Will of Samuel Loftin 1779

 Samuel Loftin Esquire of Great Marlow. Will written 1777 and proved 1779.

Says he aged and infirm but of sound and perfect understanding.

To son William Loftin and his heirs and assigns all messuages, lands, tenements, and hereditaments whatever and wherever they are with the rights, members, and appurtenances. Also to him all testator's capital share in stocks of the Old South Sea Annuities. He will not get this straight away however -the produce and dividends of them to be paid half yearly to William until testator's youngest daughter Matilda reaches the age of 21 (which will happen on March 25th 1783) then at that point the capital will be transferred to William. [Not clear why this is linked to Matilda coming of age]

Also to William all mortgages, bonds,debts, securities for money with the several principle sums of money and interest due and owing at time of testator's death.

To daughters Hester, Charlotte and Matilda equally all his stock in the Three Per Cent Reduced Annuities transferable at the Bank of England and the interest and dividends resulting from them until this youngest daughter Matilda reaches the age of 21. Then the principal amount invested is to be shared out between the daughters equally.

Under the will of late brother Benjamin Lofting testator is bound to pay a £20 annuity to Margaret Shaw for the term of her life. Because of this Samuel has transferred £666 13 shillings and 4 pence invested in the Old South Sea Annuities to Mr William Williams in trust to pay out that annuity from. That sum after Margaret Shaw's death is to go to son William Loftin his heirs, executors and assignees.

Testator is also bound to pay annuities of £5 4 shillings each to John Lofting the elder, Mary Lofting the elder and Jane the wife of John Carter during their lives. His children are to pay out these legacies from his personal estate.

Something unreadable to daughter Charlotte. The silver tea kettle and lamp to daughter Matilda.

The rest of his household goods, furniture, chattels, plate, linens, china, ready money and other personal estate after debts and funeral expenses (which he desires to be frugal) and the previously mentioned annuities paid to be shared equally between his four children William, Hester, Charlotte and Matilda.

Good friend Joseph Townsend appointed executor along with testator's children William Lofting and Charlotte Lofting.

Witnessed by = Henry Sherwood (made his mark) servant to Mr Loftin, Henry Allnutt attorney, of Great Marlow Bucks and Robert Goldsmith his clerk.

This summary produced to the best of my ability from a will at the National Archives Kew, transcribed by me Charlotte Day.

There are over 100 other Marlow wills in this blog. Please see the Will Transcriptions Index for more.

©Marlow Ancestors. Use this summary as you will for family and local history purposes, with credit to this blog.

Copy Farm Marlow Historic Occupiers

Copy Farm at Copy Green. Not to be confused with Charity Copy Farm which was much smaller (though I suppose they were originally one) which was left to charity by Benjamin and William Loftin in 1759. (Or rather money was left for the purchase of land to provide an income for the charity). The latter also called Loftin's Charity Farm at times.

Description: 1844= 106 arable. 1854= 112 acres with 2 workers cottages, stable and 3 barns 1861= 112 acres. 1910= 110 acres. 1919= arable and pasture 112 acres. 1927= Under 100 acres.

1798- Mr Johnson.

1833- John Gibbons occupier, owned by Mr Hammond. 107 acres. At that time Copy Charity Farm amounting to 60 acres was occupied by William Goldswain.

Owned by Robert Hammond certainly between 1845-55. Likely remains in that family ownership long after.  Unknown occupier - believe to be John Gibbons still in 1847 but uncertain.  Robert in his will proved 1855 asked for it to be sold after his death. 

1861- William Greenwood. Wife Alice. 1861 census says employs 3 men and 2 boys. Sold up his stock and left town 1865.

1871-91 Thomas King. He also occupied Widmere Farm. He was a churchwarden of Marlow. Wife Mary. See previous post here on Widmere Farm for much more on his farming life.

1891-95 Emmanuel William Plumridge. Leased from Mrs Hammond whose agent Mr Lawrence allegedy  would not let him leave lease early after Emmanuel suffered the expensive death of all 9 of his farm horses during an agricultural depression when things were already tough. Emmanuel was ruined as a result of being unable to get out of his loss making farm. He seems to have been illiterate and thus unable to understand what rental agreement he was signing (with just an X). (He does seem to have been very confused about the circumstances in general, and at first said he'd signed no rental agreement, then he stated that he hadn't recognised the document for what it was.) According to Emmanuel he'd transferred his stock from Field Farm in Marlow to Copy Farm to make way for the expansion of Captain Marshalls Menagerie. He thought he'd taken Copy Farm on for three years but at the end of this period he was told he must give two years notice to quit! You can read more about Emmanuel and especially his wife here

1900- J Wheeler. May be mistake for Leonard J Wheeler.

1901- Leonard John Wheeler. Had been publican at Royal Oak Bovingdon Green, 1893-95. Prior to coming to Marlow had been a farmer at Wargrave Berkshire like his dad. Left Marlow by 1911.

1910. For sale.

1910-16. Arthur Hawes. In 1901 he lived with his parents Thomas and Mary at nearby Charity Copy Farm [not same as Copy Farm] though he seems to have been the farmer there rather than them. He and his dad worked at Charity Copy as labourers and the whole family lived there long before that.

1927-28. Fred Lee.

Occupation compiled from property records, adverts, wills, court cases, agricultural journals etc.

Ongoing research, more will be added if possible.

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Will Summary Catherine Suthery of Great Marlow 1820

 CATHERINE SUTHERY WIDOW WILL WRITTEN AND PROVED 1820. See research notes below.

Says she of sound mind and whole understanding.

All wearing apparel to her servant Mary Loftin.

After debts and funeral expenses paid everything left equally to John Mossenton cordwainer of Great Marlow and Thomas Rolls draper of the same and their heirs forever. Includes the house where testator lived and a cottage next to it occupied by Widow Davis.

John and Thomas are the will's executors.

Catherine made a mark rather than signed.

Witnesses: Francis Hickman, William Westbrook and Henry Goldsmith.

Research notes:

Catherine was the widow of Chapel Street grocer Joseph Suthery. The cottages referred to in the will were in Chapel Street. Her husband left them to her for life then to his Anderson nephews. It isn't clear then why Catherine leaves the property to Mossenton and Rolls as they weren't within her ability to bequeath. A widow Anderson occupied the former Suthery home in 1833.

Catherine was Catherine Bird at marriage. 

Thomas Rolls had premises in the High Street. John Mossenton was based in Chapel Street. William Westbrook was a Market Square butcher. Henry Goldsmith was an attorney.

More Marlow will summaries indexed here

Transcribed by me from a will held at the National Archives Kew and summarised here.

 ©Marlow Ancestors. You may freely copy this transcription with credit to this blog and a link here.