I give and devise one Annuity or yearly Rent Charge or Sum of one hundred pounds of lawful Money
of Great Britain free and clear of and from all Taxes Charges and Deductions whatsoever unto my
dear Wife Susanna Sladden and her Assigns for and during the Term of her natural Life if she shall
so long continue my Widow and unmarried but not otherwise to be issuing and going out of all and
every my Messuages Farms Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Real Estate whatsoever and
wheresoever and to be paid yearly and every year upon the four most usual Feasts or Days of Payment in the year (that is to say)
the Feast Days of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary, the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist,
Saint Michael the Archangel and the Birth of our Lord Christ by even and equal portions quarterly to
be paid the first payment thereof to begin and to be made on the first of the said Feast Days that shall
first and next happen after my Decease
and my Will and Mind is and I do hereby Will devise order and direct that if it shall happen the said Annuity or yearly Rent Charge or Sum of One hundred pounds or any part thereof shall at any Time or Times be behind or unpaid by the space of Twenty one Days next after either or any of the said Feast Days or Times of Payment on which as aforesaid the same ought to be paid that then and so often it shall and may be Lawful to and for my said Wife and her Assigns into and upon all and singular my said Messuages Farms Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Real Estate or into and upon any part thereof to enter and there to distrain for the said Annuity or yearly Rent Charge of Sum of one hundred pounds or for any part thereof so being behind and unpaid as aforesaid And the distress and distresses then and there found from thence to take have drive remove carry away impound or otherwise detain and keep and also to sell and dispose of the same for and towards satisfaction of all arrears of the said Annuity or yearly Rent Charge or Sum of one hundred pounds and also all the Costs and Charges of taking such Distress or Distresses returning the Overplus if any shall happen to be to the Name or Names of the Goods and Chattels so distrained
I give and devise my said Messuages Farms Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Real Estate Subject
nevertheless to and charged and chargeable with the said Annuity or yearly Rent Charge or Sum of
one hundred pounds free and clear of and from all Taxes Charges and Deductions as aforesaid unto
my dear Children Richard Simmon Sladden Isaac Sladden George Sladden
William Sladden John Sladden Mary Ann Sladden Elizabeth Sladden Sarah Sladden Harriet
Sladden and Susanna Sladden equally to be divided between them share and share alike as Tenants
in Common and not as Joint Tenants and to their several Heirs and Assigns for ever
but if either or any of my said Children shall happen to die in my lifetime or after my decease under the age of
Twenty one years and without Issue Then I give and devise the part or share and parts or shares of
them and or them unto the Survivors of them equally to be divided between them share and share
alike as Tenants in Common and no as Joint Tenants and to their several Heirs and Assigns for ever
Provided always and my Will and Mind is and I do hereby will devise order and direct that my said Children shall permit and suffer my said Wife Susanna Sladden to dwell and reside in such of my Farm houses as she may think proper for and during so long Time of her Widowhood as she may think proper Gratis and without any Rent to be paid or other satisfaction to be made for the same any thing in this my Will contained the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding
And my Will and Mind is and I do hereby expressly Will order and direct that the said Annuity of yearly Rent Charge or Sum of one hundred pounds hereinbefore given to my said Wife Susanna Sladden and the Liberty of her dwelling and residing in one of my Farm Houses as aforesaid shall be by her received accepted and taken in lieu and full satisfaction and bar of all Dower and Right and Title of Dower which either by Common Law or by the Custom of Kent or otherwise heresoever she can or may claim or demand or be entitled unto or out of any Messuages Lands Tenements or Hereditaments whereof or wherein I am now or at the Time of my Decease shall be seized of or for any Estate of Inheritance
I give and bequeath unto my said Sons Richard Simmon Sladden and Isaac Sladden and unto each of them the Sum of nine hundred pounds apiece to be paid unto them respectively within Three Calendar Months next after my decease
I give and bequeath unto my said Sons George Sladden, William Sladden and John Sladden and
unto my said Daughters Mary Ann Sladden Elizabeth Sladden Sarah Sladden Harriet Sladden
and Susanna Sladden and to each and every of them the Sum of one thousand pounds * apiece of
like lawful Money to be paid unto them respectively within Twelve Calendar Months next after my Decease
but if either or any of my said Children shall happen to die in my lifetime or after my
Decease under the said Age of Twenty one years and without Issue Then I give and bequeath the
Legacy or Legacies of him her or them unto the Survivors of them equally to be divided between them share and share alike
I give and bequeath unto the said Robert Colegate Nicholas Cloak and William Sladden my said Executors the Sum of Ten pounds apiece of like lawful Money as a small Token of my Esteem for them and as a trifling Acknowledgement for their Care and Trouble in and about the Trusts hereby in them reposed
And from and immediately after the payment of all my just Debts Legacies Funeral Expences the
Charges of proving this my Will And all other incident Charges I give and bequeath all the Rest and
Residue of my Goods Chattels Effects Debts due and owing unto me Money Securities for Money
Money in the Public Stocks or Funds of this Kingdom Stock Crop Cattle Implements in Husbandry
and all other my personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature kind or quality
soever the same shall consist and be at the time of my Decease not hereinbefore by me otherwise
disposed of unto all and every of my said Children Richard Simmon Sladden Isaac
Sladden George Sladden William Sladden John Sladden Mary Ann Sladden Elizabeth Sladden
Sarah Sladden Harriet Sladden and Susanna Sladden equally to be divided between them share and share alike
But if either or any of my said Children shall happen to die in my lifetime or after my
Decease under the said age of Twenty one years and without Issue Then I give and bequeath the part
or share and parts or shares of him her or them unto the Survivors of them of and in the Residue of
my said Personal Estates equally to divided between them share and share alike
And I hereby revoke and make void all former Wills and Testaments by me at any Time heretofore made
In Witness whereof I the said Richard Sladden the Testator have to every sheet of this my last
Will and Testament in three sheets of paper contained set my hand and seal the Day and year first above written
Richd. Sladden
Signed sealed published and declared by the said Richard Sladden the Testator as and for his last
Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto in his presence at his request and in the
presence of each other subscribed our Names as Witnesses
Jno Cumming - Eliz. Cumming - Eliza Ismay Cumming
This Will was proved at London on the fifth day of June in the year of Our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and Six before the Right Honorable Sir William Wynne Knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oaths of Robert Coleman Nicholas Cloke (by mistake in the Will written Cloak) and William Sladden the Nephew of the deceased and the Executors named in the said Will to whom admon. [administration] was granted of all and singular the Good Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having first sworn (by Commission) duly to Administer.
Extracted from the Registry of the Exchequer Court of York.
Notes:
Richard Sladden of Reculver aged 63 was buried at Petham 7 Apr 1806
Richard Simmon was christened on 28th November 1782 at St. Martin, Herne, s. of Richard and Anne Sladden.
* One thousand pounds in 1805 was worth approximately £87,000 in 2019 [Bank of England Inflation Calculator].
Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh Mason, 25th May 2020
Return to Kent GenealogyWill of Richard Sladden