Quaker Family History Society

Will of Thomas ASHBY, Mealman of Staines, Middlesex

Will 22 March 1811, Probate 24 January 1814

Summary.

Biographical Notes.

·         Parents: Robert Ashby (1700-1781), Maltster of Shillingford, Oxon and Mary (née Lamb, 1708-1794) his wife

·         Date of birth: 7 June 1733, Warborough, Oxon

·         Occupation: Mealman, Brewer and Banker, Staines

·         Marriage: 7 July 1757 to Hannah Wickens (1734-1818), daughter of William Wickens (1700-1755), Apothecary of Maidenhead, and Hannah (née Buy, 1707-1741) his first wife, at Maidenhead Meeting

·         Meeting: Longford

·         Date of death: 4 February 1813, Staines

·         Burial: 11 February 1813 at the Friends Burial Ground, Staines

Highlights of Will

·         To wife Hannah Ashby all his household goods, plate, linen and china for her own use and benefit.

·         To son William Ashby all his copyhold properties at Church End, Staines with the yards, gardens, stoves, grates, fire irons and fixtures, where William then lives, permitting wife Hannah Ashby to live in the house where he Thomas Ashby lives, rent free.

·         To son Thomas Ashby 32 acres and three rood of land in Queens Mead, Wyrardisbury subject to the payment of a rent charge of £40 p.a. to his mother Hannah Ashby during her life, and afterwards to make the following payments.

·         Upon the death of wife Hannah Ashby, son Thomas Ashby in respect of the land at Queens Mead, to pay Robert Ashby £150, William Ashby £50, Hannah Smith £50, Elizabeth Saunders £50 and to each of the children of Mary Hagen £50.

·         To sons Robert Ashby and William Ashby his house, lands, meadows, gardens, river grounds, ferry, fishing and towing path at Wyrardisbury as tenants in common subject to the payment of a rent charge of £40 p.a. to his mother Hannah Ashby during her life.

·         To son Joseph Ashby his freehold properties in Church Field, Staines and Wyrardisbury subject to the payment of a rent charge of £30 p.a. to his mother Hannah Ashby during her life.

·         To son Joseph Ashby his copy hold property at Staines subject to the payment of a rent charge of £40 p.a. to his mother Hannah Ashby during her life, and afterwards to make the following payments.

·         Upon the death wife Hannah Ashby, son Joseph Ashby in respect of the property at Staines to pay Thomas Ashby, Robert Ashby and William Ashby £200 each.

·         To son Joseph Ashby upon the death of wife Hannah Ashby, £50.

·         To son in law John Chandler his freehold property at White Lion Yard, Staines, subject to the payment of a rent charge of £25 p.a. to his mother in law Hannah Ashby during her life.

·         To daughter Lydia Chandler £100, to be paid after the death of her mother Hannah Ashby.

·         To sons in law Thomas Bennett Smith and William Saunders equally, the assignment of a policy of assurance on the life of Nathaniel Harris for £600 and one on the life of John Coleman for £300, both held by the Equitable Assurance Office, Black Friars with further directions relating to the dividends and interest.

·         To sons William Ashby and Joseph Ashby his freehold property at Church End in trust that the rents and issues shall be paid to his wife Hannah Ashby for her own use and benefit during her life, afterward to be sold as part of his personal estate.

·         To wife Hannah Ashby during her life the interest and dividends arising and due from bonds, mortgages, funds and securities.

·         To all his children Thomas Ashby, Robert Ashby, William Ashby, Joseph Ashby, Hannah Smith, Lydia Chandler and Elizabeth Saunders after the death of their mother Hannah Ashby, all his personal estate divided equally between them.

·         To sons William Ashby and Joseph Ashby as Executors and Trustees £10 each for the extra trouble in performing the trusts and execution of his will.

Transcriber’s and Editor’s Notes

·         The will makes significant provisions for his wife Hannah Ashby including rent free accommodation, income from rents on properties in the hands of her children totalling £175 p.a., also the interest and dividends from the investments of his personal estate.

·         The Parish of Wyrardisbury is today known as the village of Wraysbury in the Royal Borough of Windsor, the river Thames passes between Wraysbury and Old Windsor, hence references in the will to its “River Grounds, Ferry, Fishing and Towing Path.

·         Ashby's Brewery Staines was operating by 1783, operating as Thomas Ashby & Sons in 1805.  The business malted its own barley, obtained pure water from their deep artesian well, also acting as coal merchants and controlling Staines Wharf.

·         1796 - established the bank of Thomas Ashby Senr & Sons with his sons at 57 Church Street, Staines which is still standing, The bank being absorbed into Barclays in 1904.

·         The Ashby brewing business was continued by later generations and by 1900 owned 200 public houses in the Staines, Kingston, Wycombe and Alton area.  Taken over by H. G. Simmonds of Reading in 1930 with 333 public houses, subsequently becoming part of Courage.

·         In 1973 the whole of the High Street in Staines was redeveloped, requiring the re-interment from the Friends Burial Ground of eighty-three burials at Jordans Meeting House, grave markers were stored at Ashford.

