Will of Mary Stroud

of Rochester, Kent

I give and bequeath all that my leasehold Messuage, Tenement or dwellinghouse in which I now reside situate on Saint Margarets Bank in the said Parish with the appurtenances thereunto belonging unto Caroline Spikesman of Wouldham in the said County Spinster the hold the same unto Caroline Spikeman and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life

and from and immediately after the decease of the said Caroline Spikeman then I give and bequeath the aforesaid leasehold tenement messuage or dwelling house with the appurtenances thereto belonging unto Elizabeth Turner the wife of Thomas Turner of Wouldham aforesaid To hold the same unto the said Elizabeth Turner her executors administrators and assigns for all such term and interest as may be then to come therein to and for her and their own use and benefit

and it is my Will and mind and I hereby direct that all costs, charges and expences which may hereafter be occasioned by means of any Proceedings at Law or in equity concerning the like of the said Messuage, tenement or dwellinghouse and Premises or in any way relating thereto shall be borne and paid by the person or persons for the time being entitled to the said messuage, tenement or dwellinghouse and Premises under or by virtue of this my Will

I give and bequeath all my ready money which shall be in my house at the time of my decease and all my household furniture, plate, linen, china, wearing apparel and effects whatsoever (save and except my securities for money and money standing in my name in the Books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England) unto the said Caroline Spikesman to and for her own use

I Give and bequeath the Sum of six hundred pounds Stock in the new three and a half per cent Bank Annuities being part of the Sum of Two thousand two hundred pounds in that Stock standing in my Name in the Books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England unto the said Caroline Spikesman to and for her own use

I give and bequeath unto my Executors and Trustees hereinafter named the Sum of One thousand pounds new three and a half per cent Bank Annuities other part of my said Capital Stock standing in my Name in the Books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England In Trust
to and for the benefit of all and every the Child and Children of Thomas Stroud of Ramsgate in the said County of Kent, Mariner to be transferred or divided unto and amongst them share and share alike on their severally attaining their respective ages of twenty one years
And in case any of such Children shall die before he, she or they shall attain the age of twenty one years then I give and bequeath the part or share of him, her or them so dying unto the Survivor or Survivors of them to be equally divided between them share and share alike

And I direct that the interest or dividends of the said Stocks shall during the Minorities of the said Children be paid unto their Father the said Thomas Stroud the better to enable him to maintain, educate and bring them up
and in case it shall happen that the said Thomas Stroud shall die leaving any Child or Children who shall not have attained the age of twenty one years then I direct my Executors and trustees to pay and apply the dividends or interest of such Child or Children’s share or shares in or towards his her or their maintenance education and bringing up

I give and bequeath the Sum of one hundred pounds new three and a half per Cent Bank Annuities other part of my aforesaid Capital Stock standing in my name in the Books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England unto Henry Jeffery Longcluse Son of Henry Longcluse of Brompton in the Parish of Gillingham in the County of Kent, Pastrycook to and for his own use

I give and bequeath the like Sum of one hundred pounds new three and a half per Cent Bank Annuities other part of my aforesaid Capital Stock standing in my name in the Books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England unto Louisa Coley Wife of Thomas Coley of Liquorpond Street, Grays Inn Lane, Compositor (late Louisa Guess, Spinster) to and for her own use

I give and bequeath unto my Servant Jane Tiltman or unto such person as shall be living with me as a female servant at the time of my decease the Sum of one hundred pounds new three and a half per Cent Bank Annuities other part of my aforesaid Capital Stock standing in my name in the Books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England to ad for her own use and benefit

And it is my Will and mind and I hereby direct that the aforesaid legacies to Henry Jeffery Longcluse Louisa Coley and Jane Tiltman shall be paid or transferred to them respectively free of legacy duty or any deduction whatsoever

I give and bequeath unto my esteemed friend the Reverend Daniel Francis Warner of Minor Canon Row, Rochester the sum of fifty pounds sterling as an acknowledgement for the Spiritual attention he has bestowed upon me
I give and bequeath unto my Executors and Trustees hereinafter named the Sum of twenty five pounds each as a compensation for the trouble they may have in the execution of the trusts hereby in them reposed

And as to the rest residue and remainder of my Estate and Effects (subject to the payment of all my just debts, funeral and testamentary expences as hereinbefore mentioned I give and bequeath the same unto Larkin Allan of the Parish of Saint Margaret aforesaid, Gentleman to and for his own use

And I do hereby nominate and appoint John Griffiths of Wadham College, Oxford, Master of Arts and the said Larkin Allan Executors and Trustees of this my last Will and Testament
And I hereby direct that it shall and may be lawful to and for the said John Griffiths and Larkin Allan, their Executors and Administrators by and out of the aforesaid trust monies to reimburse and satisfy themselves respectively all such reasonable costs, charges and expences as they or either of them may sustain or be put unto in or about the execution of all or any of the trusts hereby in them reposed
And I do declare that they and their respective executors and administrators shall duly be charged or chargeable for such monies as they shall respectively actually receive and each of them for their own receipts, payments, acts and defaults only and shall not be answerable or accountable for the other or others of them from the joining in receipts and other acts merely for the sake of conformity And also that they their respective executors and administrators shall not be charged or chargeable for any loss which may happen to the aforesaid trust property without their respective wilful defaults

and Lastly I do hereby revoke and make void all former and other Wills and Codicils by me at any time heretofore made and do declare this present writing to be and contain my last Will and Testament

In Witness whereof I the said Mary Stroud the Testatrix to this my Last Will and Testament contained in three sheets of paper have subscribed my name the eighth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one
Mary Stroud

Signed by the said Testatrix Mary Stroud in the joint presence of us who in her presence at her request and in the presence of each other and at the same time have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses the words “as a female Servant” being first interlined in the second sheet and the words “I give and bequeath the same” being first interlined in the third sheet thereof
Thos. Patten, Att'y & Notary, Rochester - Thos. Hy. Patten, Clerk to Mr Patten

This is a Codicil to the Will of me Mary Stroud

I give and bequeath unto my Nephew Thomas Stroud of Ramsgate in the County of Kent, Mariner all and every such Sum or Sums of money as shall be standing in my name in the Savings Bank established at Chatham in the County of Kent to and for his own use and benefit and in case the said Thomas Stroud shall depart this life before this said legacy shall become payable then I give and bequeath the same Sum or Sums of money as shall be standing in my name in the Savings Bank established at Chatham aforesaid unto the present Wife of the said Thomas Stroud but whose Christian name I do not at present remember to and for her own use and benefit

And I hereby confirm my said Will in all other respects
In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this seventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty four
Mary Stroud

Signed by the said Testator Mary Stroud in the joint presence of us who in her presence and the presence of each other and at the same time have hereunto subscribe our names as Witnesses
Thos. Patten Attorney & Notary, Rochester, Kent - Thos. H. Patten Clerk to Thos. Patten

Proved at London with a Codicil the 17th April 1847 before the Worshipful William Robinson, Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the Oath of Larkin Allan one of the Executors to whom adm[inistrati]on was granted having been first sworn duly to administer.
Power reserved of making the like grant to The Reverend John Griffiths, Clerk, the other Executor, when he shall apply for the same.

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 22nd August 2021

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