Will of Peter George

of Capel (near Pembury), Kent

I give and bequeath to my Housekeeper Jane Hodgkin one annuity or yearly Sum of fifteen pounds to be paid her quarterly during the term of her natural life if she remains sole and unmarried, the first payment to commence and be payable the first quarter day next after my death

I give and bequeath to my natural daughter Sarah George otherwise Hodgkin the Sum of Two hundred pounds and also all my household Goods Plate Linen and Effects now standing and being in and about my dwelling house and premises and also all my ready money and securities for money due and owing to me to and for her own absolute use and benefit to be delivered up to her by my Executors immediately after my death

I give and bequeath unto my Brother George George twenty pounds
I give and bequeath unto my Brother William George twenty pounds
I give and bequeath unto my Sister Sarah Bains Widow fifty pounds
I give and bequeath unto my Sister Ann Matthews twenty pounds
I give and bequeath unto my Sister Susanna Wigsell fifty pounds
I give and bequeath unto my Nephew Thomas George Son of my late Brother Thomas (George) twenty pounds
to be paid them by my Executors hereinafter named without Interest within two years next after my death

I give and bequeath to my good friends Daniel Dickenson of Pembury in the said County of Kent Yeoman and to Henry Southon of Capel aforesaid Yeoman all my Real and Personal Estate To hold to them the said Daniel Dickenson and Henry Southon and the Survivor of them and to the Executors and admors. [administrators] of such Survivor do and shall as soon as convenient after my decease sell and dispose of all my Real Estate for the most Money they can get for the same either by public auction or private contract and also to collect in and to convert into ready money all my Personal Estate except as before excepted and in the first place to pay off and discharge all my just debts that I may happen to owe my Funeral and Testamentary expences and also the several Legacies or Sums of money hereinbefore bequeathed in manner and form aforesaid

As to all the Rest and Remainder of the Produce of my said Real and Personal Estate I do hereby expressly order and direct the said Daniel Dickenson and Henry Southon or the survivor of them or the Executors or admors. of such Survivor to place the same out at Interest either upon Government or good Landed Security and out of the Interest and Profits arising therefrom to pay in the first place the said Annuity of fifteen pounds per annum which I have herein before given to my Housekeeper Jane Hodgkins in manner aforesaid

As to the remaining Interest that may annually become due or the produce of my said Real and Personal Estate I give and bequeath the same to my natural daughter Sarah George otherwise Hodgkin to and for her own use and benefit and during the term of her natural life

And I also give to my said natural daughter Sarah George otherwise Hodgkin the said Annuity of fifteen pounds at the death or marriage of my housekeeper Jane Hodgkin for & during the term of her natural life and her receipt alone to be a good and sufficient discharge to my Executors or the Survivor of them or the Executors or admors. of such Survivor notwithstanding her marriage

I give and bequeath to the Child or Children of my said daughter Sarah George otherwise Hodgkin lawfully begotten at her death the whole of the said principal Sum to be equally divided between him her or them share and share alike to be paid as the severally and respectively attain their severally and respective ages of twenty one years But in case any or either of the Child or Children of my said natural daughter [Sarah George] should depart this life leaving Issue of his her or their body or bodies lawfully begotten then my Mind and Will is that such Child or Children shall have receive and take his her or their Father’s or Mother’s share and I hereby give and bequeath the same to them accordingly to be paid them by my said Executors or the Survivor of them or the Executors or Admors. of such Survivor as they shall severally and respectively attain their several and respective ages of twenty one years and the Interest in the meantime to be applied towards their support and education

But provided my said natural daughter should happen to die without leaving Issue of her body lawfully begotten during the lifetime of my said housekeeper Jane Hodgkin Then I do hereby order and direct my said Executors or the Survivor of them or the Executors or admors. of such Survivor to pay to my said housekeeper the further Sum of twenty five pounds per annum making together forty pounds per annum during the term of her natural life provided she remains sole and unmarried and I do hereby give and bequeath the same to her accordingly

And I do hereby further order and direct the said Daniel Dickenson and Henry Southon or the Survivor of them or the Executors or admors. of such Survivor at the death of my said housekeeper provided my said natural daughter should be then dead without Child or Children of her body lawfully begotten and not otherwise to pay and divide the said principal Sum so standing in their names except the Sum of Five hundred pounds which I have hereinafter bequeathed unto and amongst my Brothers George George and William George and my Sisters Sarah Baines and Ann Matthews in equal shares and proportions

And in case any or either of my said Brothers and Sisters should die leaving Child or Children of his her or their body or bodies lawfully begotten then and in that case I do hereby order and direct that such Child or Children is to take and receive his her or their deceased Father’s or Mother’s share as they shall severally and respectively attain their several and respective ages of twenty one years and the Interest in the meantime to be applied towards their support and education And I do hereby give and bequeath the same to them accordingly

with respect to the Five hundred pounds which I have hereinbefore reserved I do hereby order and direct to be placed out at Interest upon good Security and the Interest to be paid to my Sister Susanna Wigsell for and during the term of her natural life
and from and immediately after her decease I do hereby order and direct the said David Dickenson and Henry Southon and the Survivor of them and the Executors or admors. of such Survivor to pay out and divide one moiety of the said principal Sum of Five hundred pounds to my Nephew Thomas George and the other moiety unto and amongst my Brothers George George and William George and my Sisters Sarah Baines and Ann Matthew and to their legal Representatives

