The Will of John Webb, Chairmaker of Dorney, Buckinghamshire, 1702 - 1794

John Webb of Dorney, father of Henry Webb and grandfather of Martha Webb of Hammersmith (about whose Windsor chair making business an account may be found here in the second half of Robert Parrott's article at pp. 127 to 138) died in 1794.  

A full transcription of his will has never been published before.

In the Name of God Amen I John Webb of the parish of Dorney in the county of Bucks Chairmaker do make this my Will as follows first I order all my debts which I shall owe my ffuneral and Testamentary Expenses to be paid out of my Personal Estate only I appoint my grandson Jeremiah Dell my Executor I devise my Messuage with the appurtenances in or near Like and in the said county of Bucks now in the occupation of John Dell to his wife Sarah Dell my daughter her Heirs and Assigns for ever and I devise all the two Messuages or Tenements adjoining together with the Buildings thereunto belonging now in the occupation of the said Jeremiah Dell and William Green situate at Dorney aforesaid and the close of Meadow Land adjoining now in my own possession unto the said Jeremiah Dell his Heirs and Assigns forever I give to my Granddaughter Martha Webb the daughter of my late son Henry twenty pounds I devise All the Residue of my Messuages Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Real Estate whatsoever whether ffreehold or Copyhold to the said Jeremiah Dell and my friend Richard Sedding of Dorney aforesaid yeomen their Heirs and Assigns upon Trust to sell the Same by Public Auction as soon as conveniently may be and the clear Money arising from the sale after paying the Charges thereof I direct shall be divided and paid as follows namely one fourth part thereof to my daughter Ann Chitty one other fourth part to my daughter Elizabeth Windsor one other fourth part to the children of my late son Thomas Webb deceased and one other fourth part to the children of my late daughter Rebecca Grantham deceased and I declare that the purchasers of my said Messuages Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Real Estate or any part thereof shall not be obliged to see to the application of the purchase money or be answerable for the same or the Proapplication thereof or any part thereof but shall be at all times fully indemnified by the Receipt alone of my said Trustees or the survivor of them I give to my said grandson Jeremiah Dell twenty pounds and all my working tools belonging to the Chairmaking Business for the trouble which he may have as my Executor I give to my sister Elizabeth Buckland twenty pounds and I gave all the Residue of my Goods Chattels Leases Stocks Effects and Personal Estate whatsoever to the said Jeremiah Dell and Richard Sedding their Executors Administrators or Assigns in Trust to divide the same equally as follows namely one fifth part thereof to the said Sarah Dell one other fifth part to the said Ann Chitty one other fifth part to the said Elizabeth Windsor one other fifth part to the children of my late Son Thomas Webb and one other fifth part to the children of my said late daughter Rebecca Grantham and I declare that if one or other children of the said Sarah Dell Ann Chitty or Elizabeth Windsor shall die before me or before they have received their respective parts of my said Real and Personal Estates and the produce thereof respectively as aforesaid having Kin then I give the part of them or other of them so dying as aforesaid or such part thereof as shall not have been received unto his her or their Kin shall respectively by equal proportions as and when such Kin shall respectively attain their several ages of twenty one years and to be managed in the meantime for their advantage in such manner as my said Trustees shall think most beneficial and the which or any part thereof or the interest or dividends thereof to be by them from time to time applied for the benefit of such Kin respectively either by the apprenticing them or otherwise promoting their welfare as my said Trustees shall see occasion during their respective Minorities and if such Kin any or either of them shall die under the age of twenty one years the share of such of them so dying shall go to his her or their surviving Brothers and Sisters respectively or in default of such to his or her or their next of Kin And I declare that as my daughter Elizabeth Windsor is at this time labouring under a great Imbecility of Mind her legacies and the provisions which I have hereby made for her shall in case of her continuing to be in her present weak state be paid to her Sons in Trust to apply the same for her maintenance support or benefit in such manner as they shall think most beneficial during her life and after her decease I give the same in equal  proportions unto such of the children of my said daughter Elizabeth as shall be living at her decease and if but one of them shall be living then to such only child and I declare that my said Trustees shall not be answerable for more money than they shall actually receive nor the One for the other of them nor for the Acts Deeds or Management of the other of them nor for any involuntary loss and that they may deduct their Charges out of the Trust Estate aforesaid and I do hereby revoke all former Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made and do declare this to be my last in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this seventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety three

John Webb 

Signed Sealed published and declared by the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our Hands as Witnesses

Jos. Pain Grocer at Windsor 

Stepn. Round Attorney at law 

Thomas Gleeds Clerk to Mr Round 

I Give my ffriend Richard Sedding before named in this my will ffive Guineas for his trouble as my Trustee dated the day and year last above written 

John Webb 

Witnesses Jos. Pain Stephn. Round Thomas Gleeds 

This Will  was proved at London with a codicil the twenty seventh day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety four before the worship for William Battin Doctor of Law Surrogate of the Right Honourable Sir William Wynne Knight also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oath of Jeremiah Dell the grandson and sole executor named in this will of the deceased 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.

Transcribed from John Webb’s will in the National Archives reference PROB-11-1246-72

© Julian Parker 2020