The Life of Sarah Weights: Wills

The Last Will and Testament of Sarah Weights:

This is the last Will and Testament of me, Sarah Weights of Garstang in the county of Lancaster, spinster.

I revoke all my former Wills and Codicils. I devise all my houses, real estate and hereditaments unto and to the use of my Trustees, that is to say, my sister Dorothy Weights of Garstang aforesaid, spinster, John Holden of Barnacre with Bonds in the said county, Currier, and Thomas Swarbrick of Nateby in the said county, Farmer, their heirs, executors, administrators respectively according to the nature and tenure thereof, Upon Trust, that they the said Dorothy Weights, John Holden and Thomas Swarbrick or the survivors or survivor of them or the heirs, executors or administrators of such survivor or survivors or other the Trustees or Trustee for the time being of this my Will hereinafter called the said Trustees and Trustee, shall pay unto my sister the said Dorothy Weights the rents and proceeds of all my houses situate in Great Hanover Street in Preston in the said county during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease Upon Trust that they the said Trustees or Trustee shall pay the rents and proceeds of the house numbered forty seven in Great Hanover Street in Preston aforesaid to my niece Millicent Noble to and for her own absolute use and benefit and free from the control, debts or engagements of any husband for and during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease then Upon Trust that they the said Trustees or Trustee shall sell the same by public auction or private contract with power to buy in or recind any contract for sale and resell the same without being responsible for any loss occasioned thereby and to do and execute all such acts and assurances for effectuating any such sale or sales as the said Trustees or Trustee shall think fit and to pay and apply the proceeds thereof amongst the issue of the said Millicent Noble and in default of such issue then amongst the children of my brother Samuel Weights, their heirs or assigns.

Upon Trust as to the house numbered forty eight in Great Hanover Street in Preston aforesaid unto my niece Mary Dobson, the wife of Dominic Dobson, her heirs and assigns absolutely for ever.

Upon Trust as to the house numbered forty nine in Great Hanover Street in Preston aforesaid unto and to the use of my nephew James, the son of my said brother Samuel, his heirs and assigns absolutely for ever.

Upon Trust as to the house numbered fifty in Great Hanover Street in Preston aforesaid unto and to the use of my nephew William, the son of my said brother Samuel Weights, his heirs and assigns for ever.

I devise all mortgaged and trust estates which may be now vested in me unto the said Trustees or Trustee subject to and upon the equities and trusts affecting the same and I give and bequeath unto the said Trustees or Trustee the sum of one hundred pounds sterling Upon Trust to pay the same equally to and amongst the children of my said brother Samuel, their heirs or assigns and I declare that the share of any female shall not be liable to the debts or control of any husband.

I give and bequeath unto my said Trustees or Trustee the sum of one hundred pounds Upon Trust to pay the same unto my brother Joseph, his heirs or assigns.

I give and bequeath unto my said Trustees or Trustee the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds sterling free from legacy duty Upon Trust to purchase two stained glass windows and place the same in a proper manner in the Lady Chapel of Saint Mary and Saint Michael's Church in Barnacre with Bonds in the said county.

I give and bequeath unto my said Trustees or Trustee the further sum of thirty pounds Upon Trust to pay the officiating priest of the said church the sum of ten pounds, to the deserving poor of the congregation of the said church the sum of ten pounds, and to the boys and girls schools of the said church the sum of ten pounds for the purchase of clothing.

I give to my said Trustees and Trustee the rest of my real estate and such of my personal estate as shall consist of money and securities for money Upon Trust that they my said Trustees or Trustee shall pay the rents, interest and profits thereof to my said sister Dorothy during her life and from and after her decease to my sister Elizabeth and my brother Joseph during their natural lives in equal proportions and in case my said sister Elizabeth shall die during the lifetime of my said brother Joseph then I direct that the whole of the said rents and interest shall be paid to my said brother Joseph but in case my said brother Joseph shall die during the lifetime of my said sister Elizabeth then I direct his share to be paid to his children then surviving in equal proportions and on the death of both of them my said sister Elizabeth and my said brother Joseph I give and bequeath such remaining part of my real and personal estate as aforesaid unto my said Trustees or Trustee Upon Trust that they shall make sale of and convert the same into money either by public auction or private contract and to pay and apply the proceeds thereof amongst the children of my said brother Joseph, their heirs and assigns share and share alike.