Will as transcribed from a copy of the original document

This is the last Will and Testament of

me Thomas Ashby of Staines in the County of Middlesex Mealman

being of a sound and disposing mind in the first place I direct all my just Debts

Legacies Funeral and Testamentary Charges and Expences to be fully paid

and satisfied out of my personal Estate I give and bequeath to my dear Wife Hannah

Ashby all my Household Goods Plate Linen and China for her own absolute

use and benefit and having received of my Son William Ashby a full

compensation for the same I give and devise to him all that my Copyhold

estate at Churchend in the parish of Staines aforesaid with the Yards Gardens

and appurt’s thereunto belonging in part of which I now reside and the other

part is in the occupation of the said William Ashby together with the

Stoves Grates Fire Irons and every Fixture thereunto respectively belonging

To hold to the said William Ashby his Heirs and Assigns for ever subject

nevertheless and I direct that my said Wife shall live and reside (if she

think fit and proper) in the House and premises in which I now dwell for

the term of her natural life rent free I give and devise to my Son Thomas

Ashby all those thirty two acres and three rood of Copyhold Arable and

Meadow Land lying and being in Queen Mead in the parish of

Wyrardisbury in the County of Bucks to hold to my Son Thomas

Ashby his Heirs and Assigns for ever subject nevertheless to the payment

of a Rent Charge of forty pounds per annum to my said Wife

Hannah for and during the term of her natural life by two equal

payments such rent to commence from the first quarter day which shall

happen next after my decease and I likewise charge the said Estate so

given to my said Son Thomas Ashby with the payment of the Sum of

one hundred and fifty pounds to my Son Robert Ashby fifty pounds

to my Son William Ashby fifty pounds to my Daughter Hannah Smith

and fifty pounds to my Daughter Elizabeth Saunders to be paid them

respectively within twelve months next after my said Wife’s decease and

I also further subject the said Estate to the payment of a Legacy of

fifty pounds to each of my Grandchildren the Children of my late

daughter Mary Hagan deceased who shall be living at the decease of

my said Wife such payments to be to them respectively made within

twelve months next after the decease of my said Wife and I do hereby

give such Legacies to my said two Sons two Daughters and Grandchildren

accordingly I give and devise my said two Sons Robert Ashby and William

Ashby all my Copyhold House and Estate at Wyrardisbury aforesaid

which I purchased of Thomas Harris and William Chandler or either

or them together with the Meadows Gardens River Grounds Ferry Fishing

towing Path and the allotment of Land before the House together with

every appurtenant thereunto respectively belonging or appertaining or

occupied therewith as the same premises are now in the tenure of Henry

Bell and Thomas Ashby to hold to the said Robert Ashby and William

Ashby their heirs and assigns forever as Tenants in Common and not as

joint Tenants subject nevertheless o the payment of the annual Rent of

forty pounds to my said Wife Hannah for and during the term of

her natural life by two equal payments such rent to commence

from the first quarter day which shall happen next after my

decease I give devise and bequeath to my Son Joseph Ashby all that

my Freehold Messuage or Tenement with the Meadow and every

appurtenant thereunto belonging lying and being in Church Field in

Staines aforesaid now in the occupation of           Fletcher and also all

that Freehold Tenement situate and being in the parish of

Wyrardisbury aforesaid with the Orchard Garden the Allotment of

Land and every appurtenant thereunto belonging as the same is

now in the occupation of William Boyles to hold to the said Joseph

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Ashby his heir and assigns for ever but subject nevertheless to the payment

of the rent of thirty pounds per annum to my said wife for the term of

her natural life by two equal payments the first payment thereof to

commence from the quarter day next after my decease I give and devise to my

said Son Joseph Ashby all that my Copyhold Estate at Staines aforesaid in

the occupation of John Finch with all the appurt’s thereunto belonging to hold

to the said Joseph Ashby his heirs and assigns for ever subject nevertheless to the

