This is the last will and testament of me John Beswick of Sutton Bonnington in the County Of Nottingham Farmer. First I direct that all my just debts (on simple contract) testamentary and funeral charges and the expenses of proving this my last will to be paid and satisfied as soon as conveniently may be after my decease by my executrix herinafter named out of my personal estate and subject thereto I give devise and bequeath the use of, but not the property in.
All and every my messuages cottages closes Sauds tenements hereditaments and premises with their appurtenances situate and being in Sutton Bonnington aforesaid or elsewhere And also All and singular my personal estate whatsoever unto my affectionate wife Elizabeth Beswick and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life. Provided she contimue my widow and unmarried. And from and immediately after her decease or second marriage I Give Devise and Bequeath the same hereditaments both real and personal and every part thereof unto my two relations Thomas Doughty of East Leake in the said county of Nottingham framework knitter and his brother William Doughty and the survivors of them his heirs executors and administrators Upon trust absolutely to sell and dispose of all and every my said hereditaments and premises both real and personal either together or in parcels and by public auction or private contract as they my said trustees shall think proper and expedient for the best price or prices in money that can be reasonably obtained for the same respectively And upon receipt of such purchase monies Upon Trust to convey and assign and transfer the same hereditaments and premises and personal estate which shall be sold to and for such uses estates intents and purposes and in such manner as the Purchaser thereof shall direct or require And I do hereby direct that the receipt or receipts of them my said trustees or trustee for the money for which the same shall be so respectively sold (or for so much as in such receipt or receipts shall be expressed to be received) shall be a sufficient discharge for the purchaser of the said premises or any part thereof for his her or their purchase money. And that such purchasers their heirs executors administrators or assigns or any of them shall not be obliged to see to the application of such purchase money nor be answerable for the misapplication thereof or any part thereof And Then Upon Trust to pay and divide the money to arise at such sale or sales unto and equally amongst such of my children as shall be living at the time of my said wife’s decease or second marriage (unless only one shall then be living and then and in that case I give and devise and bequeath the same hereditaments and premises and personal estate to such only child and to his or her heirs and assigns for ever.) To be paid to them in equal shares and proportions when the youngest shall attain the age of twenty one years to whom I give the same accordingly And I further direct that my said trustees or either of them shall not be liable to make good any involuntary loss or losses that may happen to the aforesaid trust monies and property nor shall either of them be answerable for the other but each of them shall be answerable only for his own separate acts deeds receipts and disbursements. And that they shall and may pay and reimburse themselves out of the aforesaid trust monies all reasonable and necessary charges and expenses which they or either of them may pay bear or be put unto in or about the execution of this my Will or the trusts hereby, in them reposed And Lastly I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said wife Executrix and my trustees the said Thomas Doughty and William Doughty joint executors of this my Will and revoke all former wills by me made. In Witness whereof I the said John Beswick (the testator) have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of March One Thousand Eight hundred and forty six.
Signed by the said John Beswick (the testator)
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 at the same time have
subscribed our names as witnesses having first
observed the interliniation on the first sheet hereof
Wim Stesison
B. Franklaird both of Sutton aforesaid
I herby certify that on the nineteenth day of June in the year of our lord 1847 Elizabeth Beswick of Sutton Bonnington in the County Of Nottingham Widow the ??? and Thomas Doughty of East Leake in the same county framework knitter two of the joint executors named in this the last will and testament of John Beswick also of Sutton Bonnington aforesaid in the Diocese of York Farmer deceased have sworn well and ??? to execute and perform the same And that the whole of the Goods Chattels and credits of the said Deceased in this diocese of York does not amount in the value to the sum of one hundred pounds
Under my hand George Wilkins DD
Surrogate
?? onder £10 pounds Exchequor
Died abt 22nd December 1846
Passed 28th August 1847
This is interesting John inherited the Farm from his Grand Father Thomas (see his will), his Father pre-deceasing his Grand Father. He left it in care of his his in-laws Thomas and William Doughty (his wife was nee Doughty) to be sold on her death and the proceeds divided amongst his surviving children. I don't know what happened to his wife Elizabeth, but she had disappeared by the 1851 census. All the goods should have sold, but in the 1851 census his son John has 23 acres and his other son Thomas is an Ag Lab. This would indicate that the terms of the will were not carried out. His Grand Father probably knew more about farming than John, as by 1861 he was an agricultural labourer.