I give and devise all those my four Messuages or Tenements with the Gardens Yards Backsides and Appurtenances thereunto belonging or therewith now occupied and enjoyed situate lying and being in Queensborough aforesaid and also all those two Sheep Leeses or Common of pasture for twenty four Sheep to be had and taken in and upon the Common there called or known by the Name of Queenborough Green with the Appurtenances unto my two Sons John Head and William Head their Heirs and Assigns for ever equally to be divided between them share and share alike as Tenants in Common and not as Joint Tenants
I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Sarah now the Wife of William Waterer the Sum of two hundred and fifty pounds of good and lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid to her by my Executor hereinafter named within twelve Months next after my decease
I give and bequeath unto my Son William Head all the Stock of Horses Cows Calves Bullocks Sheep and Lambs which I shall be possessed of at the time of my decease (except such of my Horses Cows Calves Bullocks Sheep and Lamb as shall be then on the Land which I occupy called China Marshes)
I give and bequeath all my Stock of Horses Cows Calves Bullocks Sheep and Lambs which shall be on
the said Lands called China Marshes at the time of my decease
And also all the Rest and Residue of my Goods Chattels Rights Credits and personal Estate
whatsoever and wheresoever and of what Nature of Quality the same shall be, from and after
payment of my Just Debts the Legacy by my hereinbefore given and bequeathed and the Charges of
Proving this my last Will and Testament and other incident Charges unto my said two Sons John
Head and William Head their Executors and Assigns for ever equally to be divided between them share and share alike
I give and devise unto my loving Wife Susannah (over and besides the Bond which I gave her on our Intermarriage) the Furniture of the Room called the West Chamber (except our Case of Draws) and also the free Liberty of dwelling and reposing in the fore Chamber next and adjoining to the aforementioned Room called the West Room during the Term of her natural Life
And also one Annuity or yearly Rent Charge or Sum of ten pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain free and clear
of and from all and all Manner of Taxes Charges Deductions and Abatements whatsoever to be
issuing and payable out of all and singular the Messuages Lands Tenements Hereditaments and
Premisses hereinbefore by me given and devised to my said two Sons John Head and William Head their Heirs and Assigns for ever
To be paid and payable to my said Wife or her assigns yearly and every year during the Term of her
natural Life by equal half yearly payments of five pounds each at the two mot usual Feasts or Days of
Payment in the Year (that is to say) The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Michael
the Archangel the first payment thereof to begin and be made at such of the Feasts or Days of
Payment which first and next happen after my decease
And my will and meaning is and I do hereby direct that in case the said Annuity yearly Rent Charge or Sum of ten pounds or ay part thereof shall be behind in part or in all by the Space of twenty one days next over or after any or either of the said Feasts or days of payment wherein the same is hereinbefore directed to be paid then and so often it shall and may be lawful to and for my said Wife or her assigns from time to time and at any time or times thereafter to enter into and upon the said several Messuages Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Premisses herein before devised to my said two Sons in manner aforesaid or any part thereof
And to distrain for so much of the said Annuity yearly Rent Charge or Sum of ten pounds as shall be then in arrear and the Distress and Distresses then and there found to impound detain keep sell and dispose of according to Law until the said Annuity yearly Rent Charge or Sum of ten pounds and all arrearage thereof together also with the Costs and Charges of such Distress and Distresses shall be fully paid and satisfied And so from time to time as often as the said Annuity yearly Rent Charge or Sum of ten pounds shall be found in arrear to Distrain and the Distress and Distresses so taken to sell and dispose of according to Law And I hereby charge all and every the Messuages Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Premisses hereinbefore by me given and devised unto my two Sons with the payment of the Annuity yearly Rent Charge or Sum of ten pounds hereby given and devised unto my said Wife
It is my Will and I hereby direct that my said Son John shall have the Guardianship and Tuition of
the person and Fortune of my said Son William until he shall attain the Age of twenty four years
and I hereby name constitute and appoint my said Son John sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament
And Lastly I hereby revoke all former Will and Wills and other Testamentary Dispositions by me at any time heretofore made and declare this only to be my last Will and Testament
In Witness whereof I the said William Head the Testator to this my last Will and Testament contained in two Sheets of
