18th.Century Will and Inventory
This is a transcription of the will of Paul Holdway of Binley, my 8 x Grandfather he had inherited his father’s estate (Bookers Tenement) in 1736. His father was also named Paul, the same Paul Holdway that is mentioned in the parish records as having a yew tree planted on top of his grave in 1759. He had also been a churchwarden and overseer to the poor, typically the estate was passed down from father to eldest son. What makes this will interesting are the conditions attached to it towards the end.
H. R. O. finding no.6M54/3/46-
In the name of God Amen. I Paul Holdway of the tything of Binley in the parish of St. Mary Bourne in the county of Southampton Yeoman being weak in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory purified be almighty God and considering the frailty of my nature do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following. And first and....?......I recommend my soul into the hands of almighty God that gave it me hoping through the merits of death and passion of our saviour Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon of all my sins and to inherit everlasting life my body I bequeath to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner at the discretion of my executors hereafter to be named and as touching all such temporal or worldly estate as it hath pleased almighty God to bless me with I give and dispose thereof manner and form following after my just debts and funeral expenses are paid. I give my loving sister Dorothy Holdway spinster the liberty of living in the house I now live in with sufficiency of diet as the rest of my family have during the term of her natural life except my executors hereafter to be named the said Dorothy Holdway spinster shall otherwise agree between themselves. I give my loving daughter Bridget Holdway one hundred pounds of lawful British money when she shall arrive at the age of twenty five years. I give my loving son John Holdway one hundred and fifty pounds of lawful British money when he shall attain the age of twenty five years. I give my loving daughter Ann Holdway one hundred pounds of lawful British money when she shall attain the age of twenty five years. I give my loving daughter Elizabeth Holdway one hundred pounds of lawful British money when she shall attain the age of twenty five years. All the legacies to be paid as fast as they become due out of my personal estate and if my personal estate is not sufficient to pay them then they are to be paid out of my real estate. But my will is that if either of my children Bridget Holdway John Holdway Ann Holdway or Elizabeth Holdway do not live to be five and twenty years of age that the legacy or legacies they were to receive are to be equally divided and distributed between the surviving legatees if any and my will is my children Bridget,John,Ann,Elizabeth Holdway shall have the liberty and safety to live and abide in the house I now live in with sufficiency of meat drink washing lodging and clothing till they arrive at the age of twenty five years and as soon as either of the legatees shall attain to the age of twenty five years that then such person to provide themselves with some other place to abode and live in and likewise every legatee concerned to do the like as fast as they shall one after another arrive at the age of twenty five years except my executors hereafter to be named and that either of them shall otherwise agree. All the rest and residue of my personal estate and real estate whatsoever I give to my loving wife Bridget Holdway and my loving son Paul Holdway during the term of their natural life of my loving wife Bridget Holdway but then to return and remain to the free use disposal of my loving son Paul Holdway or except my loving wife Bridget Holdway and my loving son Paul Holdway shall otherwise agree or except if my loving wife Bridget Holdway shall be married or cohabit with any man as such then the said Bridget Holdway is to quit all pretensions of right to my estate or personal estate whatsoever or wheresoever and retire to some other place and leave my loving son Paul Holdway in full and free enjoyment his real and personal estate he my loving son Paul Holdway paying or cause to be paid one shilling to my loving wife Bridget Holdway and lastly make constitute and appoint my loving wife Bridget Holdway and my loving son Paul Holdway joint executors of this my last will and testament and I do evoke set aside and make void all former wills made by me and do declare this be my last will and testament sealed with my seal and dated this twenty second day of January in the thirteenth year of the reign of our sovereign lord George the third by the grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland defender of the faith and in the year of our lord Christ one thousand seven hundred and seventy three.
Witnesses.....Timothy Lambden.......William Lambden........Roger Poore
H.R.O. finding no.6M54/3/46-
A true Inventory of all the goods and chattels that farmer Paul Holdway of Binley in the Parish of St. Mary Bourne in the county of Southampton deceased died possessed of
3 Akers of Oates at 30 shillings a aker £4.10.s.
Grasses on the ground to cutt £3
7 akers of Barley at 40 shillings per aker £14
9 akers and half of wheat at 2-
Plowed land for wheat 3 akers 16 shillings
5 akers of Barley at 40 shillings per aker
3 akers and half of pelchos? at 1-
Horses harnesses and waggon £20
Plow tackle and cart 10 shillings
Winnowing takle and sacks £1
Odd lumber 5 shillings
Household goods £20
29 cuples at 15 shillings pa. Couple £21.15s.
Half a score dry sheep £5.5s.
5 lodds of wool at 15 shillings pa lodd £3.15s.
A sow and 5 piggs £2. 2s.
3 cows 38.8s
Hay £6.6s.
£152.19s.6d.
Valued and signed by us this 21st. day of December in the year 1773
Roger Poore.........James Piper.
(Kevin Holdway)