all three scituate lying and being in
Lemmon Street in Goodman's Feilds in the aforesaid Parish of White
Chappell To hold to him his Executors Administrators and Assignes
dureing all the residue and remainder of the terme of yeares as
shall be to come and be unexpired at the time of my decease and the
rents issues and profitts thereof to receive perceive and take to his
and their owne use and behoofe Item I give devise and bequeath unto
my Son Henry Bates all that my old Freehold Messuage or Tenement
with all the Yards Gardens Backsides Barnes Stables and Outhouses
with all and singular other Appurtenances thereunto belonging or
in any wise appertaining scituate in Wingrove aforesaid To Hold to
the said Henry Bates his Heires and Assignes for ever Item I give
devise and bequeath unto my said Son Henry Bates the full sum[m]e of
Fifteen Hundred pounds to be paid him at the age of twenty one
yeares And the said Fifteen Hundred pounds in the meane time to
be putt out to Interest for his owne use Item I give devise and
bequeath unto my Daughter Ann Bates the full sum[m]e of Fifteen
Hundred pounds to be paid her at the age of twenty one yeares or
Day of Marriage which shall first happen And the said Fifteen
Hundred pounds to be putt out to Interest in the meane time for her
owne use Item I give to my said Daughter Ann Bates All the
Furniture of the best Chamber and alsoe all the Furniture of the
Dineing Roome Item I give devise and bequeath unto my said Sons
Thomas Henry and my said Daughter Ann Bates all the Plate
that was their Mothers equally to be Divided between them share
and share alike Item I give devise and bequeath unto my said

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Daughters Miriam Umfreville and Rebecca Phillimore and Cicely Towers
all the Plate that was their Mothers equally to be Divided between
them share and share alike Item if my said two Sonns shall happen
to departe this life before they shall attaine the ages of twenty one
yeares and my said Daughter Ann should survive them Then in such
case I doe hereby give devise and bequeath unto my said Daughter
Ann the full sum[m]e of One Thousand pounds more than what I have
herein before given and bequeathed her Item my minde and Will is
that if my said Son Henry Bates should happen to departe this Life
before he attaines the age of twenty one yeares the Legacy of Fifteen
Hundred pounds to him herein before bequeathed shall be equally
Distributed and divided among all my Surviving Children share and
share alike And also my minde and Will is that if my said Daughter
Ann Bates should happen to departe this Life before she attaines
the age of twenty one yeares or Day of Marriage the Legacy of
Fifteen Hundred pounds to her herein before bequeathed shall be
equally Distributed and divided among all my Surviving Children
share and share alike Item I give devise and bequeath unto my
Nephew William Wheeler Son of Henry Wheeler of Wingrove
aforesaid Yeoman the full sum[m]e of Forty pounds to be paid him when
his Apprenticeship shall expire and end Item I give devise and
bequeath unto my Nephew Henry Wheeler the sum[m]e of Twenty
pounds to be paid him when his Apprenticeship shall end and
expire Item I give to my Sister Cicely Wheeler Wife of the said
Henry Wheeler the full sum[m]e of One Hundred pounds to be paid her
into her owne hands for her owne proper use apart from her
Husband at such time and in manner as my Executors in their
discretion shall think fitt Item I give to my three Neeces Cicely Wheeler
Elizabeth Wheeler and Jane Wheeler Children of my said Sister Wheeler
the full sum[m]e of twenty pounds to each of them to be paid them at their
severall and respective ages of twenty one yeares or daies of
Marriage which of them shall first and next happen Item I give to the
poor of Wingrove ten pounds Item I give to my loveing Friend Charles
Burditt Ten pounds to buy him mourning Item I give devise and
bequeath unto my Brother Thomas Gibbs and Hannah his Wife twenty
pounds between them and to his Son Christopher Gibbs Thirty pounds
to be paid them within Six Moneths after my decease Item I give to
my Sister Mary Fowler Wife of Timothy Fowler of London Merchant
twenty pounds to buy her Mourning Item I give to my Brother
William Theed of London Hosier and to Arundell Westfield of the
Parish of Whitechappell aforesaid Cloathworker and to my said Son
Samuel Phillimore to each of them Fifty pounds to be paid them within
Six Moneths after my decease which said William Theed Arundell
Westfield and Samuel Phillimore I doe nominate and appoint to be my
joint and Coe=Executor in Trust of this my last Will and Testament
earnestly intreating and desireing them to take the Trust upon them
and to see this my Will as much as in them lies faithfully and justly
performed to all intents and purposes All the rest and residue of
my Estate be it of what kinde or quality soever and not herein before
bequeathed (after all my Debts Legacies and Funerall Expences are
paid and discharged) I give devise and bequeath to my said Son
Thomas Bates And I doe hereby revoake make null and void all

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former Wills by me heretofore made and doe publish and declare
these presents and none other to be my only last Will and Testament
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale this
Thirtieth Day of November in the Fourth year of the Raigne of our
Soveraigne Lady Ann by the grace of God of England Scotland France
and Ireland Queen Defender of the Faith &c Annoq[ue] D[omi]ni One Thousand
Seven Hundred and Five Thomas Bates Signed sealed published and
declared as the last Will and Testament of the said Thomas Bates by
the Testator in the presence of us Daniel Potenger Henry Scott
Benjamin Mould Sen[io]^r

Probate [in Latin] was granted on 4 April 1706 at London, Prerogative Court of Canterbury with administration granted to Samuel Phillimore one of the Executors, with power reserved to William Theed and Arundell Westfield.

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: 487
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5111 #835817 (accessed 17 November 2023)
   Will of Thoma Bates, granted probate on 4 Apr 1706. Died about 1706 in St Mary Matfellon, Middlesex, England.