paper have subscribed my Name to the first sheet thereof and to the other Sheet thereof have set and
affixed my Hand and Seal this twenty fourth day of August in the second 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 etc. and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty two
William Head
This writing was signed and sealed by the said William Head the Testator and was by him published
and declared to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us Witnesses hereunder written who
have at his Request and in his presence and in the presence of each other subscribed our Names as
Witnesses to the due Execution of this his last Will and Testament
Scott Breeze - John Harris - Wm. H? Morgan
January ye 31st 1764 Memorandum
I leave John Head my Eldest Son all China Marsh which I haf left Beot? hall in my Will but I
left all to him after my decease he must let his Brother William Head have five hundred pound in
Stock more than he has because he has had fif [five] hundred pound before in my death William Head
January ye 31st 1764 Memorandum
I leave William Head my Younger Son Dedges Land and late Hoshar? which now is Mr. Champmans William Head
January ye 31st 1764 Memorandum
I leave the House and Land equal between my two Son(s) John Head and William Head and all
Bonds and Ready Money each of them a like after paying Debts and Funeral Charges and Legacys William Head
January ye 31st 1764
This Memorandum that I leave my Wife Susanna two pounds a year to be paid to her more than I left
in my Will and two pounds a year to be paid instead of the one Room that is mentioned in my will
which Room She is not to have this four pounds is not to be paid if my wife marrys William Head
January ye 31st 1764
And I leave my Son John the use of the four Horses and Waggon William Head
Memorandum that William Head Son of William Head that the half of that his house and Lands if he dies without Heir one half to be left to his Brother John Head and the other half to his Sister Sarah Waterer or the Heirs of her Body William Head Jany 31 1764.
2nd October 1764
Which day Appeared personally John Hopson of Queenborough in the County of Kent Hoyman and
William Hopson of the same place Hoyman and being sworn on the Holy Evangelist to depose the truth made oath as follows
That they these deponents knew and were well acquainted with William Head late of Queenborough
in the County of Kent deceased for many years before and to the time of his death and also with his
Manner and Character of Handwriting having often seen him write and subscribe his Name and
having now viewed and carefully perused the paper writing hereunto annexed purporting to be and
contain six Codicils or Additions to the last Will and Testament of the said deceased
the first beginning “January ye 31st 1764 Memorandum I leave John Head my Eldest Son all China Marsh
which I haf left Beot hall in my Will” and ending thus “because he has had fif hundred pound before in my death William Head”
the second beginning “January ye 31st 1764 Memorandum I leave William Head my Younger Son
Dedges Land” and ending “late Hoshar which now is Mr. Champmans William Head”
the third beginning “January ye 31st 1764 Memorandum I leave the House and Land equal between my two
Son” and ending “after paying Debts and Funeral Charges and Legacys William Head”
the fourth beginning “January ye 31st 1764 This Memorandum that I leave my Wife Susanna two pounds a
year” and ending “ She is not to have this four pounds is not to be paid if my wife marrys William Head”
the fifth containing “January ye 31st 1764 Memorandum And I leave my Son John the use of the four Horses and Waggon William Head”
the sixth beginning “Memorandum that William Head Son of William Head” and ending thus “and the other hallif to Sister
Sara Watears or the Heirs of her Body William Head Jany 31 1764.”
They these deponents say that they verily and in their conscience believe the whole Series and
Contents of the said paper writing containing six Codicils or additions to the last Will and Testament
of the said deceased as aforesaid severally beginning ending and subscribed as aforesaid to be all of
the proper Handwriting and Subscription of the said deceased John Hopson and William Hopson
same day the said John Hopson and William Hopson were duly sworn to the truth of this affidavit
before me Geo: Harris Surrogate Silas Duncombe Nory Pub
This Will was proved at London with Six Codicils on the twelfth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty four before the Worshipful George Harris Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Worshipful George Hay also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oath of John Head the Son of the said deceased and sole Executor named in the said Will to whom Administration of all and singular the Goods Chattells and Credits of the said Deceased was granted he having been first sworn duly to Administer. Exd.
Notes: Sarah Head, Sp. married William Waterer, Ba., both of Queenborough, at All Saints, Canterbury on 17th October 1750.
Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 21st May 2020.
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