Will of William Sladden

of Adisham, Kent

First I give unto each of my five daughters Elizabeth Ann Margaret Harriott and Maria the Sum of one thousand and three hundred pounds * of lawful Money of Great Britain to be vested Interests at my decease and to be paid to such of them as shall be of the age of twenty one years at my decease within six calendar months next afterwards with Interest from my decease after the rate of five pounds per Centum per Annum And to such of them as shall not be of the age of twenty one years at my decease when and as they shall respectively attain their respective ages of twenty one Years

And I direct my Executors hereinafter named to lay out and invest the respective legacies of such of my said daughters as shall not be of the age of twenty one years at my decease in or upon Government or real Securities or otherwise in their discretion at Interest in their names and from time to time to alter and transpose such Securities and funds and to apply the Interest dividends and Annual produce of the same respectively for and towards the maintenance and Education of each daurs. [daughters] respectively until their respective legacies shall be come payable as aforesaid And I do hereby declare that the legacies hereinbefore given to my said daughters respectively are in addition to the provision made for them respectively by their late grandfathers

And I give to Austin Gardner of Beaksborne [Bekesbourne] in the said County of Kent Gentleman James Ashenden of Davington near Faversham in the said County of Kent Gentleman John Dilnot of Adisham aforesaid Gentleman and Thomas Crux of the same place Gentleman my Executors hereinafter named the Sum of one hundred pounds apiece of lawful money of Great Britain as an acknowledgement for the trouble they will have in the Execution of the Trusts in this my Will to be paid t or retained by them immediately after my decease

And I give unto the said Austin Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux their Executors Administrators and Assigns all my farming and grazing business and the love and dead Stock and Crop with Implements and Utensils of Husbandry and other effects belonging to the same Upon the trusts following (that is to say)

In Trust to carry on and manage my business of a Farmer and Grazier until my youngest Son then living attains the age of twenty one years or dies which shall first happen And In Trust to apply so much of the gains and profits of my said business as they may think proper or necessary for and towards the maintenance and education of my three Sons William Sladden Thomas Sladden and Richard Sladden until my youngest Son then living attains the age of twenty one years or dies

And In Trust to lay out and invest the residue of such gains and profits in or upon Government or real Securities at Interest in their Names and to alter and transpose such Stocks funds and Securities from time to time and to lay out and invest the Interest dividends and Annual Produce of such Stocks funds and Securities in the Purchase of or upon Stocks funds or Securities of the like nature so that the same and the resulting Income and produce thereof respectively may from time to time accumulate in the nature of compound Interest

And I direct that such Interest dividend and Annual Produce and the Resulting Income and produce thereof respectively and the accumulations thereof respectively shall belong to and be upon the same trusts as are herein by us declared of and concerning the fund where such accumulations shall proceed and be considered as part thereof
And when and as soon as my youngest Son then living attains his said age of twenty one years or dies I direct that my said Trustees their Executors Administrators and Assigns shall stand and be possessed of my said Farming and grazing business and the live and dead Stock and Crop Implements and Utensils of Husbandry and other effects belonging to the same And the accumulations thereof In Trust for my said three Sons William Sladden Thomas Sladden and Richard Sladden in equal shares as Tenants in Common And for their respective Executors Administrators and Assigns

Provided always And I do hereby declare and direct that it shall be lawful for the said Austin Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux and the Survivor and Survivors of them And he Executors Administrators and Assigns of such Survivor in their or his discretion either carry on my said Farming and Grazing business hereinbefore directed or at any time to give up and discontinue the same or any part thereof or it shall appear to them or him most for the advantage of my said three Sons

And I give devise and bequeath all and singular my freehold messuages lands Tenement and hereditaments whatsoever and wheresoever whereof or wherein for and person or persons in trust for me and is or are seized or intitled unto in possession reversion remainder or expectancy (except the estates if any of which I am only a Trustee or mortgagee) and after payment of my debts funeral and Testamentary expences and the legacies herein given and the rest and residue of my Personal Estate and effects of what nature or kind soever and wheresoever unto and to the use of the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux their heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns respectively according to the nature and quality of the said several Estates Upon the Trusts following (that is to say)

