WILL OF ROBERT GREENWOOD OF

THE BLACK SWAN INN, TODMORDEN

c1767 to 1834

By the Permission of God, I Robert Greenwood, of Todmorden in the Parish of Rochdale in the county of Lancaster, innkeeper, being of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, praised be to God for the same, hereby revoking all former will or wills, by me made, do this fourth day of November in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty three, make, publish and declare, this my last will and testament in manner and form following.

That is to say, first I do hereby will, order and direct that all my just debts, funeral expenses and the charges of the probate of this my will, be fully paid and satisfied by my executors, hereinafter named, and subject thereto and to the payment thereof, I give and bequeath unto my dear wife Fanny, for and during the term of her natural life, the use of all and every my household goods and furniture, plate, linen and china, stock in trade and in farm.

And also all my ….. securities for money, debts due and … to me and personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever, and of what nature or kind ….

And immediately or soon as conveniently may be after the decease of my said wife, I do hereby will, order and direct that a valuation shall be had and taken by two competent persons to be nominated by my executors hereinafter named, and the other by my son John, of all and singular my said household goods and furniture, plate , linen and china, stock in trade and in farm, and other effects as they may stand at the decease of my said wife.

And that if my said son John shall be mindful to take the same at such valuation, he shall have the first opportunity of so doing.

And in case he shall agree to accept thereof at such valuation, I do hereby further direct that my executors shall give him six months from the time of taking such valuation for payment of the account thereof on his giving them his personal security for such payment at that time.

But in case my said son John shall refuse to take the same at such valuation, then I do hereby will, order and direct that my executors shall make the same offer upon the same conditions to each of my children younger than my said son John, according to seniority of age, the older to be preferred to the younger.

And in case any? of my children shall think proper to accept thereof at such valuation, then I do hereby will, order and direct that the same and every part thereof shall be sold and converted into money as soon as conveniently may be after such refusals as aforesaid.

And I do hereby give and bequeath all and every the monies which may arise from such valuation or sale, as the case may be, and also from the collection of my debts and all and every other my personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever, and of what nature or kind so ever subject to the payment of my said just debts, funeral and testamentary expenses, unto my eight children, namely, William, John, Robert, Mary, the wife of Robert Thomas, Hannah, Thomas, Henry and Samuel, to be equally divided between and amongst them, share and share alike.

But in case any of my said children shall depart this life in my lifetime, or in the lifetime of my said wife, leaving lawful issue, him, her or them surviving, then I do hereby give and bequeath the share or shares of him, her or them so dying, unto such issue, if more than one, to be equally divided between and amongst them, share and share alike.

And it is my wish that in case my said son John shall take the before mentioned property at such valuation as aforesaid, and continue to reside in the house where I now live, that he permit such of the younger branches of my family as may be resident therein at the decease of my said wife, to reside therein as formerly, so long as the parties can make it agreeable to do so.

And I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my said four sons, William, John, Robert and Henry, joint executors of this my will, hereby declaring that they or any of them shall not be answerable for the other or for the acts, receipts or defaults of each other, but only each of them for his own neglects, acts, deeds, receipts and defaults only.

And that it shall be lawful for them and each of them to reimburse themselves and himself respectively, all reasonable and necessary expenses that they or any of them shall or may sustain, for or by reason of the execution of this my will, or in relation thereto.

In witness whereof, I the said Robert Greenwood, the testator, have to this my last will and testament, set my hand and seal to…and to the first sheet thereof and my hand and seal to this second and last sheet thereof, the day and year first within written.

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Robert Greenwood the testator, as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us, who in his presence, at his request, and in the presence of each other, have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto.

Wm. Eastwood, solicitor, Eastwood near Todmorden

James Fielden, grocer, Todmorden

The 24th day of June 1834, William Greenwood and John Greenwood, two of the executors in this will named, were sworn in common form (power being reserved to Robert Greenwood and Henry Greenwood the other executors therein also named to take upon them the execution of the said will, when they shall lawfully request the same) and they further made oath that the personal estate and effects of the testator within the diocese of Chester, were under the value of two hundred pounds.

Before me, Thos. Steele, surrogate

The testator died the 25th day of February 1834

Probate issued dated 24th June 1834