William Dunkley 1791-1857 His Will
William was a Butcher in Gold Street, Northampton and, later in life, a farmer in Great Creaton, Northamptonshire.
This is the last Will and Testament of me William Dunkley of Great Creaton in the county of Northampton Farmer.
I direct my just Debts Funeral and Testamentary Expenses to be paid by my Executrix and Executors hereinafter
named. I appoint my Wife Hannah Dunkley my Son Samuel Dunkley and my friend John Butlin Hall of Ravensthorpe in
the said County Farmer Executrix and Executors of this my Will. I give and devise All that my messuage or
tenement hereditaments and premises with the appurtances situate in Gold Street in the town of Northampton in
the occupation of Rinshaw and all other my Real Estate whatsoever unto my said Son Samuel Dunkley and his heirs
To hold the same with the appurtenances unto and to the use of my said Son Samuel Dunkley his heirs and assigns
for ever. I give and bequeath unto my wife the said Hannah Dunkley the sum of Twenty pounds to be paid to her
within one month after my decease. I give and bequeath unto the said John Butlin Hall the sum of Ten pounds. I
give and bequeath my Household Goods and Furniture Plate Linen China Books and other Effects in and about my
dwelling house at the time of my decease unto my said Wife her Executors and administrators absolutely except
the Dairy Vessels and Brewing Utensils which I hereby give to my said Son Samuel Dunkley. And as to all my live
and dead Farming Stock corn cattle and my monies and securities for money and all other my personal Estate and
Effects whatsoever and whersoever and hereinbefore disposed of I give and bequeath same and every part thereof
unto my said Son Samuel Dunkley his executors and administrators for his and their absolute use and benefit
Subject to and charged with the payment of an Annuity of Sixty pounds per annum to my said Wife during her life
to be paid half yearly the first payment to be made within six calendar months next after my decease and also
subject to the payment of the following Legacies (that is to say) the sum of Five hundred pounds to my Daughter
Elizabeth Dunkley her executors and administrators and the like sum of Five hundred pounds to my Daughter Ann
Dunkley her executors and administrators to be paid to my said daughters as and when they shall respectively
attain the age of twenty four years and the further sums of Five hundred pounds to each of my said daughters
Elizabeth and Ann their respective executors and administrators within one month next after the decease of my
said wife Hannah Dunkley and which said Legacies or sums of money I do hereby give to my said Daughters
accordingly And in case either of my said daughters shall die in the lifetime of my said Wife without leaving
lawful Issue of her Body the said sums of Five hundred pounds hereinbefore bequeathed to such daughter so dying
but not then paid shall be equally divided between my surviving daughter and my said son Samuel Dunkley And in
case both my said Daughters shall die in the lifetime of my said Wife HannDunkley without leaving lawful Issue
the said Legacies of Five hundred pounds given to my said Daughters as aforesaid and not having become due and
payable shall lapse and not be paid But in case either or both of my said Daughters shall die leaving lawful Of
her or their body or bodies such Issue shall take the Legacies or sums of money to which such deceased parent
or parents would have been entitled if living as tenants in common and not as joint tenants. And if my said wife
Hannah Dunkley shall die before my said daughters attain their respective ages of twenty four years the said
Annuity of Sixty pounds hereinbefore given and bequeathed to my said wife shall be and be paid by my said Son
Samuel Dunkley unto and equally between my said Daughters Elizabeth and Ann Dunkley until my said Daughter
Elizabeth shall attain the age of twenty four years at which time the said Annuity of Sixty pounds shall be paid
in the proportions following (that is to say) to my said Daughter Elizabeth the sum of Twenty pounds per annum
and to my said Daughter Ann the sum of Forty pounds per annum until my said Daughter Ann shall attain the age of
twenty four years or marry and upon my said daughter ann attaining the age of twenty four years or marrying then
her said portion of the said Annuity shall cease and be no longer paid and also the payment of the said sum of
Forty Pounds to my said Daughter Elizabeth shall cease And in case my said Son Samuel Dunkley shall die in my
lifetime then I give and bequeath the whole of the said Live and dead Farming Stock Personal Estate and Effects
unto and equally between my said Wife and my said two daughters Elizabeth and Ann as tenants in common and not
as joint tenants And my Will further is that my said Son Samuel Dunkley shall give to my said Wife and daughters
such Security for the payment of the said Annuity and Legacies as my said Executrix and Executors shall approve
but my said Executrix and Executors shall not be answerable or accountable for any loss that may happen by
reason of the Security or securities so to be taken from my said Son Samuel and my said Wife and daughters shall
reside together in the house and premises in which I now live so long as my said Son and Daughters shall remain
unmarried and they shall have their maintenance and clothing out of my said Farming business And I declare that
the executors for the time being of this my will shall be chargeable only with such monies as they she or he
respectively shall actually receive and shall not be answerable the one for the other of them nor for any banker
broker or other person in whose hands any of the money shall be placed nor otherwise for involuntary losses And
that my said Executors for the time being may reimburse themselves herself or himself out of the monies which
shall come to their her or his hands all expenses they she or he may be put to in or about this my Will. Hereby
revoking all former Wills I declare this to be my last In witness whereof I the said William Dunkley the
testator have to this my last Will contasined in this and two preceding sheets of paper set my hand this third
day of September one thousand eight hundred and fifty six.
The Writing contained in this and the two preceding
sheets of paper was signed and acknowledged by
the said William Dunkley the testator as and for his
last Will and testament in the presence of us present
at the same time and who in his presence at his
request and in the presence of each other have
hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses
the words "and that they all shall have
their maintenance and clothing out of
my said Farming business" being first
interlined between the seventh and eighth
line from the bottom of the Second page
hereof and the word "Forty" between
the Twenty first and the Twenty second
lines from the top of the said second
page having been first interlined
and noticed by us
William Dunkley
R C [ ] Brixworth
Rd Foskett Olney
In the archdeaconry Court of northampton
On the ninth day of May 1857 Hannah Dunkley of Creaton in the County of northampton widow, Samuel Dunkley of the
same place Farmer and John Butlin Hall of Ravensthorpe in the same county Farmer the Executrix and Executors
named in the Will were then sworn well and faithfully to perform and fulfil the same according to Law and that
the deceased at the time of his death which happened on the 26th day of February 1857 was not possessed of goods
chattels and credits of the value of Five thousand Pounds
Before me
Charles West
Surrogate