The Life of Dorothy Weights: Wills

The Last Will and Testament of Dorothy Weights:

This is the last will and testament of me, Dorothy Weights, late of Barnacre with Bonds but now of Preston, both in the county of Lancaster, spinster.

I direct payment of all my debts, funeral and testamentary expenses.

I give to William Weights, son of my brother Joseph Weights, my eight days clock. I give to James Weights and Mary Dobson, children of my brother Samuel Weights, one feather bed and bolster each. I give to my nephew Robert Weights the pair of mahogany drawers in my back room. I give to my sister Elizabeth Weights (sic) during her life the use of six silver teaspoons marked "W", two silver tablespoons and silver cream jug, and on her death I give the same to my brother Joseph Weights. I give to Samuel, one of the sons of my said brother Joseph Weights my snap mahogany table in the parlour. I give to James, another son of my said brother Joseph, my silver watch and dressing table. I give to Richard, another son of my said brother Joseph, my silver teaspoons and sugar tongs marked "D. W." and to Robert, another son of my said brother Joseph Weights, my silver snuff box marked "D. W.". I give to Sarah, the wife of my said brother Joseph Weights, my best black shawl and best black dress. I give to Margaret, daughter of my niece Mary Dobson, my best coloured silk dress and best bonnet and also a legacy or sum of five pounds. I give to my said brother Joseph Weights all my stockings, handkerchiefs, umbrellas and parasols and I give all the rest or remainder of my wearing apparel unto my said niece Mary Dobson.

I give to the treasurer for the time being of Saint Vincent de Paul's Society in Preston aforesaid the legacy or sum of five pounds. I give and bequeath to my said brother Joseph Weights, my nephew Richard Weights of Newport, County Court Clerk (son of my said brother Joseph) and John Holden of Barnacre with Bonds aforesaid, Currier, their Executors and Administrators the sum of twenty five pounds upon the trusts following (that is to say):

As to the sum of five pounds part thereof to pay the same to the trustees or trustee or other person having the control and management of the Roman Catholic schools at Barnacre with Bonds aforesaid. As to the sum of five pounds other part thereof to pay the same to the treasurer for the time being of the Roman Catholic Charity Society at Broughton near Preston aforesaid. As to the sum of ten pounds other part thereof to pay the same to the officiating priest for the time being of St Mary's and St Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Barnacre with Bonds aforesaid. As to the sum of five pounds remaining part thereof to pay the same to the Reverend John Nickson, the Roman Catholic priest at Mawdesley in the said county of Lancaster, for his own absolute use.

I give to James Weights, one of the children of my said brother Samuel Weights, the legacy or sum of one hundred pounds. I give to Mary Dobson, another of the children of my said brother Samuel Weights, the legacy or sum of one hundred pounds and I direct that such legacy shall be for her separate use and not subject to the debts or control of her present or any future husband. I give and bequeath to my said brother Joseph Weights and my said nephew Richard Weights and the said John Holden their Executors and Administrators the sum of one hundred pounds upon trust to invest the same upon government or real securities in England or in or upon the stocks, shares or securities of any company incorporated by act of Parliament and paying a dividend with power from time to time to vary such securities and to pay the annual income thereof to my sister Elizabeth Crombleholme during her life for her separate use and after her decease I direct that the sum of one hundred pounds and the securities thereof shall fall into and be considered as part of my residuary personal estate.

And as to all the residue of my personal estate, I give and bequeath the same to my said brother Joseph Weights, his Executors, Administrators and assigns absolutely subject to the payment of five pounds to each of my said other trustees, namely the said Richard Weights and John Holden.

I devise all my real and leasehold estate unto and to the use of the said Joseph Weights, Richard Weights and John Holden, their heirs, Executors, Administrators and assigns upon trust to pay the rents and profits thereof after payment of all expenses on account of repairs, insurance and other outgoings, to my said brother Joseph Weights and my sister Elizabeth Crombleholme in equal shares during their joint lives and in case of the death of my said brother Joseph in the lifetime of my said sister Elizabeth then during the remainder of her life to pay one moiety or equal half part of the said rents and profits unto and equally amongst the children of my same brother and to pay the other moiety or equal half part thereof to my same sister and I direct that in case of and after the decease of my said sister Elizabeth during the lifetime of my said brother Joseph my said trustees shall stand possessed of my said real and leasehold estate in trust for and I devise the same unto my said brother Joseph Weights, his heirs, Executors, Administrators and assigns absolutely but in case my said brother shall have died in the lifetime of my said sister Elizabeth then (after her decease) my said trustees shall sell my said real and leasehold estate by public auction or private contract and execute assurances to purchasers and stand possessed of the proceeds of such sale in trust, after payment of all expenses attending the same, to pay and divide the said proceeds unto and equally amongst all the children of my same brother living at the decease of my same sister and the issue then living of any of his children who may be then dead, such issue taking equally the share or shares only which his or her parent would have taken if living.

I appoint the said Joseph Weights. Richard Weights and John Holden Executors of this my Will and give to them and each of them such powers of giving receipts and of indemnity and reimbursement (including reasonable remuneration for trouble and loss of time) as are usual in like cases of Wills and as if the same were herein fully set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand the first day of October one thousand eight hundred and eighty five.

(signed) Dorothy Weights

Signed by the said testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us present at the same time who at her request in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.

(signed) Roger Smith, Robert Moore, clerks to Messrs Turner & Son, Solicitors, Preston.

Proved at Lancaster the twenty ninth day of January 1886 by the oaths of Joseph Weights, brother of the deceased, Richard Weights, nephew of the deceased (son of the said Joseph Weights) and John Holden, the Executors named in the Will to whom administration was granted.

The testatrix Dorothy Weights was late of Preston in the county of Lancaster, spinster, and died on the seventeenth day of October 1885 at Preston aforesaid.

Gross amount: £568 10s 0d
Net amount: £531 10s 0d