I give and bequeath all my beer wines liquor Casks and other stock in trust unto my dear wife Sarah Holmes for her own use and benefit and also the sum of fifty pounds sterling to be paid to her within one Calendar month next after my decease Also I give and bequeath unto my said wife the use of all my plate household linen china and other household goods and furniture during her natural life Provided she shall so long continue my widow and unmarried
and from and immediately after marrying again or death, which shall first happen, I give and bequeath the same plate linen china and other household goods and furniture unto my dear Son Francis Thomas Sharpe Holmes for his own use and benefit
I give and devise unto Bridges Gillow of Saint Nicholas at Wade in the Isle of Thanet Esqr. [Esquire] and
Thomas Ashenden Champion of the Ville of Sarre aforesaid Esqr. their heirs and assigns all that my
messuage or tenement commonly called or known by the name or sign of The Crown* with all and
singular the buildings barns Garden and appurts. [appurtenances] thereunto belonging situate lying and
being in the Ville of Sarre aforesaid and now in my own occupation to hold the same unto the said
Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion their heirs and assigns to the use of my said wife and
her assigns during her natural life provided she shall so long continue my widow and unmarried
* The Crown Inn, a pub. dating from the 15th century, still exists to this day.
and from and immediately after her marrying again or decease (which shall first happen) to the use of my said Son Francis Thomas Sharpe Holmes his heirs and assigns for ever
Also I give and devise unto the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion their heirs and assigns all that my messuage or tenement commonly called or known by the name or sign of the John Garoach ? with all and singular the buildings yards Gardens and appurts. (sic) thereunto belonging or therewith contained or occupied situate lying and being in the parish of Northbourne in the said County of Kent and now in the occupation of George Pissock [Pittock?] his assigns or undertenants To hold the same unto the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion their heirs and assigns To the use of my said wife and her assigns during her natural life provided she shall so continue my widow and unmarried and from and immediately after her marrying again or decease which shall first happen To the use of my dear Son Thomas Rayner Holmes his heirs and assigns for ever Also I give and devise unto the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion their heirs and assigns all that my messuage or tenement with the yard Garden and appurts. (sic) thereunto belonging situate lying and being in the parish of Hothfield in the said County of Kent and now in the occupation of the Overseers of the Poor of the said parish their assigns or undertenants and all other my heredits. [hereditaments] and premises in the said parish of Hothfield To hold the same unto the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion their heirs and assigns To the use of my said wife and her assigns during her natural life provided she shall long continue my widow and unmarried and from and immediately after her marrying again or decease which shall first happen To the use of my dear Son William James Browning Holmes his heirs and assigns for ever
And as to all the Rest and Residue of my personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoeverI give and bequeath the same unto the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion their heirs and assigns Upon Trust that they shall with all convenient speed after my decease call in and convert the same into money and do hereby declare that Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion and the Survivor of them and the executors admons. [administrators] and assigns and such Survivor shall stand and be possessed of such part of my said personal Estate as shall consist of money and of the monies to arise from such other part thereof as I have ordered to be converted into money upon account that then the said trustees or trustee for the time being shall and so with and out of the said monies pay satisfy and discharge all my just debts and funeral and testimonial expences and so and shall lay out and invest the residue of the said monies in their or his names or name in the Parliamentary stocks or public funds of this Kingdom or at interest or Government or real Securities in England and so and shall from time to time alter vary and transfer the said trust monies so to be laid out and invested as aforesaid for into or upon other stocks funds and Securities of the like nature at their or his discretion
And I do hereby [page edge damage] that the said trustees or trustee for the time being shall stand and be possessed of and interested in the said trust monies and the stocks funds and Securities on which they shall be invested and the interest provided and annual produce thereof unto my said wife and her assigns during her natural life provided she shall so long continue my widow and unmarried
