Will of Benjamin Griffin Esq 1761

 Will written and proved in 1761

Of Great Marlow. Says is indisposed of body but sound of mind and memory. 

Asks to be buried in whatever parish he dies in and that funerary expenses should not exceed £50. 

Gives all wearing apparel both linen and woollen to his manservant Benjamin Beaver. If Benjamin is still living with him at time of testator's death he gets £100 too.

To all other servants living with him at time of death £10 each over and above any wages due to them.

All freehold messuages, tenements, lands and hereditaments with their appurtenances in Great Marlow to kinsman Samuel Norman of Henley on Thames Oxfordshire and his heirs in trust for benefit of testator's nephew William Griffin son of his brother Nathaniel. He is to get annuity of ten pounds to be paid out in quarterly installments that is 25th march, 24th June, the 29th September and and the 25th December. First payment to be made on the first of those days occuring after his death. Also trust to pay yearly sum of £20 from profits of these messuages etc towards the maintenance of kinsman Benjamin Griffin Jackson son of testator's niece Hester Jackson paid in such manner as the said Samuel Norman shall feel most fit and proper for him until he reaches the age of 21 at which time the £20 annual payment for the benefit of Benjamin Griffin Jackson shall cease and he will get the property instead. That is the messuage or tenement with outhouses, gardens and appurtenances in Great Marlow in testator's own occupation (which was lately two tenements) discharged of the annuity to nephew William Griffin.

 If Benjamin Griffin Jackson shall die before the age of 21 Samuel Norman to convey the property to the testator's brother Nathaniel and his heirs (in trust that they will discharge the estate of the aforementioned £10 and £20 legacies and pay all charges and repair costs pertaining to the property and all costs arising from the execution of the trust vested in the hands of Samuel Norman) and pay over all the "overplus rents and profits" to Nathaniel and his heirs. From them on the aforementioned annuities shall cease.

To nephew John Griffin eldest son of brother Nathaniel and his heirs all messuages or tenements with outhouses and hereditaments in Oakingham Berkshire. These are lately purchased from John Hibbert and are now in the occupation of the said John Griffin or his under tenants or assigns. John also to receive £1000 within 12 months of testator's death. Interest is not to be paid to him in the meantime.

Brother Nathaniel and Samuel Norman, their heirs and executors to receive £10,000 in trust to be invested. The profits and dividends from that investment to brother Nathaniel for the term of his life and then after his death to Nathaniel's son John and then the whole investment and it's profits to go to Samuel Norman himself and his heirs for their own use.

To the widow of brother Jacob Griffin an annuity of £10 for life split into half yearly payments. This to start within six months of testator's death. After the widow dies if testator's niece Hester Jackson is still alive she is to get the annuity instead. Hester is in any case to have her own £5 annuity free from all deductions. This is to be paid in twice yearly installments, beginning within 6 months of the testator's death. 

If Benjamin Jackson lives to 21 he gets £100 without any interest accrued before it is paid out. It is supposed however to be paid out immediately. If he does before 21 the money just to be considered part of the general estate of the testator.

Benjamin Beaver as mentioned above is to have £100 in trust for the maintenance, clothing and education of Mary Hawkins niece if Benjamin Beaver. Whatever is not spent at the time of her death goes to Benjamin Beaver or his executors or administrators.

All residual estate to brother Nathaniel and his heirs. Nathaniel and Samuel Norman to be executors of the will.

Witnessed by Richard ?Sincons?, John Wakeling, Richard Sutton.

Will transcribed and then summarized here from an original at the National Archives Kew by Charlotte Day and Kathryn Day.

Notes by Charlotte:

Benjamin was originally from Wokingham, the son of Ann (nee Gyles) and Benjamin Griffin, a mercer. Brother Nathaniel remained in Wokingham. Samuel Norman of Henley was the testator's maternal cousin. The widow of Jacob Griffin as mentioned in the will was Elizabeth. 

Benjamin Griffin Jackson appears in an interesting Old Bailey case concerning whether keeping someone in poor prison conditions could constitute murder if that someone died. It is available on the Old Bailey Online website here. See also another related case on the same website here and yet another linked case amongst the Justices' Papers on the London Lives Website here. 

Some of this family were Baptists. 

Way Family Premises

The home and business premises of John Way in Marlow High Street are today a toy shop.

John was baptised at Marlow in 1809 to Richard and Rebecca (nee Fowler) Way who had moved to the town in the early 1800s from Oakley Bucks. Richard was a farmer who lived in 1833 in Quoiting Square Marlow. 

Like many people in those days John suffered the loss of many family members in their prime- his sisters Rebecca and Ann died aged 16 and 22 respectively in 1819, followed two years later by his mother when she was only in her 40s. His father passed away in 1836 and his brother Joseph at the age of 26 in 1837.

John ran a poulterer's shop in the above premises from at least 1833 until his death circa 1846. In 1841 he expanded his business by obtaining a licence to sell game too. As poaching and the resulting illegal sale of game was a big problem getting a license to deal in it wasn't easy and it shows that John must have been considered as having an honest and trustworthy character if he was granted a licence. In 1845 his shop was broken into and a hare, a rabbit and a pheasant stolen. These items were allegedly then raffled in a local pub.

John must also have used a stable in St Peter's Street as part of his business as in 1833 his horse was stolen from that stable during the night.

In 1837 he had married Sarah Hibbert at St George's Hanover Square, London. By 1841 there were three children in their family - Rosa, Laura and a tiny baby boy as yet unnamed on the 1841 census. The family was sufficiently prosperous to be able to employ a live in servant then, Sophia Lissiman.

After John's death Sarah carried on the shop for a while, winning her own game dealing licence. This may have been only a temporary measure while his estate was settled. She was not in business in 1851.

John's older brother Richard, a carpenter, moved in to John and Sarah's former home. He lived there until his own death in 1865 age 66.

Sarah the widow of John was at Upton Cum Chalvey, Bucks in 1861 and a fund holder. Her daughter Rosa lived with her. In 1871 they were at Leytonstone Essex. Rosa did not marry and became a milliner and dressmaker.

NB These premises were occupied for many years in the later Victorian era by Kempsters the bakers / confectioners who also had a West Street premises.

Sources included:

1841,51,61 Censuses Great Marlow my transcription from microfiche at an LDS Family History Library, London. These can all now be accessed online.

Upton Cum Chalvey census transcription from microfilm by Jane Pullinger. 

"England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFFV-DB4 : 25 June 2022), Rosa Ann Way in entry for Sarah Way, 1871.

Berkshire Chronicle 25th July 1846. British Library Archives. Reading Mercury 25th November 1833 British Library Archives via the BNA.Bucks Advertiser 13th December 1845, as previously.

©Marlow Ancestors. Census information remains Crown copyright. You are very welcome to use my research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.