In Trust to use and employ so much and such part and parts of my Estate and effects as they may think proper for the purpose of carrying on my Farming and grazing business in manner hereinbefore directed and subject thereto In trust to pay and apply so much of the rents Issues profits and produce of my sad real and personal Estate and effects as my said Trustees shall judge necessary for and towards the maintenance education and support of my said three Sons William Sladden Thomas Sladden and Richard Sladden respectively in equal shares and in trust to lay out and accumulate the residue of the same rents Issues profits and produce in the same manner as is hereinbefore directed concerning the residue of the Gains and profits of my said Farming and grazing business until my said three Sons shall respectively attain their respective ages of twenty one years

And I direct that my said Trustees their heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns shall subject to the trusts aforesaid stand be seized and possessed of all my said real and personal Estate and effects hereinbefore to them devised and bequeathed and the accumulations thereof respectively in trust for my said three Sons William Sladden Thomas Sladden and Richard Sladden in equal shares as Tenants in Common and not as Joint Tenants and for their respective Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns respectively according to the nature and quality of the said several estates

Provided always And I do hereby declare and direct that it shall and may be lawful for the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux and the Survivors and Survivor of them his Executors Administrators and Assigns at any time or times during the respective minorities of my said three Sons to pay and apply any Sum of money not exceeding the Sum of one thousand pounds for each Son for and towards the advancement of my said three Sons respectively in life or otherwise for their respective benefit As to them my said Trustees or the Survivors or Survivor of them or the Executors Administrators or Assigns of such Survivor shall seem most which Sums so applied shall be accounted for by such of my said Sons for whose benefit the same shall be applied and shall be considered as part of their respective shares in my said real and personal Estate and Effects And I do hereby authorize and empower my said Trustees by mortgage sale or other disposition of my said real and personal Estate and Effects or either of them or any part thereof respectively to raise and pay the same accordingly

And I direct that the receipt and receipts of the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux or the Trustees or Trustee for the time being of my said Will and Personal Estate and Effects hereinbefore devised and bequeathed to them respectively shall effectually discharge the mortgage or mortgages purchaser or purchasers of the same Premises of and from so much of he mortgage or purchase money as shall be acknowledged or expressed to be received And that such mortgage or mortgages purchaser or purchasers shall not be answerable or accountable for any loss misapplication or nonapplication of such mortgage purchase money or any part thereof or be obliged to enquire into the necessity for the making of any such mortgage or mortgages Sale or Sales

Provided also And I do hereby further direct that when and so soon as my said Son William Sladden shall attain the age of twenty one years the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux and the Survivors and Survivor of the and the Executors Administrators and assigns of such Survivor do and shall admit my said Son to be a Joint Trustee with them in he management and execution of the trusts of this my will & that the said Trust Estates monies & premises shall be conveyed and assigned so as to be vested in my said son jointly with the Trustees or Trustee then being of this my Will Upon the same Trusts and with the same powers as are hereinbefore mentioned and declared

And I give unto and to the use of the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux their heirs and assigns all such real Estates as are now vested in me by way of mortgage in order to enable money secured by such mortgages for the purposes of this my Will And I give to the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux their heirs and assigns all such real Estates as are now vested in me upon any trust or trusts To hold the same unto and to the use of the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux their heirs and assigns upon the trusts affecting the same

And I appoint the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux Executors of this my Will And I declare that my said Executors and Trustees of Trustee for the time being of this my Will shall not be answerable one for another and by no means for involuntary losses And that they shall be allowed and may retain all their costs losses charges damages and expences to be occasioned by the due Execution of the trusts hereby in them reposed

And I hereby revoke all former Wills
In Witness whereof I the said William Sladden the Testator have to the first four sheets of this my last Will and Testament (in five sheets of paper contained) set my hand and to this fifth and last sheet thereof have set my hand and affixed my seal the nineteenth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventeen
Wm. Sladden

Signed sealed published and declared by the said William 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 the name of Thomas Crux having been previously interlined as a Trustee and Executor throughout the above written Will
Geo. Dungate - William Hand - Steph. Plummer

