Dorchester

Administration of the Estate of Thomas MEECH Esq
Relinquished by his wife Betty in favour of his father John

Dated 14th December 1763

©Transcribed by Michael Russell OPC for Dorchester in April 2012 from original at the

Dorset History Centre, Ref:  Ad/Dt/A/1763; Event Records Number: 10 & 11.



Relinquishment of Administration:

Know All Men by these presents that I Betty MEECH of Dorchester in the County of Dorset Widow and Relict of Thomas MEECH late of the same place Esquire deceased who died Intestate do hereby renounce relinquish the administration of the Goods and Chattels late of the said Intestate and I do desire the said Administration may be granted unto John MEECH of Dorchester Esquire the father of the said Thomas MEECH
    And I do hereby authorise and appoint Nicholas HUMFREY and Thomas FITZHERBERT my true and lawful proctors or either of them jointly & severally for due and in my name to exhibit this my Annunciation and promise the same to be duly admitted and allowed and to do all and singular otherwise act and acts requisite and necessary to be done in the premises as fully and amply as I myself might do if I were personally present satisfying confirming and allowing all and whatsoever next my proctors or either of them shall do or cause to be done by virtue of these presents

In Witness: whereof I the said Betty MEECH have hereunto set my hand and seal this fourteenth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty three.


Betty MEECH

Sealed and delivered in the presence of Robert SMITH


Letter of Administration:

Know All Men by these presents that we John MEECH of Dorchester in the County of Dorset Esquire, : Robert SMITH of the same place Gentleman, and John SADE of the same place Yeoman

Are held and firmly bound unto John WALKER Clerk Master of Arts Archdeacon of the Archdeaconry of Dorset lawfully constituted in the sum of five hundred pounds of goods and lawful money of Great Britain to be paid unto the said John WALKER or to his certain attorney his executors Administrators or Assigns To which payment well and truly to be made We oblige ourselves and every of us by himself for the whole our and every of our heirs executors and Administrators firmly by these presents sealed with our seals

Dated the nineteenth day of December in the fourth year of the reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and so forth, And in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Three

The Condition of this obligation is such that if the above bound John MEECH the lawful father and Administrator of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of Thomas MEECH late of Dorchester aforesaid Esq deceased, do make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased which have or shall come to the hands possession or knowledge of him the said John MEECH or into the hands and possession of any person or persons for him and the same so made do exhibit or cause to be exhibited into the Registry of the Court of the Archdeacons aforesaid at or before the last day of June next ensuing and the same goods chattels and credits and all other chattels and credits of the said deceased at the time of his death which at any time after shall come to the hands or possession of the said John MEECH or into the hands and possession of any person or persons for him do well and truly administer according to Law

And further do make or cause to be made a true and just accompt of his said administration at or before the last day of November 1764

And all the rest and residue of the said goods chattels and credits which shall be found remaining upon the said Administration accompt the same being first examined and allowed of by the Judge or Judges for the time being of the said Court shall deliver and pay or cause to be paid unto such person or persons respectively as the said Judge or Judges by his or their decree or sentence shall limit and appoint according to the true intent and meaning of the late Act of Parliament made in the two and twentieth and three and twentieth years of the reign of our late sovereign Lord King Charles the second instituted and attested for the better settling of inst estates estates shall limit and appoint

And if it shall hereafter appear that any last will and Testament was made by the said deceased and the Executor or Executors therein named do exhibit the same into the said Court making request to have it allowed and approved accordingly if the said John MEECH above bounden being thereunto required do render or deliver the said Letters of Administration (approbation of such Testament being first had and made) into the said Court Then this Obligation to be void and of non effect or else to remain in full force and virtue.

 

Signed

John MEECH with his seal

Robert SMITH with his seal

John SLADE with his seal

 

Sealed and delivered in the presence of John HUBBOCK and John KNIGHT


On the day and year first within written the within bound John MEECH Esquire appeared personally and was sworn well and faithfully to administer all and singular the goods chattels and credits of Thomas MEECH Esq his late son within named intestate deceased, also to exhibit a true and perfect Inventory thereof into the Registry of the Court of the Archdeacon of Dorset & pass a just account thereon when thereunto lawfully required Betty MEECH the Widow of the said deceased having first renounced the said Administration. Sworn before me John HUBBOCK Surrogate
Genealogical Notes:-

(1). The outside of the Letter is addressed to Mr Thomas FITZHERBERT in Blandford the proctor named in the Letter

(2). Thomas MEECH was buried at Holy Trinity Church Dorchester on 24th November 1763

(3). Thomas MEECH of Dorchester married Elizabeth [Betty] GAPE of Dorchester at Stinsford on 22nd April 1752

(4) Thomas and Betty MEECH has a posthumous son they named Giles MEECH baptised at Holy Trinity on 04 Jan 1764. Giles the son of Thomas Meech of Dorchester was educated at Oxford matriculating at Christ Church on 22nd March 1782 at the age of 18. He was awarded his BA there 1785 and MA 1801. He joined the church being ordained as a deacon at Christchurch Oxford on 5th Nov 1786 and was appointed curate at Winterborne Clenstone Dorset 19th Feb 1787. On ordination as a priest on 31st Jan 1789 he moved to become the curate at Athelhampton and Burleston in Dorset. His first appointment as Rector of Compton Abbas (alias West Compton) occurred on 11th Dec 1790 a position he seems to have retained until appointment as vicar of Toller Porcorum 27th May 1800 until his death 1st January 1849

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