Church Knowle Wills

William Collings alias Collins, husbandman of [?], Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Dated: 10 [month?] 1701

- ‘being sick in body’

- ‘my body to be buried in the church or yard of Church Knolle’

- Wife: my gear and £5, cows, ‘my hoye’, the bread, butter and cheese

- William (son): £100 [?] in 6 months after decease, my house and garden and plot of ground
  at Church ‘Knolle’ - Mary ‘Colings’ (daughter): ‘one ...’ to be paid at the end of 1.5 years after decease,
  and right in a tenement at West Creech

- Christien Collins (daughter): ‘...’ to be paid to her at the end of ‘… one monthes’ after decease

- Edward, William and John Colle (grandson): £2 when 21 years of age, each

- William Colle (son-in-law): 1s in one month after decease

- John ‘Collings’ (son): tenement by the name of ‘Lally boste of Thomas ... Knolle’

Executor: John (‘loving son’)
Overseers: Thomas Collings of Blackmiston and William Hacharde
of Whitway (‘my loving ...’)  Signed by testator
Witnesses: Thomas Browne, The mark R of Richard Collings, The mark of Joyes JP Pear

Addition to will :
- Thomas Collings and William Hachard: 2s 6d each
Proved: 1701

Richard Speck of Orchard, Church Knowle, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Dated: 12 October 1747

- Rose Speck [male] of Corfe Castle: £20

- Damaris Oszard daughter of Rose Speck: £10

- Damaris Oszard the younger, daughter of Damaris Oszard: £5 when 21 years

- Thomas and Mary Speck children of George Speck (kinsman) late of Norden, Corfe Castle, deceased: £8 each

- John and Richard Powell of Okeham, Wiltshire (kinsmen): £10 each.

- Richard Powell: best suit of clothes and 2 best shirts.

- William Powell: £5 ‘if ever he comes and demands the same himself’

- Agnes Turner of Holton: £4

- Sarah, Anne and Elizabeth Turner, 3 daughters of Agnes Turner: £4 each

- Elizabeth Speck widow of Thomas: £2 2s

- Jonathan Lawrence, cooper of Wareham: clock and clock case

- Anne Briggs wife of Robert of Corfe Castle: warming pan

- John and Sarah Speck children of John (kinsman) deceased: £8 each

- Isaac Speck (kinsman) of East Lulworth: £30

- Richard Speck (kinsman) of Norden: residue

- All legacies paid in 1 year after decease

Executor: Richard Speck (‘loving kinsman’)
Signed by testator with X
Witnesses: Mary Croomes, Anne Tomes (x), Daniel Dugdale
Proved: 14 January 1747/48 on oath of Richard Speck

Joseph Croomes, Yeoman of West Orchard, Church Knowle, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset Dated: 9 February 1745

- ‘weak in body’

- Mary Croomes (daughter) and John and Thomas Croomes (grandsons): whereas by virtue of a
  mortgage entered into by Jonathan Croomes (son), deceased, there is due and owing to me from
  the estate where Joseph Croomes (son) now lives, £170 ‘with considerable interest’. Money to be
  divided in 2 parts: 1 for Mary, payable in 6 months after my death and 1 other part for John and
  Thomas (when Thomas reaches 21 years).

- Mary Croomes (daughter): £20 due to me on a bond of 16 May 1742

- Whereas John Collins (brother-in-law) did borrow of me upon a bond of £70 which bond with
  interest due on it remains unpaid now. The money is due to my grandsons but if Joseph (son)
  shall pay to them the £170 moiety due on the mortgage then the bond may be cancelled.

- Executrixes to put the bond into the keeping of John Croomes of Corfe Castle

- Joseph (son): plough tackle

- Wife and daughter: residue

Executrixes: wife and daughter
Signed by testator
Witnesses: Edward Cutler (‘E’ his mark), James Stephens (‘J’ his mark)
Proved: 1748

Edward Cutler of Church Knowle, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Dated: 25 October 1747

- Elizabeth Cutler (wife): 1s

- Edward (son): estate I now live in late my uncle Collins’, after wife’s decease.
  If George Hatchett (grandson) survives Edward and he should leave no issue, that he enjoy
  the same for remainder of term

- Elizabeth Pyke (daughter) wife of Christopher: estate at Bradle paying £60 to Edward (son).
  If the sum is not paid in 1 month then Edward shall have the estate paying Elizabeth Pyke
  £3/year on half yearly payments free from Land Tax

- Frances Burden (daughter): ‘moyaltey’ of Pudle Mills and 2 meadows which Henry Burden
  (son-in-law) now rents from me, free from Land Tax etc except Tithe which she is to pay half
  that charged on the Mill and the ‘mill growns’ and to keep the mill in good repair.
  If not then the Mill returns to Edward (son)

- Edward (son): northend mill house chamber and the ‘mill grown and the friths that grows in the
  meadows’ and the dwelling house and outhouses now rented by William Cooper. If Edward dies
  then Frances has the mill.

