Transcription of will Abraham Beck, 1805

This is the last Will and Testament
of me Abraham BECK of Old Brentford in the parish of Ealing
in the County of Middlesex Senior Gent being of sound
disposing Mind Memory and Understanding Thanks
be to Almighty God for the same do this sixteenth day
of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and four / make publish and declare this to
be my last Will and Testament / first my will and
desire is that all my just debts and funeral expenses
and the Expenses of proving this my last Will and Testament
be fully paid and satisfied by my Executor hereinafter
named as soon as convenient to him after my decease
(and after the same is paid what it hath pleased
God to bless me with I give devise and bequeath the
same In manner and form following / I give and
devise and bequeath unto my son Abraham BECK of
Old Brentford in the parish of Ealing in the County
of Middlesex victualler All those my three freehold houses
and all the appurtenances thereunto belonging situate
standing and being in a place called the Ham in
the Town of New Brentford in the parish of Hanwell
in the County of Middlesex in the several occupations
of Mr (space) Morris Richd HOWELL and Mr (DR?)APER to hold
to him for and during the full end and term of his
natural Life and from and immediately after his
decease I give devise and bequeath the same unto
his Son John BECK and his heirs and Assigns for ever
but if it should happen that my son Abraham
BECK should die before his son John BECK shall have
attained the age of twenty one years then in that
case my will and desire is That Mr John STIMPSON
of Old Brentford in the Parish of Ealing Senior Pork
Butcher do receive the Rents of my said three houses
and apply the same for the support Maintenance
and Education of my Grandson John BECK until he
shall attain the age of twenty one years then to
render unto him a just account thereof and pay unto
my said Grandson John BECK the Money in his
hands I give devise and bequeath unto my Son
John BECK and his Sons and assigns for ever all
those my two freehold houses and all the appurtenances
thereunto belonging situate standing and being in a
place called the Ham in the Township of New
Brentford in the parish of Hanwell in the County of
Middlesex in the occupations of Mrs HALL widow and
Thomas (DURBIN?) carpenter I also give devise and bequeath
unto my said son John BECK All the rents and
profits and advantages whatever arising there from
a workshop held by me on Lease of James CLITHEROW
Esqr Situate in a place called the Ham in the above
Township in the occupation of Mr THORNTON for all
the remaining term of years that are unexpired at
the time of my decease But if it should so happen
that my said Son John BECK who at this time is abroad
should die without any Issue lawfully begotten and
that there is a sufficient proof thereof to the Satisfaction
of my Executor hereinafter named of this death without
any Issue then in that case I give devise and
bequeath the aforesaid freehold houses and the
profits arising from the said workshop unto my
son Abraham BECK (4) to be equally divided between
(4) marginal note
'and my Granddaughter
Sarah BECK daughter
of my deceased son
William BECK'
my said son Abraham BECK and my Granddaughter
Sarah BECK share and share alike and my will
and desire is and I do hereby empower her own
Mother Lettitia BECK to receive half the Rents
arising from the before mentioned Estates and
premises and apply the said Rent for the Support
Maintenance and Education of my said Granddaughter
Sarah BECK until she attain her age of twenty one
years I also give devise and bequeath unto my
said Granddaughter Sarah BECK All those my
other two freehold houses situate at the Corner of
a place called the Ham in the Township of New
Brentford in the parish of Hanwell in the County of
Middlesex in the occupations of Mr. DEAN and Mr
JAMES to hold to her my said Granddaughter and
her heirs and assigns for ever I also give devise
and bequeath unto my son Abraham BECK the
Rent and all advantages whatever arising from a
house and premises situate in Old Brentford now
in the occupations of Mr George GOBLE Sawyer and one half
part of the Rent arising from several small tenements
in a yard behind the said house which said
premises I hold on Lease of Mrs WALTER of Old
Brentford in the parish of Ealing to hold to him
my said son and his heirs for all the remaining
terms of years that are unexpired at the time of
my decease he paying thereout the sum of five
pounds a year to the said Mrs WALTER until the
Expiration of the said Lease I also give unto my
son John BECK who is now abroad my other half
part of the Rent arising from the above mentioned
small Tenements held on lease of Mrs WALTER for
all the remaining term of years that are unexpired
at the Time of my decease but if my son John
BECK should not be returned to England at the
time of my decease then in that case I do hereby
empower Mr John STIMPSON of Old Brentford Senior
Pork Butcher to receive the Rents arising from the
said half part until my son John BECK return to
England then to pay him what Money may be
in his hands after deducting the half part of the
Expenses he have been put intil in the repairs
of them I give and bequeath unto my son
Abraham BECK my Silver Tankard But if it should
so happen that my son John BECK should not be
living at the time of my decease Then in that
case I give devise and bequeath one Moiety of half
part arising from the Rents of the small Tenements
in the yard behind the house in my occupation
unto my aforenamed Granddaughter Sarah BECK
during the remainder of the old Lease and if my
Granddaughter shall not have attained her age of
of twenty one years at the decease of my son John
BECK them my will and desire is and I do hereby
empower Mr John STIMPSON Senior of Old Brentford
to receive the half part of the Rent of the small
Tenements and pay the same unto my Granddaughters
own mother Lettitia BECK to enable her to support
and maintain my said Granddaughter until she
shall attain her age of twenty one years but if it
should so happen that my Granddaughter should
die before the Expiration of the said Lease and
without Issue lawfully begotten Then in that case
I give devise and bequeath the said half part of the
Rents unto her Mother Lettitia BECK for her own
sole use and Benefit during the Remainder of the
Lease I also give devise and bequeath unto my daughter
in law Lettitia BECK the house and premises wherein
I now live and all the appurtenances thereunto belonging
which I now hold on Lease of Mrs WALTER of Old
Brentford until my son John BECK return to England
without any rent being paid for the same and if
that there is a sufficient proof of the death of my
son John BECK made to my Executor hereinafter
named It is my express will and desire that
my said daughter in law Lettitia BECK do occupy the
said house and premises for all the remainder of
the Lease without any Interruption whatever I also
give unto my said daughter in law Lettitia BECK
all those my household Goods Plate China and
Linen and Wearing Apparel (Except my Silver Tankard)
for her own use and benefit I give and bequeath unto
Mr John STIMPSON Senior of Old Brentford In the
Parish of Ealing in the County of Middlesex Pork
Butcher the Sum of three pounds three shillings
To be received by him as soon as it's convenient
to him after my decease out of my one hundred
pounds Stock in the five per cent annuities in the
Bank of England now standing in my name I
also give and bequeath all my remaining Stock in
the five percent Annuities in the Bank of England
and all the Interest due thereon at the time of
my decease and all the Rest and Residue of my
real and personal Estate and Effects whatever and
wheresoever that I die seized possessed of or be in
any wise intitled unto after all my just debts and
funeral expenses and the expenses of proving this
this my last Will and Testament and paid and satisfied
To and amongst my son Abraham BECK of Old
Brentford in the parish of Ealing Victualler and
my son John BECK who is now abroad and my
daughter in law Lettitia BECK to be equally divided
by my Executor share and share alike in the best
manner he can and if should so happen that my
son John BECK should not be living at the time of my
decease and that a sufficient proof can be had of his
death to the Satisfaction of my Executor hereinafter
named then in that case I give his share to and
amongst my son Abraham BECK and my daughter
in law Lettitia BECK share and share alike and their heirs and
assigns for ever and lastly I do hereby nominate
constitute and appoint John STIMPSON of Old Brentford
in the parish of Ealing in the County of Middlesex
Senior Pork Butcher Executor to this my last Will
and Testament (hereby revoking disannulling and making
void all former will and wills codicil and
codicils by me at any time heretofore made and do
declare this only to be my last Will and Testament
being contained in four sheets of paper In Witness
whereof I the said Abraham BECK Senior the Testator
have to this first second and third sheet thereof set
my hand and to the fourth and last sheet of this
my last will and Testament my hand and Seal
the day and year first within written Abr BECK
Signed sealed published and declared by the said
Abraham BECK Senior the Testator as and for his
last Will and Testament in the presence of us who
have in his presence and at his Request and in the
presence of each of each other subscribed our Names
as Witnesses --- Ann MATTHEWS New Brentford --- John
STIMPSON Junr Old Brentford --- Chas EZARD Old Brentford
carpenter

