In the Name of God Amen I James Sperry of Laverton in the County of Gloucester Gent. being of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) first I Give devise and bequeath unto my good friends Thomas Whitford of Broadway in the County of Worcester and Benjamin Whitford of Laverton aforesaid Grocer and Robert Greives and William Clark both of the City of London Gent all those my Messuages or Tenements Lands and premisses situate in Laverton aforesaid and also all my household Furniture Plate Linen and China to have and to hold unto them the said Thomas Whitford Benjmain Whitford Robert Grieves and William Clark their Executors Administrators and Assigns and the survivors and survivor of them upon Trust that they the said Thomas Whitford Benjamin Whitford Robert Greives and William Clark and the survivors or survivor of them and the Executors Adm[inistrat]ors and Assigns of such survivors or survivor do and shall permit and suffer my loving Wife Elizabeth to have hold and enjoy all that Messuage or Tenement Garden Orchard and premises in which I now dwell during the term of her natural life upon further Trust that they and the survivors and survivor of them take an Inventory of all my household goods Plate Linen and China as soon as conveniently may be after my decease and permit and suffer her to use the same during the term of her natural life and also to permit and suffer my said wife to receive One hundred pounds out of the Rents and profits of my Estate at Laverton for her own use and benefit yearly and every year during the term of her natural life by two half yearly payments in every year free from all taxes or deductions and also shall and will permit and suffer my said wife to receive the remainder of the Rents and profits of my Estates at Laverton aforesaid to be applied to and for the support and Education of my four Children until my Son William shall attain his full age of twenty one years and the Surplus if any to be placed out upon Interest upon Government Security whereas upon the death of my said Wife and [?] all my Messuages or Tenements Land and premises situate at Laverton aforesaid except the Messuage or Tenement and a parcel of Land containing about sixty Acres ([?] called Godfreys devolved to the Marquis of Bath then and in that case I order and direct that the Rents and profits of the Messuage or Tenement and parcel of Land called Godfrey and also the Rents and profits of my two Houses at St Ives in the County of Huntingdon and my two Houses at Hemingford in Huntingdonshire aforesaid and my house situate at Great St Mary le Bone Street be applied for the support maintenance and Education of my four Children until my Son William shall attain his full age of twenty one years in lieu of the Rents and profits of my Estates at Laverton aforesaid and further I commit the Care and Guardianship of my four Children namely Mary Ann James Elizabeth and William unto my said loving wife the said Thomas Whitford Benjamin Whitford Robert Grieves and William Clark and the survivors and survivor of them until they shall all of them attain their full ages of twenty one years also I Give and devise unto my said Executors and Trustees all those my said two Tenements situate at St Ives my two Tenements situate at Hemingford and my house situate at St Mary le Bone in the County of Middlesex to hold to them the said Thomas Whitford Benjamin Whitford Robert Greives and William Clark and the survivors and survivor of them and the Executors Administrators and Assigns of such survivor upon this further trust that they receive the rents and profits of the same and place the same out at Interest upon Government Security until all my four Children shall have attained their several and respective ages of twenty one years then I give devise and bequeath unto my Son James all those two tenements situate at St. Ives to hold to him his heirs and assigns also I Give and devise unto my Son William all those my two houses at Hemingford and my house and premises situate at Great St Mary le Bone aforesaid to hold the same to him his heirs and Assigns for ever also I Give devise and bequeath unto my said Son James all that Messuage or Tenement Land and premises situate at Laverton aforesaid called Godfreys when and at such time his youngest Brother shall have attained his full age of twenty one years which will be in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and five to hold to him his Executors Administrators and Assigns and further I order and direct that my said Executors and the survivors or survivor of them shall have a power to draw two hundred pounds out of the publick funds in order to put out my said two Sons apprentice when of the age of Fifteen years and I do hereby further order and direct that the dividends be received which become one together with all Interest and whatsoever other monies may be received by my said Trustees the same be placed out at Interest upon Government Security for the benefit of my said Children and I also do hereby further order and direct that my money in the three p[er] Cent consol ready money Securities for money Household Furniture Plate and Linen shall remain and be until all and every of my Children shall have attained their full ages of twenty one then upon this special Trust and Confidence that the said Thomas Whitford Benjamin Whitford Robt Greives and William Clark and the survivors and survivor of them and the Ex[ecu]tors Adm[inistrat]ors and Assigns of such survivors and survivor make a true and perfect [co?lation] of the same and after payment of my just debts legacies Funeral Expenses and proving this my will I order and direct to be equally divided between my four children share and share alike as Tenants in Common and further my will and desire is that my two Daughters Mary and Ann and Elizabeth shall have only one half of their share at their own disposal and the other half share to remain