I give to my said sisters Dorothy and Elizabeth all my clothes, wearing apparel and books. I give to my said sister Dorothy all my household furniture and other effects subject nevertheless to the following bequests which I direct to be made at the decease of my said sister Dorothy, that is to say, I give to my brother Joseph the clock now standing in my parlour. I give to my said sister Elizabeth two of the best furniture quilts and one corner cupboard. I give to my nephew James, the son of my brother Samuel, my secretaire and drawers. I give to my niece Mary Dobson, the daughter of my said brother Samuel, my little drawers, corner cupboard and oak snap table, and I give to my niece Sarah, the daughter of my brother Joseph, my large drawers and half a dozen silver teaspoons marked S.W.

I appoint the said Dorothy Weights, John Holden and Thomas Swarbrick Executors and Trustees of this my Will.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the Eighteenth day of September one thousand eight hundred and sixty six.

The mark X of the said testatrix Sarah Weights

Signed by the said Sarah Weights making her mark hereunto and published and declared as and for her last Will and Testament in the sight and presence of us who at the same time at her request in her sight and presence and in the sight and presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses, the words "I give and bequeath unto my said Trustees or Trustee the sum of one hundred pounds Upon Trust to pay the same unto my brother Joseph, his heirs or assigns" being first interlined.

(signed) John Goodwin Wrightson, Postmaster, Garstang; Joseph Rooking, Superintendent Registrar, Garstang.

This is a Codicil to the last Will and Testament of me, Sarah Weights of Garstang in the county of Lancaster, Spinster, which bears the date on or about the eighteenth day of September one thousand eight hundred and sixty six.

Whereas I have by my said Will named my sister Dorothy Weights, John Holden and Thomas Swarbrick Executors and trustees of my said Will, Now I do declare it to be my Will and I hereby nominate and appoint my brother Joseph Weights of Preston in the said county, Gaoler, one of my Executors and Trustees of my Will and I direct that my said Will shall be received and construed as if the name of the said Joseph Weights has been inserted in my said Will and whereas I have by my said Will given my small chest of drawers to my niece Mary, the wife of Dominic Dobson, now I do hereby revoke the said gift devise and bequest and instead thereof do give unto Margaret, the daughter of my said niece Mary my small chest of drawers, and I give unto my said brother Joseph Weights half a dozen silver teaspoons and one pair of silver sugar tongs all marked with the letters W.W.D. and one feather bed, bolster, and pillow, and I give unto my nephew Robert, the son of my said brother Joseph, one feather bed, bolster, and pillow, and except as aforesaid I ratify and confirm my said Will.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the twentieth day of March one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight.

The mark X of the said Sarah Weights.

Signed by the said Sarah Weights making her mark hereto and published and declared by the said Sarah Weights as and for a Codicil to her last Will and Testament in the sight and presence of us who at the same time at her request in her sight and presence and in the sight and presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses.

(signed) John Goodwin Wrightson, Garstang; Joseph Rooking, Barnacre with Bonds.

Proved at Lancaster with a Codicil the twenty seventh day of July 1868 by the oaths of Dorothy Weights, spinster, sister of the deceased, John Holden and Thomas Swarbrick, the Executors named in the Will, and Joseph Weights, brother of the deceased, the Executor named in the Codicil, to whom administration was granted.

The testatrix Sarah Weights was late of Garstang in the county of Lancaster, spinster, and died on the twenty eighth day of March 1868 at Garstang aforesaid.

Under £600 - No Leaseholds

Cunliffe and Watson, Preston