Saturday, August 15, 2020

Will Summary For William Dark Of Great Marlow 1763

Background: William was born in Dodington Gloucestershire. He seems to have come to Marlow through the connection to there of his wife Mary, whom he married in London in 1751. She was the widow of the previous tenant of the Inn and personally produced the alcohol for the pub.

William Dark, inn holder*. Will proved 1763.

Commends soul to God.

Burial at discretion of his executor which is his wife Mary. She inherited any mortgages, notes [credit notes], sureties, ready money, debts, rights, stock in trade goods, chattels and personal estate not left to anyone else. Also £50.

His mother Elizabeth Burgess £20. If she dies then money to be divider between testator's brothers in law Thomas Dark and Samuel Dark. [The term brother in law was not used in the same way then as it is today. The term brother in law could mean step brother and half brother as well as  brother in law in the modern sense of the word. In this case half brother was meant. Thomas and Samuel were William's older brothers by his father's first marriage].

The same two "brothers in law" got £10 anyway as did his sisters Martha and Elizabeth and full brother William Dark, "my son in law William Clifford Phillips" and "daughter in law Mary Phillips". [Again remember son in law and daughter in law could mean step son or step daughter as well as what we consider a son or daughter in law today. William, more usually rendered Clifford William Phillips, and Elizabeth were indeed William Dark's step children].

To nephew William Dark when he reaches 21:  £10, 2 " quart silver tankards ", 2 large silver table spoons, and a gold ring set with diamonds.

David Woodham £5 to buy a ring for remembrance.

A guinea each to Henry Johnson, Susan Blac***? and Ann wife of William Carter.

£4 to buy bread for the poor of Marlow. The bread to be baked by George W***y.

Will witnesses Charles Carter and William Darley.

* He ran the Crown and Broad Arrow in the High Street. See my post on the Crown Inns of Marlow here for more on this place. His widow ran the inn after him.

To search for ancestors select Person Index option under menu.

Additional sources:

Gloucestershire parish registers at Familysearch. org  maintained by the LDS, Parish registers at London Metropolitan Archive.


For the will of another innkeeper of Marlow see my post on Sylvester Law here

Post researched and written by Charlotte Day. 

You can obtain a copy of the will from the National Archives, Kew.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this will transcription summary and research for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog.

So far this blog contains mentions of :

61 people from or associated with Marlow.


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