And from and immediately after she marries again or the decease of my said wife which first happens
Upon trust that they the said trustees and trustee for the time being [edge damage] and so pay thereout
unto my said Son Thomas Rayner Holmes the sum of one hundred pounds sterling for his own use and benefit
And unto my said Son William James Browning Holmes the Sum of five hundred and fifty pounds sterling for his own use and benefit
And unto my daughter Sarah Frances Holmes the Sum of Six hundred pounds sterling for her own use and benefit
And shall and do after and subject to the payment of the said Sums of One hundred pounds Five hundred and fifty pounds and Six hundred pounds pay assign and transfer all the rest residue and remainder of the said monies and the stocks funds and Securities on which the same shall be invested unto and equally between and amongst my children the said Francis Thomas Sharp Holmes Thomas Rayner Holmes William James Browning Holmes and Sarah Frances Holmes share and share alike as tenants in common and not as joint tenants for their several and respective absolute use and benefit
And I direct that the said legacies of One hundred pounds Five hundred and fifty pounds and Six hundred pounds and several shares of residue respectively notwithstanding the postponement of the time of payment becomes vested interested in my said children respectively immediately upon my decease
And I do hereby nominate and appoint my said wife during such time as she shall remain my widow and unmarried after my decease Guardian of the persons and after her decease or in case she shall so marry do thereby appoint the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion and the Survivor of them Guardians and Custodians of the persons and estates of my said Children during their respective minorities
And I do hereby nominate and appoint my said wife and the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion Executors of this my last will and testament
Provided always and I do hereby declare that the trustees or trustee for the time being of this my will and each and every of them shall be charged and chargeable respectively for such monies only as they respectively shall actually receive by virtue of the trusts therein in them reposed or [edge damage] any receipt or receipts for the sake of Conformity and any one or more of them shall not be answerable or accountable for the others or other of them or for involuntary losses
And also that it shall and may be lawful for them with and out of the monies which shall come to their respective hands by virtue of the trusts aforesaid to retain and reimburse themselves respectively and also to allow their respective co-trustee or co-trustees all such charges damages and expences which they or any of them shall or may suffer sustain in expense disburse be at or be put unto in or about the execution of the aforesaid trusts or in relation thereunto
and I do hereby revoke and make void all former wills and Codicils by me at any time herebefore made
In Witness whereof I the said Francis Holmes the testator have to the first three sheets of this my last will
and testament in four sheets contained set my hand and to this fourth and final sheet thereof my hand
and seal the twenty first day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three
F. Holmes
Signed sealed published and declared by the said Francis Holmes the testator as and for his last will and
testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have
hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses
George Curteis Canterbury, Jas. Kingsford, Thos. AC? Goldfinch Clerks to Messrs. Curteis and Kingsford, Sol'rs, Canterbury
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This is a Codicil to the last will and testament of me Francis Holmes of the Ville of Sarre in the Isle of Thanet in the County of Kent Innkeeper
Whereas in and by my said will I have given and devised unto Bridges Gillow Esqr. and Thomas Ashenden Champion Esqr. their heirs and assigns Certain messuages or tenements lands and heredits. [hereditaments] therein particularly described to certain uses therein limited or expressed containing the same respectively and by my said will after certain bequests of certain parts of my personal estate I have given and bequeathed the rest and residue of my personal estate & have given and bequeathed the rest and residue of my said personal estate unto the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion upon the trusts and for the purposes therein mentioned and declared of and containing the same
And I have also nominated the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion and the Survivors of them to be the Guardians and Guardian of my Children during their respective minorities from and after the death or second marriage of my wife Sarah Holmes and I have also appointed my said wife and the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion to be the executors of my said will