In case of the death of other of them but to prevent any disputes and misinterpretations of this my Will I do hereby expressly order and direct that no distribution division gift or bequeath [bequest] which I have hereinbefore given to my Brothers Sisters and Nephew or to their representatives shall have any force or effect except the Legacies which I have named in the first sheet of this my Will unless my said natural daughter Sarah George otherwise Hodgkin shall die without leaving Issue of her body lawfully begotten

And I do hereby solemnly express and declare that I have only made the said conditional bequeath [bequest] to show how I would have my property divided at the death of my said housekeeper and my said natural daughter Sarah George otherwise Hodgkin provided she dies without Issue of her body lawfully begotten

And further in case my said Brothers Sisters Nephew or Nieces or the wives or husbands of my said Brothers Sisters Nephews or Nieces of their representatives or any person or persons whomsoever to whom any Interest of benefit out of from or by reason of this my Will shall commence any suit or suits in any Courts of Law or Equity or in any other ways or means sue or disturb or cause to be sued or disturbed my said Executors or the Survivor of them or the Executors or admors. of such Survivor or any other person or persons whomsoever to whom anything is by me given and bequeathed in this my Will from receiving or quiet enjoying or possessing what is by me herein given and bequeathed as aforesaid

Then my will and meaning is that all and every the parts shares or portions or my property so given to my said Brothers Sisters Nephews or Nieces or to their legal Representatives or any or either of them or cause to be sued or disturbed my said Executors or the Survivor of them or the Executors or admors. of such Survivor in the due execution of this my Will shall immediately cease and be utterly void and that then and from thenceforth I give and bequeath all and every the part of or parts share or shares of my said property which I have given in this my Will to such person or persons so offending unto my said natural daughter to and for her own sole use and benefit and in case she shall be dead without leaving Issue of her body lawfully begotten then and in that case unto and amongst my said Brothers and Sisters in equally [equal] shares and portions

And I do hereby nominate and appoint the said Daniel Dickenson and Henry Southon joint Executors of this my Will and I do hereby expressly declare that my said Executors or the Survivor of them or the Executors or admors. of such Survivor shall not be charged or chargeable with or accountable for more of the aforesaid Monies or Effects than he or they shall actually receive or shall come to his or their respective hands by virtue of this my Will

And also that is shall and may be lawful for them my said Executors of the Survivor of them or the Executors or admors. of such Survivor in the first place out of the said Monies or Effects to deduct or receive to themselves or himself respectively all such loss costs charges and expenses as he or they shall sustain expend or be put unto for or by reason of the execution of this my Will or any other thing in anywise relating thereto

In Witness whereof I the said Peter George the Testator have to the first four sheets of this my Will set my hand and to this fifth and last sheet set my hand and seal this 31st day of May in the year of our Lord 1826.
Peter George

Signed Sealed published and declared by the within named Peter George the 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 hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses hereto
Adam Jacob - George Budgen - Stephen Dickenson

Proved at London 31st March 1827 before the Worshipful Thomas Beaumont Burnaby Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the Oaths of Daniel Dickenson and Henry Southon the Executors to whom admon. [administration] was granted being first sworn duly to administer.

Notes:
Peter George was buried at St. Peter, Pembury on 15th June 1826, aged 59.
He is then easily found - he was born in Marden in 1767, as follows:
Peter George (senior) married Elizabeth Bridgland 18th June 1761 at Sutton Valence. He was of Woodchurch; She: was otp. Their children:
29 Jan 1763 Peter (but then Bu: 8 Mar 1763) – at All Saints, Woodchurch.
Remaining children were all christened at St. Michael and All Angels, Marden:
3 Feb 1766 John; 8 Jun 1767 Peter; 15 Jan 1769 Thomas; 3 Dec 1770 George; 3 Apr 1772 Mary; 16 Nov 1773 William; 4 Feb 1775 Anne; 27 Jan 1777 Sarah; 28 Jun 1779 Richard; 10 Jul 1780 Susanna.

Peter George (senior) was christened 6 Jun 1724, s. of Peter and Ann George at Woodchurch.
Peter George (x2 senior) married Ann Lawrence on 24th October 1709 at Woodchurch. He was Ba., Husbandman, otp.
Peter George (x2 senior) was christened 5 Jul 1686, s. of John and Mary George, at Woodchurch, part of a very large family.

Peter George’s “natural daughter” Sarah Hodgkins was christened 2nd May 1802, d. of Jane Hodgkins at St. Peter, Pembury.
Sister Susanna George (then of Leybourne) married William Wigzell of Wrotham on 25th April 1811 at St. George, Wrotham.
Sister Ann George married Thomas Matthews on 15th Nov 1797 at St. George, Southwark, Surrey.
Sister Sarah George married Henry Martin Bain on 21 Jul 1804 at St. Nicholas, Sevenoaks.

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 13th February 2020. All rights waived for personal use – BUT please quote source and reference.

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