Yesterday I reported new evidence that my great-great-great-great-grandfather, James Blanch (1754 – 1840) was the son-in-law of William Barlow (died 1779), a patten maker of Compton Street, Soho. More details of William Barlow’s life, family and social status can be found in his will, a copy of which has been sent to me by my fellow-researcher Jan Addison, and which I’ve now transcribed.

Early 19th century map of Ealing, showing Castle Bear Hill, location of properties owned by William Barlow

I reproduce my transcription of William Barlow’s will below: as usual, I’ve retained the original spellings, punctuation and grammar. In the next post, I’ll share my thoughts about the will and the light it throws on my ancestors’ lives.

This is the last Will and Testament of me William Barlow of Compton Street in the parish of St Ann Soho in the County of Middlesex patten maker First commending my soul into the hands of my Redeemer, I desire to be buried in a plain and decent manner at the discretion of my Executor and Executrix herein after named and after payment of my Just Debts and Funeral Expenses I give devise and bequeath all these my Freehold Lands Messuages Tenements and Hereditaments situate and being at Castle Bear in the parish of Ealing in the said County of Middlesex with every and all of their Appurtenances unto James Frith the Younger of Sheppards Market in the parish of St George Hanover Square in the said County of Middlesex Grocer and my Daughter Jane Barlow To hold unto the said James Frith the Younger and Jane Barlow their Heirs and Assigns forever Upon Trust that they the said James Frith the Younger and Jane Barlow their Heirs and Assigns or one of them do and shall pay and apply All and singular the Rents Issues and Profits of the said premises to and for the Use of my dear Wife Elizabeth Barlow or her Assigns to receive the same for and during the Term of her natural life and from and after her decease then I give devise and bequeath all that Freehold Messuage or Tenement part of the said Freehold Premises devised to my said Wife during her life as aforesaid abutting South and now in my own Occupation to my said Daughter Jane Barlow her heirs and Assigns forever and the Middle house next adjoining to the said last mentioned Messuage being other part of the premises above devised aforesaid I give devise and bequeath to my daughter Margaret Barlow her Heirs and Assigns forever And the other Messuage or Tenement next adjoining or abutting North on the said last mentioned Messuage or Tenement I give devise and bequeath unto my Daughter Ann Barlow her Heirs and Assigns forever But Subject nevertheless as to the particular Estates herein before devised to my said Daughters Margaret and Ann Barlow as aforesaid My Will is that in case their or either of their decease before they arrive to the Age of twenty one years or Marriage then such particular Estate shall go and be enjoyed by each of such Surviving Sisters herein before named their Heirs and Assigns as Tenants in Common I give and bequeath unto my said Wife all the Rents and Profits of all that my Leasehold Messuage or Tenement situate in Wardour Street in the Parish of Saint Ann Soho aforesaid now in the Tenure or Occupation of my Son in Law Thomas Gatton for and during so much of the Term therein as she my said Wife shall happen to live and from and after her decease I give and bequeath the said premises to the said Thomas Gatton his Executors Admors and Assigns for and during all the Rest Residue and Remainder of the said Term then to come and unexpired in the Lease thereof I give and bequeath to the said James Frith the Younger and Jane Barlow my said Daughter their Executors Administrators and Assigns all those my two Leasehold Messuages or Tenements situate and being in Cross Lane Long Acre in the parish of Saint Martin in the Fields in the said County of Middlesex now in the several Tenures or Occupations of             Mackintock Glass Grinder and            Pickering Coach Painter their some or one of their Undertenants or Assigns And all those my two Leasehold Messuages or Tenements situate or being in Poulteney Street in the parish of St James Westminster together with the piece of Ground thereunto belonging now in the several Tenures or Occupations of Charles Stewart Carpenter and Messrs Lamb and Jones Oil and Colourmen their some or one of their Undertenants or Assigns Also All that my Leasehold Messuage or Tenement situate in Compton Street aforesaid wherein I now dwell with their and every of their Appurtenances Upon Trust to pay and apply all the Rents Issues and Profits of the said Leasehold Premises unto her my said Wife and her Assigns or otherwise to permit and suffer her to receive the same for and during the Term of her natural Life And from and after her decease Upon Trust to Assign Transfer and set over the said Messuage or Tenement in Cross Lane aforesaid and now or late in the possession of the said            Mackintock to my Daughter Hannah Davis Wife of Henry Davis of Little Tottenham Street Coach maker her Executors Administrators and Upon further Trust