COPY OF

THE LAST WILL & TESTAMENT

THE RIGHT REVEREND RICHARD HIND of POLEBROOK (1848)

This is the last Will and Testament –

Of me The Right Reverend Richard Hind of Polebrook in the County of Northampton, Clerk. I direct that all my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses be fully paid and satisfied out of my personal Estate and Effects as soon as conveniently may be after my decease. I give and bequeath unto my dear wife Suzannah Hind all the wines liquors fuel and other consumable household stores of which I may die possessed for her absolute use I also bequeath to her my said wife the use and enjoyment of such of my household furniture plate linen china glass pictures books and other household effects as she may think proper to select of which I might die possessed of for and during the term of her natural life and from and immediately after her decease I give and bequeath the same to my daughter Suzannah Jane Hind for her absolute use and benefit and I direct my Executors to cause an Inventory to be taken of the sameArticles upon the delivery thereof to my said wife two copies thereof to be signed by my said wife of which copies so signed one shall be delivered to her and the other kept by my Executors I give and devise to my friends Joseph Charles Martin of Oundle in the said County Surgeon and Robert Johnson of the same place Draper all and every my freehold messuages cottages tenements lands hereditaments and premises whatsoever and wheresoever situate to which I or any person in trust for me are seized or possessed and of which I have power to dispose of by this my will (except such as are vested in me in trust or by way of mortgage)with their rights encumbers and appurtenances To hold the same unto and to the use of the said Joseph Charles Martin and Robert Johnson their heirs and assigns according to the nature and qualities thereof respectively and I give and bequeath all and every the residue of my Goods Chattels farming stock and implements of husbandry money and securities for money debts and all other personal estate and effects of what nature or kind soever of or to which I or any person in trust for me shall be entitled(except such parts thereof as are specifically disposed of by this my will) unto my said trustees their executors administrators and assigns according to the nature and quality thereof respectively Upon Trust that they my said trustees or trustee for the time being of this my will do and shall at such time after my decease as they shall think best and most beneficial for my said wife and daughter absolutely sell and dispose of my said freehold estate and so much of my personal estate as shall be in its nature saleable either in one lot or several lots by public auction or private contract to any person or persons willing to ?????????? the purchaser or purchasers thereof for such price or prices or sum or sums of money as to my said trustees shall seem reasonable and for promoting and facilitating such sale or sales do and shall enter into make and execute all such contracts covenants agreements acts deeds matters and things which to my said trustees or trustee shall seem reasonable and I do hereby direct and empower the said Joseph Charles Martin and Robert Johnson or the survivor of them at anytime when they shall consider most beneficial to the parties interested as aforesaid to sell and dispose of all my customary or copyhold? Estates held of the Manor of Oundle or any other Manor. And I declare that the receipt or receipts of my said trustees or trustee for the time being of this my will for any money shall effectually discharge the person or persons paying the same from being answerable or accountable for the misapplication or nonapplication thereof and I declare that my said trustees or trustee shall stand and be possessed of and interested in the money to arise from the sale or sales hereinbefore directed to be made of my said real estate or to arise and be produced from my residuary personal estate which I have directed to be converted into money ???? Trust after payment of my debts funeral and testamentary expenses as aforesaid to lay out and invest the same in the parliamentary stocks or public funds or at Interest upon Government or real securities and from time to time to alter vary and transfer the same into other stocks funds or securities when and as opften as they shall think proper And I declare that my said trustees shall have full power to permit any part of my personal estate which shall at my decease consist of mortgages or securities including personal securities to remain in the same state of investment for such period or periods as my trustees shall think fit and as to the Interest dividends and annual produce to and be produced from the residue of my said personal estate and also the rents arising and borrowing due from my real estate or such parts thereof as shall not be sold under the above power or authority hereinbefore contained I direct that my said trustees shall pay to or permit the same to be received by my said wife Suzannah Hind for and during the term of her natural life for her own use and benefit And from and immediately after the decease of my said wife I declare that my said trustees or trustee for the time being shall stand and be seized or possessed of all and every my real estate and of the money arising from the sale of such part thereof as they shall sell and also of all and every my personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever stocks funds and securities upon Trust that they my said trustees or trustee for the time being shall convey assign assure surrender or dispose of the same or the interest dividends and annual produce thereof to such uses upon such trusts and for such intents and purposes as my said daughter Suzannah ane Hind whether covert or sole and if married as if she were sole and unmarried shall from time to time by any will or deed signed by her own hand direct or appoint and in default of such direction or appointment To the use of my said daughter Suzannah Jane her heirs executors administrators and assigns absolutely so that the same may not be subject to the debts of any person with whom she may happen to intermarry and her receipt alone to be a sufficient discharge for all monies paid to her I devise all estates vested in me upon any Trusts or by way of mortgage to the said Joseph Charles Martin and Robert Johnson their Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns subject to the trusts and equities affecting the same but the money secured to me upon any mortgage or mortgages to be taken as part of my personal estate and I declare that my said trustees shall be answerable for their own respective acts receipts and defaults only and shall be at liberty to retain to and allow to each other out of monies coming to their hands by virtue of my will all expenses incurred in the execution of the trusts thereof And in case my said trustees or either of them shall die in my lifetime or shall dir or become unwilling or incapable of acting then I empower the surviving or continuing trustee or in default the retiring trustee or the executors or administrators of the deceased trustee as the case may be to nominate a new trustee or new trustees for the purpose of filling up such vacancy or vacancies and such new trustee or new trustees shall have the same power in all respects as the trustees hereby appointed And I nominate and appoint my said wife Suzannah Hind and my said daughter Suzannah Jane Hind and the said Joseph Charles Martin and Robert Johnson and the survivor of them EXECUTRIXES and EXECUTORS of this my will. I revoke all former Wills and Codicils which I have made and declare this to be my last Will and Testament . In witness whereof, I the said Richard Hind the Testator have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand this fifteenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty eight

The Mark of Richard Hind signed by the said Richard Hind the testator in the presence of us present at the same time who have signed our names as witnesses thereto in his presence and in the presence of each other John Owen Oundle. Gentleman Mary Jillings of Polebrook. Married Woman

Extracted by John & I. H. Bayford

Proctors, Doctors, Commons

An appendix to the above document dated 9^th February 1849 states “Sworn under Three Thousand Pounds and that the Testator died on or about the 17^th September 1848”

The appendix carries:

i) A £50 duty stamp and..

ii) The Seal of The Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury