Thomas Sharpe of Holwell 1870 Will

Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Archives DE 462/13 page 429

This is the last Will and Testament of me Thomas Sharpe of Holwell in the County of Leicester Shoemaker

First I direct all my just debts funeral and testamentary expences to be fully paid and satisfied

I give & bequeath all my personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever (except as hereinafter mentioned) of which I shall be possessed or over which I shall have any disposing power at the time of my decease unto my friend Josiah Gill of Holwell  aforesaid Farmer and my Son William Sharpe of Abb Kettleby in the said County of Leicester Shoemaker Upon trust to invest the same in the public Funds of Great Britain and Ireland or upon real security with power to vary such investments And from and out of the dividends interest or annual produce arising therefrom to pay unto my affectionate Wife Ann Sharpe the weekly allowance of Five shillings for the term of her natural life or so long as she shall continue my Widow

I give and bequeath to my wife during her life or so long as she shall remain my Widow the use of all my household furniture plate linen china glass Books and other chattels and effects of the like nature which shall at my decease be in or about my dwellinghouse and after her decease or remarriage I direct my Executors and Trustees to sell the same and add the proceeds to the trust fund under this my Will

I give and bequeath all my Stock in trade and tools unto my said Son William Sharpe with the exception of my Stock of Leather which I desire him to purchase at the cost price thereof and add the proceeds of such purchase to the said trust fund such Stock of Leather to be paid for within twelve months of my decease

And from and after the decease of my said Wife or her remarriage my Will is and I hereby empower my said Trustees to pay and divide the whole of the said trust fund unto and equally between all my Children namely Elizabeth the Wife of George Knott of South Witham in the County of Lincoln Laborer the said William Sharpe Sarah Eliza the Wife of George Brown of Holwell aforesaid Grazier Robert Sharpe of Fenton in the County of Stafford Carter Mary Ann the wife of William Bates of Abb Kettleby in the said County of Leicester Grazier and Richard Sharpe of Oakham in the County of Rutland Wheelwright for their own absolute use and benefit

I give and bequeath my wearing apparel unto my three sons before named to be equally divided between them

I devise and bequeath all the estates vested in me by way of Mortgage with the appurtenances unto the said Josiah Gill and William Sharpe their heirs executors and administrators according to the nature of the same premises subject to the equity of redemption subsisting therein respectively but the money secured on such mortgage to be considered as part of my personal estate

I declare that the Executors and Trustees for the time being of this my Will shall be chargeable only with such monies as they or he respectively shall actually receive and shall not be answerable the one for the other of them nor for any banker broker or other person in whose hands any of the trust monies shall be placed nor for the insufficiency of any stocks funds shares or securities nor otherwise for involuntary losses

And that the said Executors and Trustees for the time being may reimburse themselves or himself out of the monies which shall come to their or his hands under the trusts aforesaid all expenses to be incurred in or about the execution of the aforesaid trusts

I appoint the said Josiah Gill and my said Son William Sharpe Executors and Trustees of this my Will hereby revoking all Wills by me at any time heretofore made

In witness whereof I the said Thomas Sharpe the testator have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of November One thousand eight hundred and sixty nine

Thomas Sharpe

Signed published and declared by the said Thomas Sharpe the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us present at the same time who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses

SH Butterfield Clerk to Mr EHM Clarke Solr Melton Mowbray

Burbidge Steele Carpenter Holwell

Proved at Leicester the Eleventh day of June 1870 by the Oaths of Josiah Gill and William Sharpe Son of the deceased the Executors to whom Administration was granted

The Testator Thomas Sharpe was late of Holwell in the County of Leicester Shoemaker and died on the seventh day of December 1869 at Holwell aforesaid

Under £300