Born: circa 1758 (Death certificate)

Married 1: Frances Butcher 7 October 1782 Saint Mary Marylebone by banns

This is the only marriage of a William Read and a Frances listed in the IGI for the British Isles in the period 1773 - 1783 (ie the decade before the birth of William's eldest known child). The Land Tax records show that he moved to Hampstead between June 1782 and June 1783, consistent with his having set up home in Hampstead after marriage.

A William Read was baptised at St Mary Marylebone 17 April 1763, having been born 20 March.

Children of first marriage:

1. Elizabeth Ann Read
2. James Read
3. William Read
4. Thomas Scott Read
5. Mary Ann Read
6. Edward Read
7. Eliza Read
8. Charles Read
9. Frances Lucretia Read

Married 2: Elizabeth Slater ⇒ Bone [1790 - 11 March 1851] 2 May 1836 Christ Church Greyfriars Newgate

A household in the 1841 census of Hampstead [HO107/674/1 f26 p15 {1841}] lists

• Elizth Reed, aged 43, born MDX
• Sarah Slater, aged 22, born MDX
• Robert Newson, aged 6, born MDX

which is almost certainly the correct Elizabeth. Although the address is illegible, the same census page lists Claudius and Elizabeth Davis (née Read, William's eldest daughter). So the two houses are presumably those at 2 and 8 South End Green mentioned in William's will.

Land Tax Assessment:

He was not listed in the 1782 assessment, so presumably moved into Hampstead on his first marriage.

Died: 12 November 1840, aged 82 Gravestone

Death Certificate:

Buried: 22 November 1840, Hampstead, aged 82.

Will:

	This is the last Will and Testament of me WILLIAM READ of Back Hill in the Parish of Saint Andrew Holborn in the County of Middlesex Gentleman. I desire that my body may be buried in the Old Church Yard of Hampstead in the said County as near to the Grave of my former Wife Fanny and my late son Charles as may be convenient and that a stone be erected to my memory. I give and bequeath to my sons James Read and Edward Read and my daughters Elizabeth the Wife of Claudius Davis and Mary the Wife of James Hunt(?) the legacy or sum of fifty pounds each I also give and bequeath unto my grandchildren James Read Claudius Charles Davis Harriott Louisa Read Ellen Read and Mary Ann Hunt the legacy or sum of five pounds each for mourning. I also give and bequeath to Sarah Slater the Niece of my beloved wife Elizabeth Read the legancy or sum of nineteen pounds nineteen shillings and I direct that all the said legacies shall be paid out of my funded property and debts owing to me as hereinafter mentioned also I give and bequeath unto my said wife all my money in the public stocks or funds together with all interest and dividends which may be due thereon at the time of my decease and also all debts which may be then due and owing to me to and for her own sole and absolute use and benefit but nevertheless subject to the
	payment of all my just debts my funeral and testamentary expenses and the several and respective legacies by me herein before given and bequeathed and I hereby charge the same with the payment thereof accordingly. I also give and bequeath unto my said Wife all that my leasehold messuage or tenements and premises situate and being in Back Hill aforesaid wherein I now reside and also all sums of money and all my household furniture and effects which may be therein at the time of my decease to and for her own absolute use and benefit. I also give devise and bequeath unto my executors hereinafter named and the survivors of them and the heirs and assigns of such survivors all that my messuage or tenements and premises situate and being Number 8 South End Green in the Parish of Saint John Hampstead aforesaid upon trust to permit and suffer my said Wife to have hold use occupy possess and enjoy the same and receive and take the rents dues and profits thereof for and during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease then I will and direct that the same shall sink into and form part of my residuary estate and effects hereinafter devised and bequeathed. I also give devise and bequeath unto my said executors and the survivors of them their heirs and assigns all that my other copyhold messuage or tenement and premises situate and being Number 2 South End Green aforesaid wherein my said daughter Elizabeth Davis now resides upon trust to permit and suffer her to have hold use occupy possess and enjoy the same and receive and take the rents issues and profits thereof for and during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease then upon trust to sell and dispose of the same either by public auction or private contract and to pay and divide the product thereof unto and amongst my said Wife Elizabeth Read and my said sons and daughters equally share and share alike. And as to all the Rest Residue and Remainder of my estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever both real and personal I give devise and bequeath the same unto my said Executors and the survivors of them and the heirs executors and administrators of such survivor upon trust to sell and revert into money such parts thereof as shall not consist of money either by public auction or private contract and to pay and divide the product thereof and the rents and profits thereof which may accrue but until the same shall be so sold unto and amongst my said sons Edward Read and James Read and my daughters Elizabeth Davis and Mary Ann Hunt equally share and share alike and for facilitating such several sales my Will is that the receipts of my said Executors and the survivors of them and the heirs Executors and administrators of such survivor shall be a good and sufficint discharge to the purchaser or purchasers of all or any part of my said residuary Estate and that he her or they shall not be bound to set to the application of his her or their purchase money or accountable for any loss misapplication or nonapplication thereof. And it is my Will and I do direct that my said Executors and the survivor of them and the heirs Executors and administrators of such survivor shall each of them be answerable for his own arts and receipts only not the one for the other or
	others of them and that they shall not be accountable for any involuntary loss and that they shall and may retain all such costs charges and expenses out of the said premises as they may respectively sustain in and about the execution of this my Will and I hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said sons Edward Read and James Read Executors of this my will and I revoke and make void all former and other Wills Codicils and Testamentry Dispositions by me at any time heretofore made. In Witness whereof I the said testator William Read have to this my said last Will written upon three sheets of paper set my hand this twenty ninth day of October one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine. WILLIAM READ. Signed by the said William Read in the joint presence of us who in his presence have hereunto set our hands as Witnesses - FRAS HERBERT Union Place Pimlico Solr. ANDW SCHABNER DENHAM his Clerk PROVED at London 24th November 1840 before the Worshipful Augustus Frederick Barford Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the Oaths of Edward Read and James Read the sons the Executors to whom Admin was granted having both first sworn duly to administer.

Gravestone: (in the Old Graveyard of Hampsted St John)

Pre-1841 Census Returns:

Addresses:

top

© Alan M Stanier (contact details)