And whereas I am desirous of substituting nominating and appointing John Gaskell of the town of
Ramsgate in the said Isle of Thanet Gentleman to be a trustee and executor of my said will and also a
Guardian of my said Children in the place and stead of the said Bridges Gillow
Now therefore I do hereby revoke all and every the devises and bequests to the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden
Champion in my said will mentioned and also my nomination and appointment of the said Bridges
Gillow as a Guardian of my said Children and executor of my said will therein respectively made and contained
and I hereby give and devise unto the said Thomas Ashenden Champion and John Gaskell
their heirs and assigns all and singular the messuages or tenements lands and heredits. in and on my said
will devised to the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion to have the same unto the said
Thomas Ashenden Champion and John Gaskell their heirs and assigns unto the same uses as in and to
my said will are intended or expressed containing the same respectively
And I give and bequeath into the said Thomas Ashenden Champion and John Gaskell all the rest and residue of my personal estate in and by my said will given and bequeathed unto the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion upon the same trusts and for the same intents and purposes as are in and by my said will declared or expressed respectively the same and I hereby nominate and appoint the said John Gaskell to be a Guardian of my said Children instead of the said Bridges Gillow during their respective minorities after the decease or marriage of my said wife which shall first happen
And I do hereby nominate and appoint the said John Gaskill to be an executor of my said will with my said wife and the said Thomas Ashenden Champion in the room of the said Bridges Gillow and I do hereby give to the said Thomas Ashenden Champion and John Gaskill and each of them their and each of their heirs executors and admons. [administrators] the same powers insecurities priviliges and authorities whatsoever as I have by my said will given to the said Bridges Gillow and Thomas Ashenden Champion their heirs executors and assigns
And I hereby ratify and confirm my said will in every respect thereof where the same is hereby revoked or altered as aforesaid
In Witness whereof I the said Francis Holmes to the first sheet of this Codicil to my last will and
testament set my hand and to this second and last sheet thereof set my hand and seal the eleventh day of
July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five
F. Holmes
Signed sealed published and declared by the said Francis Holmes as and for a Codicil to his last will and
testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other
have subscribed our names as Witnesses
George Curtis Canterbury, Jas. Kingsford, .? Stacey his clerks
Proved at London with a Codicil the 10th August 1836 before the Judges, by the oaths of Sarah Holmes Widow the relict and Thomas Ashenden Champion the Exors. [Executors] named in the will and John Gaskill the Exor. named in the Codicil to whom admon. [administration] was granted having been first sworn by /comon. [Commission] well and truly to administer.
Notes:
Francis Holmes was buried at St. Nicholas-at-Wade, Thanet on 4th June 1836, aged 53, giving a birth date of 1783.
Francis Holmes was one of the children of Thomas and Elizabeth Holmes of Westwell, St. Mary:
9 Dec 1767 Thomas Sharpe (to) Thomas and Elizabeth Holmes (at) Westwell, St. Mary; then:
26 May 1769 Sarah; 9 Oct 1772 William; 14 Jan 1778 George; 20 Sep 1779 Thomas; 2 Nov 1781 Rayner;
3 Nov 1783 Francis; 24 Jul 1785 Amy.
25 Mar 1767 Thomas Holmes married Elizabeth Bright at St. Mary, Westwell. He was a bachelor of
Westwell, she was a spinster of Charing.
See also Thomas�s Will (from Canterbury Cathedral Archives):
PRC 17/103/305 Will of Thomas Holmes, Yeoman of Westwell, Kent, dated 23rd November
1799, with a Codicil dated 2th November 1799, Proved on 9th December 1800.
Francis Holmes married Sarah Browning at St. George the Martyr, Canterbury on 30th December 1813.
Their Children (all christened at St. Nicholas, St. Nicholas-at-Wade, Thanet):
7 Feb 1815 Sarah Frances; 24 Aug 1817 Francis Thomas Sharpe; 7 Feb 1820 Thomas Rayner; 23 Mar 1825 William James Browning.
See also Wills of his sons (from Canterbury Cathedral Archives):
PRC 32/71/144 Will of Francis Thomas Sharp Holmes, Victualler of Sarre Dated 22nd February 1845 and Proved 8th November 1845.
PRC 32/72/136 Will of Thomas Rayner Holmes, Gentleman of Dover, dated 8th April 1854 and Proved 4th May 1854
Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 1st September 2019. All rights waived for personal use � BUT please quote source and reference.
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