Via Ancestry I came across the 1827 will of Euphemia Dickson. She was the daughter of baker John Dickson of Greville Street, Holborn, and his wife Sarah Dickson née Rodbard. Born in 1812, Euphemia was only 15 years old when she died. Her younger sister Sarah, born the year after her, would marry David Blanch, the youngest son of my 4 x great grandfather James Blanch. Sarah’s (and Euphemia’s) uncle John Rodbard (her mother’s brother) was already married to David Blanch’s older half-sister, Maria.

It was John Rodbard who acted as executor for Euphemia. This was because the latter’s father, John Dickson, had died two years earlier. (He was buried at St Andrew, Holborn, on the same day – 30th December – as his daughter Mary, who was 19 when she died). The will is prefaced by a document (see above) headed ‘For executors or administrators with will annexed, when there is no leasehold property’, ‘in the goods of Euphemia Dixon, spinster deceased, 30 June 1827’. The person making the affidavit (‘appeared personally’) is ‘John Rodbard of Edgware in the County of Middlesex gentleman the sole executor named in the last will and testament of the said Euphemia Dixon late of Edgware aforesaid spinster’. The value of the deceased’s property is said to be less than £100.

Euphemia’s will (above) reads as follows:

This is the Last Will and Testament of me Euphemia Dickson of Edgware in the County of Middlesex Spinster. I Give and Bequeath all my Personal Estate of every description, in possession, reversion, remainder or expectancy, or which I am in any way entitled unto, or have the power of disposing of, unto to my Sister Sarah Dickson to and for her own use and benefit. And I hereby appoint my Uncle John Rodbard of Edgware aforesaid Gentleman Executor of this my Will. As Witness my Hand and Seal this Third day of April in the Year of our Lord One thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty seven.

Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said Euphemia Dickson, as and for her Last Will and Testament in the presence of us

William Foote Surgeon Edgware

C J Tootell Edgware

The will is followed by these notes:

30th June 1827

John Rodbard the Uncle of the deceased named in this Will was duly sworn as usual and thus the Goods Chattels Credits of the deceased do not amount in value to the sum of One hundred pounds – Before me C. Coote 

The Testatrix Euphemia Dickson was late of Edgware in the County of Middlesex a Spinster and died May last 

On the second day of July 1827 this Will of Euphemia Dickson late of Edgware in the County of Middlesex Spinster Deceased was proved at London before the Worshipful Charles Coote Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the Oath of John Rodbard the Uncle of the Deceased the sole Executor to whom Admin was granted having been first sworn duly to Administer.

It’s interesting that both her will and her burial record describe Euphemia as living in Edgware, though she was buried (like her father and older sister) at St Andrew’s, Holborn. Edgware, and more specifically Little Stanmore, was the home town of the Rodbards, and this suggests either that the Dicksons also had property there, or that Sarah Dickson and her children moved there after the death of her husband John.