Will of William Penfold

of Chatham, Kent

I give and bequeath to my brother Thomas Penfold of Broadstairs in the County aforesaid the sum of twenty shillings annually to be paid to him during the term of his natural life
I give and bequeath to my sister Elizabeth Mayhead of Chelsea in the County of Middlesex Widow the sum of forty shillings annually to be paid to her during the term of her natural life
I give and bequeath to Stephen Holness of Maidstone in the said County of Kent (brother to my wife) Labourer the like sum of forty shillings annually to be paid to him during the term of his natural life

I give bequeath and devise unto Stephen Langley of the said Parish of Chatham all that leasehold cottage situate and being No. 1 in Caroline Row in Ordnance Place in the said Parish of Chatham for and during the whole of my estate term and interest therein together with the two sheds adjoining thereto subject however to the payment by him of the proportionate share of ground rent and land tax chargeable upon the estate
and likewise that he the said Stephen Langley shall render unto my dear Wife Elizabeth Penfold such assistance and service as she may need and which lies within his power to do

Provided however that during the life of my said wife and the life of Joshua Ruck hereinafter named the said two sheds shall be for their sole use as store houses for depositing materials for the necessary repairs of the estate during the said lifetimes of the said parties he the said Stephen Langley shall have the right of the use of the small shed on the opposite side of the yard until the same is required for the owners of the remaining Cottages the said Stephen Langley to have right of use of the well of water subject to his paying his proportionate share of necessary repairs thereof

I give bequeath and devise unto my dear wife Elizabeth Penfold the leasehold house in which I now reside together with the remaining cottages adjoining thereto being No. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Caroline Row aforesaid for and during the whole of my estate term and interest in the same
I also give bequeath and devise all that leasehold house or tenement known as Stock? Cottage situate and being in Ordnance Place aforesaid together with all the appurtenances thereto belonging unto my said wife for and during the whole of my term estate and interest therein
I also give bequeath and devise unto my said wife Elizabeth Penfold all those other three leasehold cottages situate and being in a Street leasing from the Front Row Ordnance Place aforesaid to the New Inn for the whole of my estate term and interest therein
The whole of the foregoing recited leasehold property to be under the sole control of my said wife Elizabeth Penfold during the term of her natural life and without impeachment of waste

after the decease of my said wife I give bequeath and devise unto my dear friend Joshua Ruck of Maidstone in the County of Kent Timber Merchant the whole of the foregoing recited leaseholds during the term of his natural life
and after his decease the said several leaseholds shall be sold and the proceeds shall be divided in fair and equal proportions share and share alike between
William Ruck, Bethania Ruck, George Ruck, Harriet Ruck (Children of the said Joshua Ruck),
George Larkin son of Sophia Larkin of Maidstone, late of Staplehurst, Kent;
Thomas Penfold of Broadstairs aforesaid; Elizabeth Mayhead of Chelsea aforesaid and Stephen Holness of Maidstone aforesaid
or such of them as shall be then living, the several annual payments directed to be paid to the three last named persons to cease upon their becoming entitled to the shares above named

I also give and bequeath unto my dear wife Elizabeth Penfold all my household furniture, plate, linen, china, glass, books, ready money, securities for money and All other my Estate whatsoever and wheresoever the same may be to and for her own use and benefit absolutely

And in addition to the foregoing bequests it is my will that in the case of Mary Ruck wife of Thomas Ruck of Cleveland Street, Mile End Road in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, becoming a Widow during the lifetime of my said wife and the lifetime of the said Joshua Ruck, she shall then be paid the sum of forty shillings annually during their said lives, after which she shall be entitled to an equal share of the several leaseholds as those persons before recited

And I hereby constitute and appoint my said wife sole Executrix of this my will
hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time heretofore made do declare this as my last will

In Witness whereof I the said William Penfold have to this my last will set my hand and seal the day and year before written
William Penfold

Signed sealed published and declared by the testator 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 thereto
Edward Wood; Richard Hearnden

Proved at London 7th April 1848 before the Worshipful Sherrard Beaumont Burnaby, Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the Oath of Elizabeth Penfold the relict the sole Executrix to whom adm[inistrati]on was granted having been first sworn duly to administer

Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh Mason 20th January 2023

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