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Facts and Events
George Walby was baptised on 26th October 1709 at Aston in Hertfordshire, son of Mary Walby, formerly Smith, and her husband George Walby, a butcher. George was the eldest of the couple's three children. In 1715, when young George was only five years old, his father died.
George became a butcher too, following his late father's trade. In 1735 George was described as a butcher of Aston when he took on an apprentice named Edward Bardolph.
George was married on 8th September 1740 to Dorcas Chapman from the neighbouring parish of Benington. They married in Ardeley, another local village, but returned to Aston after their marriage. They went on to have eleven children between 1740 and the mid 1760s, although their son Charles died aged two in 1765. In 1756 George's mother died, and he acted as her executor.
George was clearly close to his cousin William Walby, who was a butcher in the nearby town of Hatfield. Two of George's children, William and Lydia, went to live in Hatfield with William. When William died in 1764 he left an extensive estate of property in Hatfield, Aston, Munden and Hertford, which was distributed mostly amongst George and his children. George was left some tenanted land at Munden (the will does not specify whether Great Munden or Little Munden) and a "freehold stall situate lying and being in the Market Place of the town and borough of Hertford".
As a landowner, George was eligible to vote. He is recorded as having voted in elections in both 1761 (implying he had also owned land before inheriting property from his cousin) and 1774.
George's first known grandchild was born in 1766, and he saw at least fourteen grandchildren born in his lifetime. Some of his children moved to London, others to Hatfield and others stayed local to Aston. George's son William died as a young man in Hatfield in 1770, whilst his daughter Dorcas died in London in 1775.
George died at the age of 66, being buried at Aston on 25th May 1776. He left a will, written two weeks before his burial, dividing his property amongst his children, but leaving most to his son Benjamin, who inherited George's house at Aston. The will also mentions some of George's possessions, including his "bedstead with blue curtains". He also mentions a "great room" in his house at Aston.
Dorcas survived George by nearly 24 years.
References
- ↑ Church of England. Aston Parish registers, 1558-1980. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).
Baptiz[e]d 1709: George the Son of George and Mary Walby Oct[ober] 26
This baptism has been linked to the George Walby who married Dorcas Chapman on the basis that it is in the same parish that George and Dorcas married, had their children and died in, at a plausible time for a man who married in 1740 and died in 1776, and that the George who married Dorcas was a butcher, which was the same trade as the father of the George baptised in 1709. The mother of the George baptised in 1709 left a will, written in 1755, naming her eldest son as George Walby, who acted as her executor, showing that the George baptised in 1709 was still alive in the 1750s. More directly, George is named in his cousin William Walby's will of 1764 as a 'kinsman'.
- ↑ Church of England. Aston Parish registers, 1558-1980. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).
Buried 1776: Geo[rge] Walby, Butcher May 25th
- Hertfordshire, England. Huntingdon (Hitchin) Archdeaconry Wills. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies)
148HW21, 12 Nov 1776.
In the Name of God Amen I George Walby of Aston in the County of Hertford Butcher being (I thank God) of sound and disposing Mind Memory and Understanding Do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and Form following (that is to say) First I Give and Devise All that my Messuage or Tenement Scituate and being at Aston in the County of Hertford aforesaid with the Shop out Houses and Buildings Orchard and Appurtenances thereto belonging now in my own Occupation Unto my Son Benjamin Walby his Heirs and Assigns for ever Chargeable nevertheless in the Case herein after mentioned (that is to say) My Mind and Will is that my loving Wife Dorcas Walby shall remain and continue with my said Son Benjamin Walby for the Term of her natural Life He my said Son Benjamin Walby his Heirs or Assigns finding and providing for my said Wife Dorcas Walby out of the Issues and proffitts of my said Estate sufficient Necessaries of Life But in Case She shall think proper to separate herself and go from him Then in that Case I do hereby Subject and Charge my said Estate at Aston aforesaid with the Appurtenances with the Payment of One Shilling and six pence weekly to be paid by my said Son Benjamin Walby his Heirs or Assigns to my said Wife Dorcas Walby weekly and every week during the Term of her Natural Life The first weekly payment thereof to begin and be made immediately from and after such Separation and not otherwise And in case of non payment thereof on such Separation it shall and may be lawfull to and for my said Wife Dorcas Walby to enter upon my said Estate and Distrain for the same and all Arrears thereof according to a distress for Rent But my Mind and Will is that such Maintenance as aforesaid Or the said One Shilling and six pence weekly shall be in Lieu of all Dower and Thirds that may become