This is a Codicil to the within will of me the within named William Sladden

Whereas I have by my said Will given devised and bequeathed to the within named Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux their Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns respectively all my Farming and Grazing business and the live and dead Stock and Crop Implements and Utensils of Husbandry and other Effects belonging to the same And all and singular my freehold messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever and wheresoever And after payment of my debts and funeral and testamentary expences and the legacies therein given All the rest and residue of my Personal Estate and Effects And all my mortgage and trust Estates upon the trusts therein declared of and concerning the same respectively And I have thereby appointed the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux my Executors

And whereas I am desirous that the said Thomas Crux shall not be a Trustee or Executor of my said Will Now therefore I do hereby revoke all and every the said devices and bequests in my said Will contained of the real and personal Estates therein mentioned unto the said Thomas Crux And also the appointment thereby made of the said Thomas Crux as an Executor of the same

And I do hereby give and bequeath all and every the real and Personal Estates which by my said Will are given devised and bequeathed unto the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux their Heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns respectively unto and to the use of the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden and John Dilnot their Heirs Executors Administrators and assigns respectively according to the nature and quality of the said several Estates to the several uses upon and for the several trusts intents and purposes with and or subject to the powers provisos and declarations whereon for with and under and Subject to such the real and Personal Estates by my said will given and devised would if this Codicil had not been executed now stand limited and settled by virtue of or under the same and as if the name of the said Thomas Crux had not been inserted therein

And the Estates trusts powers and authorities by my said Will given to the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux their Heirs Executors Admors. and Assigns or unto the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden John Dilnot and Thomas Crux and the Survivor of them and the Heirs Executors Admors. or Assigns of such Survivor without and exclusive of the said Thomas Crux

And I appoint the said Austen Gardner James Ashenden and John Dilnot Executors of my said Will
And I do hereby revoke the legacy of one hundred pounds by my said Will given to the said Thomas Crux and I hereby in all other respects ratify and confirm my said Will

In Witness whereof I the said William Sladden have hereunto set my hand and Seal the seventeenth day of July in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen
Wm. Sladden

Signed sealed published and declared by the said William Sladden as and for a Codicil to 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
Geo. Dungate - Mary Baker - Steph. Plummer

This is another Codicil to the within Will of me the within named William Sladden

Whereas I have by my said Will given to each of my five daughters Elizabeth Ann Margaret Harriot and Maria the Sum of one thousand three hundred pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain Now I do hereby revoke the said several legacies of one thousand three hundred pounds to my said daughters and in lieu and stead thereof do hereby give and bequeath to each of my said daughters Elizabeth Ann Margaret Harriot and Maria the Sum of one thousand and one hundred pounds of like lawful manner in such and the same manner in all respects as in and by my said Will declared concerning the said legacies of one thousand and three hundred pounds

And I hereby ratify and confirm my said Will except so far as this is altered or revoked by the present and above written Codicils In Witness whereof I the said William Sladden have hereunto set my hand and Seal the seventeenth day of July in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen
Wm. Sladden

Signed sealed published and declared by the said William Sladden the Testator as and for a (2nd) Codicil to 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
Geo. Dungate - Mary Baker - Steph. Plummer

Proved at London with two Codicils 2nd May 1821 before the Judges by the Oaths of James Ashenden & John Dilnott (in the Will written Dilnot) two of the Executors named in (the) first Codicil to whom Admon. [Administration] was granted having been first sworn by Commission duly to Admr. [Administer] Power reserved to Austen Gardner the other Executor named in the first Codicil when he shall apply for the same

Notes:
* £1,300 in 1818 is worth approx. £112,200 in 2019. [Bank of England Inflation Calculator.]
£1,100 (as in the 2nd Codicil) is worth approx. £95,000 in 2019.
William Sladden married Elizabeth Farwell Francis on 23rd May 1786 at S. Mary Bredin, Canterbury, by Licence. William and Elizabeth’s ten children were all christened at Adisham (1790 – 1808).

Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh Mason, 26th May 2020

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