ALSO OF
Sarah Dennis. Date of death unreadable as it's obscured by grass and grave is leaning forward slightly. However burial records tell me Sarah died 1794.
Duffin White was a cooper of Great Marlow whose will was written and proved 1793. In it Duffin appointed his serving maid Sarah Dennis [spinster], who is buried with him as his main heir and sole executor of the will. Sarah inherited the house they lived in [which was in the High Street] all the furniture, Duffin's stock in trade and any residual property.
She was also the trustee - along with George Trash the Marlow surgeon - of two more properties which Duffin had owned and which were to be sold to pay other legacies in the will.
These legacies were:
Kinsman Henry Laurence, bargeman of Great Marlow £5
Cousin Ann Webb widow of Great Marlow £5
Cousin Elizabeth wife of John Beaver £5.
The will was witnessed by Marlow men Thomas Rolls a draper, Richard Aveling a grocer and attorney Robert Goldsmith.
Duffin was baptised at Great Marlow in 1737 to Thomas and Ann White.
Sarah was baptised at Great Marlow in 1765 to Samuel and Elizabeth Dennis. She did not live long to enjoy her inheritance as she died the year after Duffin.
In her will she said that she was sick and weak. She asked George Trash to sell her home and all her china, plate [silver] and linen to pay the legacies she wanted to give. George himself got £10 while a Mary Glanville who lived with her was to receive £5. An income of 2 shillings a week each went to her aunts Jane Ayres a widow and Anne Humphreys. After their deaths I think her uncle Thomas Dennis, a bricklayer was to receive it.
Sarah asked for twin headstones to be put on her late master's grave. One to her, the other to Duffin White and a Thomas White whose headstone was to be altered or replaced (I couldn't quite read it) to say the names and ages of Thomas and Duffin White. Presumably this Thomas was the Thomas who was Duffin's father, though he may be a brother to Duffin or another relative. Obviously George Trash for some reason did not carry out these instructions precisely as to the gravestones. It is possible however that the stone we see today is a later replacement.
Will witnesses were James Glanville a maltster, Thomas Rolls a draper and Robert Goldsmith an attorney.
Photo by Kathryn Day. Research by Charlotte Day.
To find other wills on the blog see Will Transcriptions on the top drop down menu. See also the Graves and Person Index options.
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