payment of the Rent of forty pounds per annum to my said Wife for the

term of her natural life by two equal payments the first payment thereof

to commence from the first quarter day next after my decease and I likewise

subject to the said Estate to the payment of the sum of two hundred

pounds to each of my three Sons Thomas Ashby Robert Ashby and

William Ashby within twelve months next after the decease of my said Wife

And I do hereby give the said sum of two hundred pounds to each of my

said three Sons accordingly I also give and bequeath to my said Son

Joseph Ashby a Legacy of fifty pounds to be paid him within twelve

months next after the decease of my said Wife I give devise and bequeath

to my Son in Law John Chandler all that my Freehold Estate situate

lying and being in the parish of Staines aforesaid at a place called the

White Lion yard with every Appurtenant thereunto belonging as the same

premises are now in the tenure or occupation of Joseph White William

Burnett and Ephraim Pasmore to hold to the said John Chandler his

heirs and assigns for ever subject nevertheless to the payment of the

Rent of twenty five pounds per annum to my said Wife for the term

of her natural life by two equal payments the first payment to

commence from the quarter day next after my decease I also give and

bequeath to my Daughter Lydia Chandler a Legacy of one hundred pounds

to be paid her within twelve months next after the decease of my said

Wife and whereas I am entitled unto and invested in two certain policies

of assurance the one for the sum of six hundred pounds payable

to me on the death of Nathaniel Harris and the other for the sum

of three hundred pounds payable to me on the death of John

Coleman at the Equitable Assurance Office for lives at Black Friars

London now I give and bequeath unto my two Sons in Law Thomas

Bennett Smith and William Saunders their Executors adm’ors and

assigns all Interest and advantage of in and to both the said policies of

assurance in equal shares and proportions to be divided for their own

use and absolute benefit together with the said policies of assurance and

I direct my Executors hereinafter named to pay out of the dividends and Interest

of my personal Estate which I have hereinafter given to my said

Wife for life the premium upon the policy of assurance on the life

of Nathaniel Harris for the term of her natural life in case the

said Nathaniel Harris shall so long live and at her decease in

case the said Nathaniel Harris shall be then living I direct my

Executors to discontinue the payment thereof and to meddle no

further therewith but have the premium to be paid by the said

Thomas Bennett Smith and William Sanders(?) themselves the premium

upon the assurance on the life of the said John Coleman ^

                                                                          ^the said John Coleman^

                                                                                             ^hath

hitherto paid himself and whereas I am seized of or possessed of

a certain Freehold Estate at Staines aforesaid at Churchend now in

the tenure or occupation of Samuel Clark Thomas Pain John

Collins and others now I give and devise the said Freehold Estate unto my

two Sons William Ashby and Joseph Ashby to hold to them the said William

Ashby and Joseph Ashby their heirs and assigns for ever to for and upon

the following ends uses trusts intents and purposes hereinafter mentioned

that is to say Upon Trust to permit and suffer my said Wife Hannah

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to have receive and take to and for her own absolute use and benefit^

^the rents issues &

produce thereof^

                                                                                                              ^for

and during the term of her natural life and from and after her

decease upon trust that they the said William Ashby and Joseph Ashby

or the survivor of them do and shall within two years next after the

decease of my said Wife make sale and absolutely dispose of the said

Freehold Estate either by public auction or private contract as they

in their discretion shall think fit and proper and for facilitating the

Sale or Sales thereof I direct that the receipt of my said Trustees

shall be a good and sufficient discharge to any person or persons

purchasing the said Estate or any part thereof and I direct that

such purchaser or purchasers shall not afterwards be concerned in

owing to the application of the purchase money or be in any

manner answerable for the same or any part thereof I give and

bequeath the annual Interest and Dividends produce and profits of

all monies due to me on Bond Mortgage Securities for Money Money in

the Funds or otherwise howsoever as the same shall happen to my

dear Wife Hannah for the term of her natural life for her own

absolute use and benefit and from and immediately after her decease

I give and bequeath all my said personal Estate as well as the

amount of the Sale of my Estate as well as the amount of the Sale

of my Estate in Church End aforesaid when the same shall have

been made after the payment of all individual expences attending

the Sale or Sales thereof or otherwise howsoever together with all

Interest and Dividends which may then be due on any part of my

said personal Estate unto and equally amongst all my Children

namely Thomas Ashby Robert Ashby William Ashby Joseph Ashby

Hannah Smith Lydia Chandler and Elizabeth Saunders share and

share alike I give and bequeath to my Executors hereinafter named

and appointed the sum of ten pounds each for the extra trouble

they will have in performing the Trusts of this my Will in the

execution of which I hope they will not be interrupted or interfered

with by any part of my Family as I am very confident they will

endeavour to do and execute every matter and thing entrusted to their

management with care and circumspection and to the best of their

power and ability and I direct them to retain and reimburse

themselves respectively all Expences which they may sustain in

the execution of the trusts hereby by this my Will in them reposed

or any matter or thing relating thereunto and that they shall

not be answerable or accountable for any loss which may happen

to my said personal Estate by the falling of Stocks or otherwise

other than for their own wilful negligence or neglect I nominate

constitute and appoint my said Sons William Ashby and Joseph

Ashby Trustees and Executors of this my Will hereby revoking all

others by me at any time heretofore made I do declare this to be

my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I the said

Thomas Ashby have to this my last Will and Testament contained

in five sheets of paper set my hand and seal my hand only to

the four first sheets hereof and my hand and seal to this the

fifth and last sheet this twenty second day of March in the

year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eleven

Thomas Ashby ~ Signed sealed published and declared by

the said Testator Thomas Ashby as and for his last Will and

Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his

request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed

our names as witnesses Henry Thorne ~ Randolph Thorne

~ Lewis Wynes ~ all of Staines

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Proved at London24th. January 1814 before the Worshipful

Richard Henry Cresswell Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by William

Ashby and Joseph Ashby the Sons and Executors to whom Adm’on was

granted they having been first made a solemn and sincere declaration

or affirmation according to Act of Parliament duly to administer ./.