that she my said daughter Jane Barlow do and shall from time to time receive the Rents Issues and Profits of the other Messuage and Tenement in Cross Lane aforesaid and now or late in the Tenure or Occupation of             Pickering and pay and apply the Rents Issues and Profits of the same towards the Maintenance and Education of my Daughter Margaret Barlow for and during so long of the Lease as shall be to come and unexpired I also give and bequeath all and singular my said Leasehold Premises herein before mentioned at the decease of my said Wife and not herein before disposed of to my three daughters the said Jane Barlow Ann Barlow and Margaret Barlow their Executors Administrators and Assigns equally to be divided between them share and share alike And in case of the death of either of my said Daughters Ann Barlow or Margaret Barlow before twenty one or Marriage as aforesaid then the part or share of her or them so dying shall go and by enjoyed by each of such surviving Sister herein before named her and their Executors Administrators and Assigns I give and bequeath to my Trustees and Executors herein named All my Stock in Trade and everything belonging thereto together with all my Book Debts that shall be due and owing unto me at the time of my decease Upon Trust that they the said James Frith the Younger and Jane Barlow and their Heirs forever do assign transfer and make over all my said Stock in Trade and everything belonging thereto together with all my Book Debts that shall be due and owing to me at the time of my decease as aforesaid to my son William Barlow his Heirs and Assigns for ever provided that in consideration thereof he the said William Barlow his Heirs and Assigns shall pay or cause to be paid to my dear Wife Elizabeth Barlow as aforesaid the Sum of twenty pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain per Annum for and during the Term of her natural Life for the payment of which said Sum he the said William Barlow his Heirs and Assigns shall give such security as shall be approved of by my abovementioned Executors their Heirs and Assigns It is my Will likewise that the above Sum of  Twenty pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain shall be paid by my said Son William Barlow his Heirs and Assigns to my dear Wife Elizabeth Barlow Quarterly that is to say in four equal Quarterly payments and commence immediately on my decease I give to my friend Mr James Frith the Elder the said James Frith the Younger my Sister Mary Adams my said Son in Law Thomas Gatton and to Mr Thomas Roe of Furnivals Inn London Gentleman a Ring of one Guinea value each as a token of my respect And all the Rest Residue and Remainder of my personal Estate and Effects not herein before disposed of (after the decease of my said Wife) I give and bequeath to my said Daughters Jane Barlow Ann Barlow and Margaret Barlow to be equally divided between them share and share alike And I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said Daughter Jane Barlow and the said James Frith the Younger Executrix and Executor of this my Will And my Will is that my said Trustees and Executors or either of them their or either of their Executors or Administrators shall not be chargeable with or liable to make good any Loss or Damage which shall or may happen to the said premises or any part thereof by or through his her or their acting under this my Will or any Trust or Clause herein contained without his her or their willful Art Neglect or default respectively and that they shall and may deduct and retain to himself herself and themselves out of the said premises all such reasonable Costs Charges and Expenses as he she or they shall respectively bear pay or be put unto in or about the Execution of this my Will or any of the Trusts hereby in them reposed And Lastly I do hereby revoke all other Wills by me at any other time heretofore made and declare this to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I the said William Barlow have to this my Will contained in this and the Eight foregoing pages to the first second third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth and ninth pages set my hand and to this tenth and last page my hand and seal this second day of November in the nineteenth year of the Reign of his Majesty King George the Third and in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight. Wm Barlow (S) Signed Sealed published and declared by the said William Barlow as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and also in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses   Ann Williamson   Richd Shury   Mich Hagerniss

This Will was proved at London the fourteenth day of August in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine before the Worshipful George Harris Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Worshipful Peter Calvert also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oaths of Jane Barlow Spinster the Daughter of the deceased and James Frith the Younger the Executors named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having been first sworn duly to administer.