JOHN HAIGH OF MIDDLETON

1772-1855

Yeoman and

Coal Mine Proprietor

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I John Haigh of Middleton in the county of Lancaster Yeoman revoke my former wills and make this my last will. I give unto my dear wife Betty the household goods and furniture which shall be in my dwelling at my decease And I give unto her an annuity of one hundred pounds a year for her life for her sole and separate use to be paid to her by my executors in even portions quarterly the first quarterly payment thereof to be made at the end of a quarter of a year next after my decease and the said annuity shall be charged upon and payable out of my Foul Clough Collieries situate in Walsden and my Collieries in Cliviger and in case of non-payment thereof at the times hereby appointed my said wife shall have the like remedies by duties on the said collieries and the chattels and fixtures thereon and by sale of the same for recovering the arrears of the said annuity and the expenses attending the non-payment and recovery thereof as Landlords have a may have for recovering Rent on common demise.

I give unto my eldest son John for his life and after his decease unto his wife Tabitha for her life an annuity of Seventy pounds a year to be paid by my Executors in even portions quarterly the first quarterly payment thereof to be made at the end of a quarter of a year next after my decease And from and after the decease of the Survivor of them my said son John and Tabitha his wife. I give the sum of Five hundred pounds unto his three children Mary Ann, Joseph and William equally to be divided among them.

I give my estate at Pasture Side in Inchfield unto my son Reuben then unto the first son of the said Reuben and his heirs or if such said son should die in his father's lifetime without leaving issue living at the decease of him the said Reuben then unto the second son of the said Reuben and his heirs and so successively in order of their birth unto every other son of the said Reuben and his heirs leaving issue living at the decease of him the said Reuben in case of the decease of his next elder Brother in the lifetime of the said Reuben without leaving issue as aforesaid And for default of any such son, or in case of his death in the lifetime of the said Reuben without leaving issue as aforesaid, I give the said Estate unto my Grandson Joseph (Child of my son John) and his heirs charged with the payment of Five hundred pounds unto William Haigh, Brother of the said Joseph .

I give unto my son William for his life the Interest at the rate of Four pounds ten shillings per Centum per Annum of the principal sum of Four hundred pounds to be paid in even portions half yearly and also the Clear rents of the cottages built by me on the Pexwood Estate in Todmorden and lying on the East side of the way leading from Gauxholme Stones And from and after his decease I give the said sum of Four hundred pounds and the said Cottages with the appurtenances (except the mines and minerals) unto my said son William's children now born or hereafter to be born equally to be divided among them And I direct that the interest and Rents given to my said son William shall during his life be applied for the benefit of him and his family by my Executors in such manner as they may think best, and if his Interest therein or any part thereof shall by his act or default or by operation of Law be aliend charged or incumbered such interest shall immediately cease and my Executors shall thenceforth during his life apply the same for the benefit of his Wife and children only

I give my Interest in the Estate in Walsden called Top of All and Deacon Pasture except the mines of Coal and Cannel therein unto my Son James and his heirs.

I give the sum of Five hundred pounds unto my daughter Mary Wife of Richard Battersby of Oldham Butcher.

I give the sum of Four hundred pounds unto my Daughter Betsy Wife of George Mills .

I give my three leasehold messuages with the appurtenances in Rochdale Road Middleton unto my Grandchildren Betsy Scholes and Hannah Scholes equally to be divided between them.

I give the sum of Five hundred pounds unto my Grandchildren Elizabeth Harrop and John Harrop equally to be divided between them the principal to be paid when the younger of them attains the age of Twenty one years and interest thereon at the rate of Four pounds ten shillings per Centum per Annum to be in the meantime applied for their benefit.

I give the sum of Five hundred pounds unto my Daughter Sarah Wife of Thomas Hilton of Middleton Tradesman.

I give the sum of Fifty pounds apiece to my Grandchildren Charlotte Scholes and Samuel Scholes and Interest thereon respectively at the rate of Four pounds ten shillings per Centum per Annum shall be applied for their benefit during their respective Minorities.

I give an annuity of Fifteen pounds unto my Grandson John Scholes for his life.

I give all the residue of my Estate and Effects unto my said sons Reuben and James as Tenants in common, and their respective heirs executors and administrators according to the quality thereof. Provided always that if my personal Estate not specifically bequeathed shall be insufficient for the payment of my debts and the legacies and annuities hereby given and not specifically charged on real Estate or if the property hereby charged with my Wife's annuity shall be insufficient for the payment thereof my said sons Reuben and James shall out of the property hereby given to them and in equal portions pay the deficiency which my Executors may raise accordingly out of the same property and the receipt of my Executors for any money so raised shall effectually discharge any purchaser or other person paying the same sum all responsibility in respect of the application thereof.

And I declare that my Executors may out of any moneys which shall come to their hands by virtue of this my Will reimburse themselves and allow to each other all expenses attending the execution of the trusts hereof and that each of them shall be chargeable for his own acts receipts and defaults only and not the one for the other of them or for involuntary loss

And I appoint my said sons Reuben and James and James Collinge of Habergham Eaves near Burnley Farmer to be my Executors. Dated the Thirty first day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty eight

John Haigh

Signed by the Testator in the presence of us being ??? present at the same time who in the presence of him and of each other subscribe our names as Witnesses

Js. Woods Soltr. Rochdale

Joseph Butterworth Clerk to Messrs Woods and Jackson. Rochdale

Abrm. Moore Clerk to Messrs. Woods and Jackson Rochdale

Probate dated 9/5/1855

Value: Sworn under seven thousand pounds

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