William HOLINSHEAD (1810 - 1885)

[Last Will & Testament]

Will - 20th Sept. 1865
Codicil - 23rd Aug. 1884
Testator died - 11th Feb. 1885

Copy - Will of William HOLINSHEAD (Deceased)

Hume Bird & Eldridge
10 Great James Street
Bedford Row

This is the last Will and Testament of me William HOLINSHEAD of Norcott Hill in the Parish of Northchurch in the County of Hertford Farmer I nominate constitute and appoint my Wife Hannah HOLINSHEAD and my friend Thomas SAUNDERS of Eastbrookehay Hemel Hempstead in the sd County of Hertford Farmer Executors and Trustees of this my will and Guardians of the persons and estates of my children during their respective minorities And I give to the said Thomas SAUNDERS a legacy of ten pounds for his trouble I give and bequeath unto my Trustees and Executors All my personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever upon trust (after payment of my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses) to lay out and invest the same and to stand possessed thereof in trust to pay the interest dividends and proceeds thereof unto my said wife for her life if she shall so long remain my Widow and unmarried And in case my said wife shall marry again then from and after her second marriage my said trustees and executors shall stand possessed of the said estate and effects monies and premises and the stocks funds and securities upon which the same may happen to be invested In trust for my said Wife and all my children who being a son or sons shall live to attain the age of twenty one years or die under that age leaving lawful issue or being a daughter or daughters shall live to attain the said age of twenty one years or marry under that age to be equally divided between my said wife and children share and share alike And after the death of my said wife in case she shall not marry again then I give and bequeath the said estate and effects monies and premises and the stocks funds and securities in or upon which the same may be invested unto and in trust for all my children who being a son or sons shall live to attain the age of twenty one years or die under that age leaving lawful issue or being a daughter or daughters shall live to attain the said age of twenty one years or marry under that age to be equally divided between them if more than one And I direct that it shall be lawful for my said trustees after the decease or second marring of my said wife or in her life time or widowhood with her consent in writing to lay out and apply during the minority and for the preferment of any of my said children any part of their respective expectant portions or shares not exceeding a moiety for placing him her or them in any trade business or profession or otherwise for their his or her advancement And I declare that it shall be lawful for my said trustees from time to time to invest at interest in or upon Government or real securities in England or on the securities of any Public Company incorporated by Act of Parliament and paying a dividend half yearly the whole or any part of the said estate and effects moneys and premises which shall come to their hands by virtue of the trusts of this my will and from time to time to vary and change such securities for others of the like description as they in their discretion shall see fit I give and devise unto the said Thomas SAUNDERS all the estates whatsoever which at my decease shall be vested in me as a trustee or mortgagee and subject to redemption to hold the same unto the said Thomas SAUNDERS his heirs executors administrators and assigns according to the natures and qualities of the said estates Nevertheless upon and subject to the trusts and equities affecting the same respectively Provided always and I hereby will and declare notwithstanding anything hereinbefore contained that should my executors think it desirable at the time of my decease to carry on the farm I now or may then occupy as a home for my wife and her younger children it shall and may be lawful for them so to do but for so long time only as she shall continue my widow and unmarried and in that case the stock crops cattle furniture and effects in and upon the said farm or so much thereof as may be requisite for carrying on the said farm shall not be sold so long as the said farm shall be carried on but shall be retained thereon and may be applied and disposed of by my executors in the usual course of carrying on the said farm they paying all the rent rates taxes and other outgoings to become due for the said farm after my said decease and replacing the stock crops cattle and effects which shall be sold and disposed of with other stock crops cattle and effects of equal value and so toties quoties as often as occasion shall require according to the usual course of farming and a good husbandry and the terms of the tenancy of the said farm the profit and benefit to arise by carrying on the said farm to be applied in the same manner as is hereinbefore directed concerning the rents interest and dividends of my said estate and effects monies and premises And I declare that it shall be lawful for my said executors in their discretion to discontinue the said farm at any time they may deem it expedient so to do And upon such discontinuance or upon the decease or second marriage of my said wife as the case may be my said executors shall then sell and dispose of the said farming stock crops cattle furniture and effects in and upon and belonging to the said farm whether original or substituted as aforesaid and invest and apply the proceeds thereof as part of the residue of my personal estate and my said executors shall not be answerable or accountable for any loss or diminuation in the value thereof And I direct that in case the said farm shall not be carried on then I give to my said wife the use of the whole or such part of my household furniture and effects as she shall select for her life if and in case she shall so long continue my widow In witness whereof I the said William HOLINSHEAD the testator have to each sheet of this my last will and testament contained on three sheets of paper set my hand this twenty eighth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty five - Wm HOLINSHEAD - Signed and acknowledged by the said William HOLINSHEAD the testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who at the same time and in his and each others presence have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses - W. [HOCKEN?] Solicitor Hemel Hempsted - Thos LOVELOCK Clerk to Messrs GROVES & [HOCKEN?] Solicitors Hemel Hempstead.

On the 20th March 1885 Probate of this will with one Codicil was granted to Hannah HOLINSHEAD Widow and Thomas SAUNDERS the Executors.