Holmes Will 1721

Will of Thomas Holmes

of Folkestone, Kent


Source: Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury PRC 17/85/12d
Submitted by Shelagh Mason
In the Name of God Amen
I Thomas Holmes of the Town of Folkestone in the County of Kent Yeoman Knowing my own Mortality and for other good Causes and Considerations me moving thereunto do make and ordain this my last will and Testament in manner and forme following (that is to say)
First and principally I bequeath my Soul into the hands of God that gave it hoping that by the alone merits of Jesus Christ my Redeemer to Inherit eternal Life and my Body I commit to the Earth from whence it was taken there to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor hereinafter named

Imprimis I give unto my Loving Kinsman John Gilbert* the sum of Two Hundred pounds to be paid unto him by my Executor the one half within One Year and the other half within Two Years next after my decease

Item I give unto my loving Kinsman William Gilbert the sume of one Hundred and Fifty pounds to be paid unto him as abovesaid.
Item I give unto my loving Kinswoman Susannah the wife of John Adams the sum of Eighty pounds to be paid unto her by my Executor within Two Years next after my decease
Item I give to Dorothy the wife of Thomas Baker the sum of Sixty pounds to be paid unto her within one year next after my decease

Item I give to Anne the wife of John Castle the sum of Eighty pounds be paid unto her the one half within One Year and the other half within Two Years next after my decease
Item I give unto John Newman son of the said Anne Castle the sume of Twenty pounds to be paid unto him by my Executor the one half within One Year and the other half within Two Years next after my decease

Item I give unto Thomas Cavarly and John Cavarly each of them the sume of Ten pounds to be paid unto them by my Executor when they shall severally attain to the age of Twenty and Four years
Item I given unto Mary and Elizabeth Cavarly the sume of Twenty pounds to each of them to be paid by my Executor when they shall each of them attain to the age of Twenty and four years

Item I give unto my Kinsman Edward Baker the sume of Fifty pounds to be paid unto him when he shall attain to the age of Twenty and Four years
Item I give unto Elizabeth sister to the said Edward Baker the sume of Twenty pounds to be paid unto her when she shall attain to the age of Twenty and Four years

Item I give unto my Kinswoman Mary Baker Widow the sume of Twenty shillings by the Year for the term of her natural Life, half yearly to be paid
Item I give unto the Daughters of the said Mary Baker the sume of Ten pounds to be paid unto them within one Year next after their Mother�s decease and to be equally divided between them

Item I give unto the three Daughters of John Marsh which he had by his first wife Mary Baker each of them the sum of Fiveteen pounds to be paid unto them by my Executor within Three years next after my decease
Item I give unto Martha the wife of John Watson the sume of Thirty pounds to be paid unto her within two years next after my decease

Item I give to the Children of Thomas Rogers the sume of Forty pounds to be paid unto them when they shall severally attain to the age of Twenty and four years and to be equally divided amongst so many of them as shall be then living
Item I give unto my Servant maid Elizabeth Downe the sume of Ten pounds to be paid unto her within one Year next after my decease

Item I give unto the poor of the Town of Fokestone the sume of Three pounds to be paid to the Churchwarden or Overseers of the poor within three months next after my decease and to be disposed of at the discretion of the Mayor and Jurats for the time being

Item I give unto the poor of the Town of Fokestone the sume of Forty shillings to be paid to the Churchwarden or Overseers of the poor within three months next after my decease and to be disposed of by the said Churchwarden and Oversers being afoisted by the Mayor part of the Inhabitants of the said Parish

As for the disposing of those Houses and Land which it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me in this World I give and devise as followeth

Imprimis I give unto my loving Kinsman Thomas Gilbert and to his Heires for ever all those my Four parcels of Meadow and Pasture Land lying and being within the Liberty if the Town and Corporation of Folkestone containing by Estimation Eighteen acres more or less and now in the occupation of Mr. John Brice or his Assignes, he the said Thomas Gilbert paying out of the same unto my loving Brother William Holmes the sume of Four pounds every three months during the term of his natural Life without any deduction for King�s Taxes or repairs and if it shall happen that the said Four pounds or any part of the sume to be behind and unpaid by the Space of Eight and Twenty days next after the same ought to be paid that then it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said William Holmes to enter upon the Premises or any part of the same and thereto desrain and the distress so taken to detain or otherwise dispose of according as the law directs

Lastly my will and meaning is that if any Person having any right to any Legacy given by this my Wil do depart this Life before their Legacy shall become due and do leave any Child or Children behind them then that my will and meaning is that such Child or Children so left behind shall have and enjoy the Fathers or Mothers in as full and ample manner as if they might have done if they had been actually living

All the rest of my Lands Houses Goods Chattells Cattle Household Stuff ready money and debts and all other Goods whatsoever my debts Legacies funeral Expenses and probate of this my will being first satisfied and paid I give unto my Loving Kinsman Thomas Gilbert and to his Heirs for ever whome I do make Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament revoking and making void all other will or wills formerly by me made

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand, dated the tenth day of October Anno. Dni. 1720
before the ensealing and delivery of these presents I give and bequeath unto Basill son of Basill Denn the sum of Ten Pounds to be paid unto him when he shall attain to the age of Twenty and Four Years
I also give to my Brother William Holmes all my wearing Apparel both Woollen and linnen to be delivered unto him immediately after my decease

Signed Sealed Published and Delivered in the presence of [blank]

22 Day of February 1720
which day personally appeared Thomas Castle of Folkestone in the County of Kent Yeoman, John Hart of Folkestone aforesaid Maltster and Edward Baker of Cheriton in [the] County aforesaid Carpenter and being sworn upon the Holy Evangelists do severally depose, that these deponents well knew Thomas Holmes of Folkestone abovesaid deceased and have several times seen him write and are very well acquainted with the manner and Character of the Hand writing of the said Deceased and these Deponents having carefully viewed the Paper writing hereunto annexed purporting to be the last will and Testament of the said Thomas Holmes deceased, beginning thus (In the Name of God Amen I Thomas Holmes � and bearing date the Tenth day of October Anno Dini 1720) and ending thus (I also give to my Brother William Holmes all my wearing Apparel both Woollen and linnen to be delivered unto him immediately after my decease) do severally Swear that they very[ily] believe the same to be all written by the proper Hand of the said Thomas Holmes deceased

Thomas Castle John Hart Edward Baker Jurat coram
Tho : Johnson Suro presente me Geo : Upton Not(ary) Pub(lic)

Probatum fuit: Vicesimo secundo die Feb. A.D. 1720 (22nd Feb. 1720/1)

Notes:
See: PRC 17/74/32b Will of Thomas Holmes, Yeoman of Folkestone dated 15th December 1676 and Proved 16th February 1677. This is the father of the Thomas, William and Dorothy (who marries *John Gilbert).

Thomas Holmes, Yeoman of Folkestone (n. 1658) married Mary Cloak of Folkestone on 18th October 1688 at Hawkinge. Thomas was buried 13th February 1721 at SS Mary & Eanswith, Folkestone.

Thomas Holmes and his brother William were both born during the Commonwealth and are not recorded.


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Will of Thomas Holmes
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