This Will was proved at London the twenty seventh
day of November in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and five before the worshipful Samuel
Pearce PARSON Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the
Right Honorable Sir William Wynne KNIGHT
Doctor of Laws and Master Keeper or Commissary of
the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted
by the oath of John STIMPSON the sole Executor
named in the said will to whom Administration of
all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the
deceased was granted he having been first sworn
duly to administer

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The testator

Key points from the will:

Abraham BECK had three sons: Abraham a victualler (who had a son John under 21 in 1804), John (abroad in 1804) and William (deceased by 1804, his widow was Lettitia and their daughter Sarah was under 21 in 1804).

He had several freehold properties in The Ham, New Brentford (runs off the south side of High Street between numbers 151 and 152) and a house and several small tenements behind it in Old Brentford.

1791 and 1797 trade directories include Abraham BECK, victualler of The Cannon, (267) High Street, Old Brentford: this could be the father or son. Top

The witnesses & executor

John STIMPSON: John STIMPSON, pork butcher (1797 trade directory)

Ann MATTHEWS: no reference found in Brentford so far

Charles EZARD: Charles EZARD, carpenter and undertaker (1797 trade directory); Henry EZARD, carpenter, lived at around 395 High Street Old Brentford in 1841 and may be a descendant of Charles

How to see this will in full

A copy of the original will can be downloaded from The National Archives Documents Online service, or it can be viewed free of charge by visiting TNA at Kew.

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Published December 2010