- Frances Burden (daughter): use of £10, then to her two children Henry and Mary.

- George, John and Thomas Hatchett, and Henry and Mary Burden (my 5 grandchildren): £10 each

- Edward (son): rest of goods except what is in the possession of George Hatchett (grandson)

- Trustees for my executor: George Hatchett (grandson) and William Eayers of Oylewood
  [‘John Harris of Whitway’ crossed out] 

Executor: Edward (son)
Signed with ‘E’ by testator
Witnesses: Jos. Brixey, Fran: Brixey
Proved: 7 August 1748 by George Hatchard and William Eyres, trustees during the minority
of Edward Cutler (son), executor

Administration bond: 27 August 1748

George Hatchard, Merchant tailor, of Winterborn Zelston and William Eyres, Yeoman
of Corfe Castle held to sum of £1000. Condition to administer the goods during minority of
Edward Cutler (son). Signed by George Hatchard, William Eyres (x)

Thomas Cockram, Gentleman of Bucknowle, Church Knowle, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Dated: 4 April 1761

- Dorothy (‘loving wife’): personals, plate, money, dues from bonds, all rents from my tenants

- William Dowland of Bucknowle: £10 10s

- Betty wife of William Dowland: £10 10s

- Sons and daughter of William Dowland: 1 guinea each (total: £7 7s)

- John Smith, Druggist in London: £50

- Thomas Smith (Godson): £5 and silver cup

- Farmer Richard Talbot of Whitecliff: £10

- Farmer Stephen Smith of Ower: £10

- Susan White: £5

- Widow Cockram and her son John Cockram at Corfe: £10 between them

- Poor of Knowle that have no relief: £5

- John Bond, Esquire (friend): 2 guineas to buy a ring (total £2 2s) and to his
  Lady 2 guineas to buy a ring (total £2 2s)

- ‘to the boy that lives with me’ at the time of death: £5

- R Tucker (Godson): large silver spoon with a gold knob at the end

Executrix: Dorothy (wife)
Signed by testator
Witnesses: Robert Cole, Jasper Dowland, Thomas Taunton, Betty Rousell (x)
Commission: to Dorothy to administer 28 October 1761.
Dorothy Cockram sworn 2 November 1761

Charles Burden, yeoman of Puddle Mill, Church Knowle, Dorset
Dated: 19 April 1811 [by testator in his hand]

- ‘being in perfect state of health’ ‘ my first will and testament’

- James (brother): mills and estate at Puddle Mills, Church Knowle

- William, Elizabeth, Henry, James and ‘Chezeia’ (all my ‘neaveues and neasess’) sons and
  daughters of Henry and Elizabeth Burden of ‘Bucknole’: £10 in 12 months

- Mary Squibb (sister): £5 for a suit of mourning [bequest crossed out]

- Joseph ‘Jaspeth’, Elizabeth, Samuel and Mary Cox: £10 each

- Mary Ann Green and Ferdinand Northen Green, children of Joseph and Elizabeth Green: £10 each

- Mary, Charles, Anna, James, Frances, John and Elizabeth, sons and daughters of James and
  Elizabeth Burden: £10 each to be paid on 12 months and 1 day after my decease

- James Burden son of Henry Burden, junior: house, orchard and garden at Puddle Mill.
  ‘I desire him to have it full stated [?] again to hold it in the family’

- James (brother): household goods and woollen clothes

- Joseph and Samuel Cox: linen apparel

- Ferdinand Northen Green: watch and chain and seal

- Mary Squibb (sister): £10 a year to be paid by James (brother) so long as she lives or he may
  be interested in the mills and estate [this entry was added later]

Executor: James (brother)
Signed by testator
Witnesses: George Stickland, George Hatchard
Proved: 29 April 1815 by James Burden (brother), yeoman of Church Knowle
Sworn under £450.
Deceased testator died 26 October 1814