Worth Matravers Wills

John Eyres of Renscombe, Worth Matravers, Dorset
Dated: 16 March 1670/71

- Poor: 40s ‘to be distributed at my funeral with special regard to bee had to the par. of Worth att the
  discretion of mine executor & overseers’

- ‘loving wife’: £50 in 12 months after my decease ‘with the other monies which I covenanted in marriage
  to give her’, also ‘my wearing gold ring’

- John Eyres (son): in lieu of ‘my promise made to him at the time of his marriage concerning a tenement
  in Kimbridge, my farme of Kingswood hee paying the Annuety I have granted out of it for the better
  livelyhood of my wife’

- Alice Dolling (daughter): ‘filte pounds’. Also to her, her husband and their eldest son Henry: a gold ring
  of 10s each; also ‘to their five younger sons’ £10 each

- Sarah Collins (daughter): my watch. Also to her and her husband: a gold ring of 10s each

- daughter Dolling and daughter Collins: feather bed and bolster each

- To my daughter Collins her three daughters Elizabeth, Martha and Mary: £5 each to be paid at their
  marriage or when 21 years of age

- Joyce Tito (granddaughter): £5 when 18 years of age ‘if then living’

- My wife’s own sons: a gold ring of 10s price

- Elianor (my wife’s daughter): a gold ring of 10s price,

- To wife’s younger daughters: £5. ‘If God should please that my wife should decease before me, then I doe
  give to her two daughters, Ann & Elizabeth Man, to each seventie pounds more’

- Sarah Eyres (daughter in law): a gold ring of 10s price

- John Eyres (grandson): £40 and my silver inkcase.

- Mary Eyres, Sarah Eyres and Samuel Eyres (grandchildren): £20 each

- Sarah Gaich & Mary Culliford (granddaughters): a gold ring of 10s price

- Richard Adams: 20s

- Steven Udall: 20s

- William Hardin: 10s

- Robert Phippard: 10s

- ‘All my household servants that shall be living with me’: 10s each to be paid within 12 months after
  my decease

- ‘That all the legacies above mentioned to which noe particular time of payment is prefixed shall bee paid
  within three months after the expiration of my lease in Renscombe Farme, which I now hold, only that the
  interest shall be paid for them when twelve moneths are expired after my decease’

- John Eyres (son): residue of my goods, whom I do make & ordaine my full & whole

Executor: John Eyres (son)
Overseers: Henry Dolling and William Collins (sons in law): 40s each for their pains to be paid within
3 months after my decease
Signed by testator
Witnesses: Fra: Lewis, Elizabeth Man

Memorandum dated ‘N ......... 5 1671’: ‘in case my goods and chattels if I shall dye possessed of besides
the lease of Kingswood Farm shall not upon a just account of my executor bee found sufficient to discharge
& pay all the legacies herein by mee bequeathed when my debts and moderate funerall expenses are first
discharged, then the severall legacies above mentioned shall receive each of them a proportional part as far
as the said goods and chattelIs shall extend and noe more’
Signed by testator
Witnesses: Fra: Lewis, ‘El ......’
Proved: 9 November 1671

Edward Collins, Yeoman[?] of Worth Matravers (died intestate)

Administration bond:
Dated 1688

Condition: Henry Collins (‘natural son’)] bound as administrator of the goods of Edward Collins,
deceased, to make an inventory of the goods to exhibit this by 1 June next, and made an account
of the administration by 1 April next

Signed by Henry Collins
Witnesses: Thomas Clarke, ‘William Horl-t? Jun’, James Dolling
Inventory made 27 April 1688: by Edward Abbott, ‘Lewis …..?’, Edward Abbot Junr

Henry Collens alias Collins, husbandman of Worth Matravers, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Dated 22 June 1693

- ‘being sick’

- James Brown son of Elizabeth (sister), John Browne and Roger Ousley sons of Mary (sister): £3 each

