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William Bryant
b.Abt 1716
Facts and Events
William Bryant’s origins have yet to be established. The age given when he died suggests that he was born around 1716. William’s first confirmed sighting is on 4th October 1744, when he married Ann Green at Ashwell in Hertfordshire.
William and Ann stayed in Ashwell after their marriage, having four children baptised there between 1745 and 1754. Their youngest son died at the age of three in 1757, but the other three lived to adulthood.
From at least 1754 onwards William owned a house and land at Ashwell which were valuable enough to qualify him to vote. He is recorded as having voted in general elections four times between 1754 and 1784, which would have involved travelling twenty miles to the county town at Hertford where the votes had to be cast.
In 1779 William wrote his will, in which he described himself as being a labourer of Ashwell End, a hamlet to the west of Ashwell village.
Ann died in April 1782. Her burial record does not say how old she was, but she and William had been married for 37 years.
William survived her by two years. He died in 1784, being buried at Ashwell on 17th October. He was said to be 68 years old.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Church of England. Parish Registers of Ashwell, Hertfordshire. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).
No. 27
W[illia]m Briants aged 68 of this Parish of Ashwell in the County of Herts was buried Oct[ober] 17th 1784 Registered Oct[ober] 18th by me W[illia]m Murgatroyd
- ↑ Personal and Miscellaneous Collection (Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies, Hertford)
26459: Will of William Bryants, senior, labourer of Ashwell, 1779.
[Names put in bold]
The last Will of W[illia]m Bryants Dated 3d May 1779
In the Name of God Amen, I William Bryants the elder of of [sic] Ashwell in the County of Hertford Labo[ure]r being of sound and disposing Mind and Memory, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in Manner and Form following, that is to say, I Will that all my Debts and Funeral Charges be paid by my Executors herein after Named and my Body to be decently Buried at Ashwell And as to what Wordly effects I shall be possessed of at the Time of my Decease I give in the following Manner And first in Case I shall happen to die before my Wife then I give and Bequeath all that I shall die possessed of at my Decease unto my loving Wife Ann Bryants to have and to hold the same for and during her natural Life, And at my said Wife's Decease I give and Bequeath all that my Cottage Tenement and Premisses situate in Ashwell End and where I now reside unto my Son James Bryants of Ashwell aforesaid Labo[ure]r together with Ground Garden Orchard and other Appurtenances thereunto belonging to him and his Heirs for Ever, And also I give and Bequeath (after mine and my said Wife's Decease) unto my Son William Bryants of Hinxworth Blacksmith, and to my Daughter Mary Lincoln Wife of Simon Lincoln of Hinxworth Butcher all the rest residue and remainder of my Effects Goods Chattles [sic] Cattle of what Kind or Nature so ever which I shall be possessed of as aforesaid equal Share and Share alike And I do hereby nominate Constitute and appoint my said Sons James and William Executors of this my Will, revoking all former Wills and declare this to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this 3d Day of May in the Year of our Lord 1779
The Mark of X William Bryants
Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said William Byrants the Testator to be his last Will and Testament in the Presence of us Witnesses
Thomas Squier
William Squier
Young Allworth
[in different handwriting:] N.B. W[illia]m Bryant must have been in possession in 1753 see Feoffment request W Bryant Dated 1st Oct[obe]r 1753
This document is held as part of the Personal and Miscellaneous collection rather than the Wills collection, and no probate information is included, which may indicate that this will was never formally proved in the courts.
- UK, Poll Books & Electoral Registers, 1538-1893 (London Metropolitan Archives & Guildhall Library, London).
Taken at Hertford 2 May 1754
Ashwell
William Bryant, freeholder of House and Land / voted for Edward Gardiner (not Charles Gore or Paggen Hale)
Taken at Hertford 6 April 1761
Ashwell
William Bryant, freeholder of House and Land / voted for Jacob Houblon (not Thomas Plumer Byde or Charles Gore)
Taken at Hertford 24 Oct 1774
Ashwell
William Bryant, freeholder of House and Land / voted for William Plumer & Viscount Grimston (not Thomas Halsey)
1784
Ashwell
William Bryant, freeholder of House and Land / voted for Plumer & Grimston (not Halsey)
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