WILLIAM LAW OF BOTTOMS IN WALSDEN

1815-1891

Warehouseman

Property Dealer

INDEX PAGE

This is the last will and testament of me William Law of number 33, Crescent, Bottoms, in Walsden in the Parish of Rochdale in the County of Lancaster, Retired Warehouseman. I appoint my son Tom Law and Ingham Law of Bottoms in Walsden aforesaid, picker maker, trustees and executors of this my will and direct them to pay all my just debts.

I direct my said executors to permit my wife, Hannah Law, to have the use and enjoyment of my household furniture and effects during her natural life and from and after the decease of my said wife I direct my said executors to divide the said household furniture into and equally between my daughter Emma, the wife of Henry Crossley of 25, Crescent, Bottoms, Walsden, weaver, and my son Tom Law absolutely.

I give devise and bequeath all other estate and effects both real and personal to which I shall be entitled and possessed at the time of my decease unto the said Tom Law and Ingham Law, their heirs, executors and administrators respectively hereinafter called my said trustees, to hold the same upon trust herein declared.

I direct the said trustees to pay the rents and annual income of my 4 leasehold tenements numbered 25, 26, 27 and 28 respectively situate at Bottoms in Walsden aforesaid, and known as Carr Terrace, which I now hold under a lease dated the eleventh day of February 1868 from Thomas Lomax and others, with the actual and reputed appurtenances, subject to paying one half of the annuity hereinafter mentioned, to my daughter Emma, the wife of the said Henry Crossley, and her assignees, for her life for her own separate use and benefit free from the debts, control or engagements of her present or any future husband with whom she may intermarry. She or they paying an apportioned part of the yearly rent and performing the covenants under which the same tenements may be held.

From and after the decease of my said daughter I direct the said trustees to hold the said 4 cottages and the income thereof on trust for all the children of the said Emma Crossley living at her decease or born in due time afterwards, who being a son or sons shall then have attained the age of 21 years, or shall afterwards attain that age, or being a daughter or daughters shall then have attained the age of 21 years or have been married or shall afterwards attain that age or marry, in equal shares. And if there be only one such child, the whole to be in trust for that one child. And in case there shall be no issue of my daughter Emma then I direct the said trustees to hold the said 4 leasehold houses upon trust for my said son Tom Law, his assignees, executors and administrators absolutely.

I direct the said trustees to pay the said rents and annual income of all those my other 4 leasehold cottages, numbered respectively 29, 30, 31 and 33, situate at Bottoms in Walsden, and known as Carr Terrace, two whereof are held under the said lease of 11th. February 1868 and two others are held under a lease dated the 10th. day of July 1874 with their actual and reputed appurtenances (subject to paying one half of the annuity hereinafter mentioned and subject as to the houses numbered 29 and 30 to paying a proper apportionment of the ground rent reserved by the lease of 11 th . February 1868) unto my son Tom Law during the term of his natural life. And after his death I direct the same trustees to hold the same cottages upon trust for all his children or any his child living at his decease or born in due time afterwards who being a son or sons shall attain the age of 21 years or shall afterwards attain that age or being a daughter or daughters shall attain that age or be married, in equal shares. If there be only one such child the whole to be in trust for that one child and in case there shall be no issue of my said son Tom then I direct my said trustees to hold the said 4 leasehold houses herein mentioned before given to him for life upon trust for my said daughter Emma, her executors, administrators and assignees absolutely.

And I direct my said trustees to pay to my wife during her life the annuity or sum of £18 payable quarterly and direct them to deduct one half part thereof from the income of the houses hereinafter given to my said daughter for life and to deduct the other half from the income of the houses given to my said son Tom for life. And I charge my said leasehold houses accordingly and declare that my said wife shall not have power to dispose of or deprive herself of the said annuity and that her receipts alone shall be sufficient discharges.

And I hereby declare that my said trustees may at any time with consent of my said daughter and my said son during their lifetime and at any time after their death if to them it shall seem desirable or expedient, to sell so much of my said personal estate as shall be of saleable nature together or in parcels by public auction or private contract with liberty to make any special conditions as to title or otherwise and to buy in the said premises at any auction and to rescind either on persons or gratuitously any contract for sale and to resell without being answerable for any consequent loss and to get in the rest of my residual personal estate and to dispose of the net monies according to the trusts herein before declared.

Nevertheless I give to my trustees discretionary authority to postpone the sale of all or any part of my residuary personal estate for such period as to them shall seem expedient. As to the residue of my effects whatsoever and wheresoever I bequeath the same to my said daughter Emma and son Tom absolutely in equal shares, but as to the share of my said daughter under this present bequest as also her share of my household furniture here before bequeathed to her I direct the same respectively to be for her own separate use and free from the control of her present or any future husband.

Lastly I revoke all other testamentary dispositions in witness whereof I have hereunder set my hand this 16th. day of January 1884.

Signed William Law

Witnessed by

John Greenwood of 29 Lower George Street Todmorden

James Southwell of 22, Roomfield Lane Todmorden.

Probate granted to executor Tom Law of 105 Fair View Todmorden, cashier, son of the deceased, on 26th February 1892. Gross value of the estate £805.5s.6d.

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