- Sarah Sherewood (servant): 50s

- Joseph and Charles Culliford (‘my trusty and well beloved friends and kinsmen’): ‘I give this tenement
  at Worth and all that is left besides’

Executors: Joseph and Charles Culliford aforesaid
Signed by testator
Witnesses: Joseph Culliford, Margery Culliford, Richard Parlett
Proved: 1693

Richard Bower of Worth Matravers, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Dated: 29 June 1766

- Mary Smith (daughter): dwelling house where I live and the houses belonging and household goods,
  plot of ground adjoining now a garden and 2 ‘lands’ of ground in the field and ground in the ‘Gallos Gore’.
  She shall pay Martha Corben (daughter) 5s/year

- Rebecca Coustfield (daughter): house she now lives in and mead called East Borten and she shall pay
  Martha Corben (daughter) 5s/year

- Ester Dowdan (daughter): 1s

Witnesses: James Ozard, ‘Jan Smith’ (x)
Administration bond: 31 October 1767 Thomas Coatsfield, Richard Smith, George Edmonds, Robin Squibb, yeomen of Worth Matravers
held in £100.

Condition: Mary Smith and Rebecca Coastfield (daughters) administrators of the goods of Richard Bower
late of Worth Matravers, deceased to carry out their duties
Signed by Thomas Coastfield, Richard Smith, George Edmonds, ‘Roben’ Squibb
Witnesses: Charles Bower, John Combes
Mary Smith and Rebecca Coastfield sworn to administer before John Combes, Clerk

John Windsor, dairyman of Bottom, Worth Matravers, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Dated: 16 October 1802

- Sarah Ann Snook, daughter of Joseph Snook, yeoman late of Portsmouth, Hampshire: large gold ring,
  silver tablespoon, 3 silver teaspoons, pair of silver shoe buckles, black silk cloak, silk gown and a
  white petticoat

- Susannah Snook, daughter of Joseph Snook: small gold ring, silver tablespoon, 3 silver teaspoons,
  silver cream mug and mahogany tea chest

- John Snook, son of Joseph Snook: small silver watch and case

- William Snook, son of Joseph Snook: large silver watch and case

- Grandchildren [the above named]: rest to be divided between them on or before they reach 21 years

- Mary Cockram (servant): £20 in a month

- Joseph Snook aforesaid: money due to me on his bond or promissory note and interest therein; I acquit
  him of the right and title therein

- Jonathan Lawrence, gentleman of Borough of Wareham and Robert Dugdale, gentleman of Borough
  of Wareham: residue of plate, china, household goods, dairy utensils, money etc. on trust to sell and
  put money into Public Fund or security to Jane Snook (daughter) wife of Joseph. If she has no surviving
  heir then to James Hardy of Osmington, Dorset

Executors: Jonathan Lawrence, gentleman of Borough of Wareham and Robert Dugdale, gentleman
of Borough of Wareham
Mark of testator (x)
Witnesses: J B Nineham, Mary Dugdale Kearly

Codicil: 8 December 1809
Mary Cockram (servant): £60 in addition to £20 bequeathed, in 12 months after decease
Mark of testator (x)
Witnesses: Thomas Beaves, William Grant
Proved: 1810

David Caines, yeoman of Renscombe Farm, Worth Matravers, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Dated: 2 January 1849

- Ann (wife) and Thomas (son): all real and personal estate, money, live and dead stock and crop
  farming utensils and implements of husbandry, household goods upon trust that they ‘shall carry
  on my business of farming for and during the term of the natural life of my said wife Ann Caines,
  for the better support and benefit of her my said wife, and for the better enabling her to
  assist…my children’

- Residuary estate to be equally divided between my children

Executrix and executor: Ann (wife) and Thomas (son)
Signed by testator
Witnesses: Sarah Squires, Robert D Marshfield
Commission: 26 July 1852 to the executrix and executor, yeoman of Renscombe Farm as
administrators of the goods of the deceased
Goods sworn under £1500
Testator died 28 July 1851
Signed by administrators
Commission executed: 13 August 1852