due or payable to my said Wife Dorcas Walby out of my said Estate Also upon such Separation and not Otherwise I Give to my said Wife Dorcas Walby my Bedstead with blue Curtains with the Feather Bed and Bedding thereto belonging in the Great Room in my now dwelling House also a chest of Drawers in the same Room and my Claw tea Table And I do hereby Give and bequeath Unto my Son George Walby my Daughter Mary Chappell my Daughter Charity Walby and my son Edward Walby and to Each and every of them the Sum of Five Pounds a piece of good and lawfull Money of Great Britain to be paid to them and each and every of them by my Executors herein after named out of the personal Estate I shall die possessed of within three years next after my Decease Also I Give and bequeath to my son John Walby the Sum of Five Pounds of like Money to be paid him by my Executors out of my said personal Estate within Five years next after my Decease Also I Give and bequeath to my Daughter Sarah Walby the Sum of Five pounds of like Money to be paid her by my Executors out of my said personal Estate when she attains the Age of twenty one Years And as to all and Singular my Household Goods Household Stuff Stock and Things in Trade Goods Chattells Stock Cattle ready Money Security and Securities for Money Debts to me oweing and all other my personal Estate whatsoever or wheresoever (not herein before otherwise disposed of) (After all my Just Debts the above said Legacies my Funeral Expences and the Charges of proving this my Will are thereout paid and Discharged) I Give and Bequeath the same Unto my son Benjamin Walby aforenamed his Executors Administrators and Assigns And Lastly I Constitute and make my said Son Benjamin Walby and my Son in Law Samuel Stroud of Hatfield in the County of Hertford Baker Executors of this my last Will and Testament Hereby disannulling and making void all former and other Wills by me heretofore made and Executed I Do Declare this to be me last Will and Testament Desiring I may be decently buried at the Discretion of my said Executors In Witness whereof I the said George Walby the Testator Have to this my last Will and Testament Sett my Hand and Seal this tenth day of May in the Year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Seventy Six
Geo[rge] Walby
Signed and Sealed by the said George Walby the Testator and by him published and Declared to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us Who attest the same as Witnesses in his presence And in the presence of Each Other
W[illia]m Pallett
Jno. Pallett
Jno. Smith
[written in the margin:]
My mind and Will is that the Bedstead Bed and Bedding the Chest of Drawers and Claw tea Table Given to my Wife shall not be at her Disposal but return to my Executor Benjamin Walby within named immediately after her Decease Witness my Hand the Day and year within written
Witness W[illia]m Pallett Jno. Pallett Jno. Smith} Geo[rge] Walby
Proved &c at Hitchin 12 Nov 1776 before the Revd John Pilkington Morgan A.M Surro[gate]
of the Wors[ipfu]l Arthur Cottair[?] LC.D. Commissary in & thro[ugh] the whole Archd[eaconr]y of Hunt[ingdon] & also Michael Tyson A.B.D. official in & thro[ugh] the same Archd[eaconr]y both lawfully appointed By the Oath of Benj[ami]n Walby One of the Ex[ecu]tors &c To whom was granted Adm[inistrati]on & being first Sworn &c Saving &c (the like power being reserved for the other Ex[ecu]tor when &c)
12 Novr. 1776
Benjamin Walby one of the Executors above named was duly sworn before me (the like power being resevred for the other Ex[ecut]or when he shall demand the same) J.P. Morgan
- UK, Register of Duties Paid for Apprentices' Indentures, 1710-1811.
1735
Date: We[d]n[e]sday July the 2d
No: 4
Masters Names, Place of abode & Trade: George Worby of Aston Hertford Butcher
App[rentice]s Names & Fathers & abode: Edward Bardolph of Aston
- UK, Register of Duties Paid for Apprentices' Indentures, 1710-1811.
1740
Date: Thursday Nov. 6
No: 7
Masters Names, Place of abode & Trade: George Warby of Datchworth in Herts. Butcher
App[rentice]s Names & Fathers &c: Rich. Son of Rich Catyln of Datchworth
Uncertain whether this is the same George or not.
- UK, Poll Books and Electoral Registers, 1538-1893.
A COPY of the POLL FOR KNIGHTS of the SHIRE FOR The County of HERTFORD,
Taken at the Town of HERTFORD, April 6, 1761.
BROADWATER HUNDRED
ASTON: George Wallby / H[ouse] L[and] / voted for Jacob Houblon & Thomas-Plumer Byde (not Charles Gore)
Byde & Houblon elected (not Gore)
- UK, Poll Books and Electoral Registers, 1538-1893.
A COPY of the POLL FOR KNIGHTS of the SHIRE FOR THE COUNTY of HERTFORD
Taken at the Town of HERTFORD, October 24, 1774.
BROADWATER HUNDRED
ASTON
George Walby / H[ouse] L[and] / voted for William Plumer & Viscount Grimston (not Thomas Halsey)
Plumer & Halsey elected
- George's cousin William Walby's will of 1764 suggests that George had been married before and had two children with his first wife, called William and Elizabeth. This conflicts with George's marriage record to Dorcas, which describes him as a bachelor. Moreover, George and Dorcas went on to have a son called William in 1746 who was also named in George's cousin's will. It therefore seems more likely that there is a mistake in the will - perhaps the William and Elizabeth he had in mind were related to him in a different way.
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