and continue upon the same Security for the benefit of their heirs of their body (the principal only) I further order and direct that my said Wife shall receive half a years Rent out of the Rents that shall be due at the time of my decease for her own private and separate use but in case any of my Children shall happen to die before his her or their share or shares shall become due then and in that case his her or their share so dying leaving no issue shall go to and amongst the Survivors or Survivor of them as Tenants in Common and farther that in case all and every of my Children shall happen to die before their Legacies shall become due and leaving no issue of their body then I give devise and bequeath the whole of my Estates unto my said loving Wife Elizabeth to hold the same during the term of her natural life and from and immediately after her decease then I dispose of the same in manner following that is to say I give unto John Sperry the Son of John Sperry of the University of Cambridge his Ex[ecu]tors Am[inistrat]ors or Assigns the sum of One Thousand Pounds also I Give unto the Children of John Sperry of Huntingdon the sum of One thousand pounds to hold to them their Ex[ecu]tors Adm[inistrat]ors or Assigns also I Give unto Elizabeth Sperry the Daughter of William Sperry of St Ives the sum of One thousand pounds to hold to her her Ex[ecu]tors Adm[inistrat]ors or Assigns also I Give unto James Burford the son of James Burford of St Ives aforesaid the sum of five hundred pounds to hold to him his Ex[ecu]tors Adm[inistrat]ors or Assigns also I Give unto the Children of John Denton of St Ives aforesaid the sum of five hundred pounds to hold to them their Ex[ecu]tors Adm[inistrat]ors and Assigns all the rest and residue of my Estate and effects whatsoever I give devise and bequeath unto Benjamin Whitford of Laverton aforesaid subject to the payment of Fifty pounds a year unto his Brother Thomas Whitford of Broadway aforesaid during the term of his natural life and also to the payment of the sum of one thousand pounds to my nephew William Spires and one thousand pounds to my niece Elizabeth Spires Children of Isaac Spires to them their heirs Ex[ecu]tors Adm[inistrat]ors or Assigns and also I subject to the payment of the sum of thirty pounds a year to Joseph Whitford of London during the term of his natural life the before mentioned disposal of my Estate and effects are only provided all my Children shall happen to die before his her or their legacies shall become due and without issue of their body I do hereby order and direct my Executors or the survivors or survivor of them to pay unto Joseph Pitman the Son of the Widow Pitman the sum of ten pounds to put him apprentice and the further sum of ten pounds when he shall have served his time to a handicraft trade and lastly I do hereby nominate Constitute and appoint my said loving wife Elizabeth and the said Thomas Whitford Benjamin Whitford Robert Greives and William Clark Executors and Executrix of this my Will and I Give to each of them the said Thomas Whitford Benjamin Whitford Robert Greives and William Clark the sum of ten pounds and a mourning Ring for their trouble and care in the Executorship as aforesaid I Give unto Thomas Jones James Beely[?] and to John Harvey and Francis Harvey a mourning Ring each and my Will is and I do hereby direct that my said Executors and Trustees shall not be answerable for any loss or miscarriage that may happen by any Security or Securities and also that they shall retain all their costs charges and expenses out of the Estates and effects in them respectively vested in and by this my Will and the Trust therein contained and I do hereby revoke all former Wills by me heretofore made and declare this to be my last Will and Testament In Testimony whereof I the said James Sperry to this my last will contained in four sheets of paper set my hand and seal that is to say to the first three sheets thereof my hand and to this fourth sheet my hand and Seal this Nineteenth day of November in the thirtieth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King George the third and in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty Nine – James Sperry (LS) – Signed sealed published and declared by the testator James Sperry as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his sight and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto – Ann Pitman – Robt Boyce – James Boyce
This Will was proved at London the Ninth day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Ninety before the worshipful John Nicholl Doctor of Laws Surrogate of the Right Honourable Sir William Wynne Knight also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully Constituted by the oaths of Elizabeth Sperry Widow the Relict of the deceased Thomas Whitford Robert Greives otherwise Grives and William Clark four of the Executors named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having been first sworn duly to Administer Power reserved of making the like grant to Benjamin Whitford the other Executor named in the said will when he shall apply for the same.
[note in margin alongside probate]
On the 16th day of January 1823 adm[inistrati]on (with the Will annexed) of the Goods Chattels and Credits of James Sperry late of Laverton in the County of Gloucester deceased left unadmd by Elizabeth Sperry Widow the Relict Thomas Whitford Robert Greives otherwise Grives and William Clark respectively deceased whilst being four of the Executors named in the said Will was granted to Mary Ann Smith (wife of William Turley Smith) and Elizabeth Sperry Spinster the natural and lawful Children of the said Deceased having been first sworn (by Com[missi]on) duly to administer – the said Elizabeth Sperry being also Residuary Legatee for Life – Benjamin Whitford the surviving Executor named in the said Will having first renounced and [?] Residuary Legatee being therein substituted
