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Will of Joseph Harris, 1841, probate granted 1845

Abstract of will

I give unto my dear wife all my household furniture for her use and benefit ...

I give to my said wife during her life my business stock in trade and all other effects connected therewith

And as to all my real estate I give the same unto my said wife ... she keeping the same in repair and insured against injury or by fire

And from and after the decease of my said wife As to my copyhold house and premises on Twickenham Common and my copyhold house and premises situate in Church Street Twickenham ... I give ... the same respectively unto my daughter Susannah WHITE ...

as to my copyhold house and premises adjoining those in which I now reside in situate at Smith Hill ... after the decease of my said wife I give ... unto my grandson Henry HARRIS ...

And as to the copyhold house and premises in which I now reside and carry on my business situate at Smith Hill ... after the decease of my said wife I give ... unto my grandson Joseph HARRIS ... subject to allowing his two sisters and brother to reside in the same premises so long as they ... continue unmarried

As to my business stock in trade ... after the decease of my said wife I give ... unto my said grandson Joseph HARRIS for his use and benefit for the support of himself and also ... his said two sisters and brother ...

And as to all the furniture which belonged to his father after the decease of my said wife I give the same unto the said Joseph HARRIS ... provided ... during the minority of my said grandchildren I authorise ... my executors ... to receive the rents and profits ...

And I appoint my said daughter Susannah WHITE and my said grandson Joseph HARRIS and my friend Mr James GRAY Executrix and Executors ...

5th day of March 1841 ...

Witnesses: Thos SAUNDERS, John James CLARK Brentford

Whereas by my last will ... after the decease of my wife ... my copyhold house and premises in Church Street Twickenham ... devised ... unto my daughter Susannah WHITE ... now I do hereby revoke ... in favor of my said daughter and I give ...unto my two grand daughters Marianne HARRIS and Elizabeth HARRIS ...

22 April 1841 (witnesses as to original will)

Proved at London with a Codicil 7 March 1845 ...by the oath of Joseph HARRIS the grandson ... power reserved ... to Susannah WHITE widow the daughter and James GRAY the other executors...

The testator

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The death of Joseph HARRIS was registered in the third quarter of 1843 at Brentford; he was 82 and of Old Brentford. He was buried at St Mary's Ealing 10 Sep 1843 at the age of 82 years (Ancestry).

His wife Mary HARRIS was buried in the same churchyard a few weeks previously, 7 Jul 1843, age 80 (Ancestry).

There is a small discrepancy between the ages given at census and death but it seems likely to be the same couple.

The London Land Tax Records (Ancestry) for 1822 include 'Josh Harris' as the proprietor and occupier of a property in Old Brentford, annual rental value £25. John ROUND and William ROUND were recorded before and Jno CALLIS and Jno TUCKER after Josh HARRIS - which may mean they lived nearby. Two entries prior to that for Harris was a record of cottages owned by Wm ROUND with 'Smith Hill' in the 'occupier' column – likely to be the location.

18 years later, 13 Jun 1840, the tithe record for Ealing records Joseph HARRIS owning two houses & a yard, extent 9 perch, he occupying one house, the other vacant, plot 67 (TheGenealogist). The tithe map shows plot 67 on the western side of Smith Hill and John ROUND held property on the east side. It seems likely that Joseph HARRIS lived at Smith Hill from 1822 until his death in 1843. His Smith Hill property, backing on to the Thames, was a good location for his lighterage business.

Allowing for variations in his age from 1841 and 1843, Joseph HARRIS was born around 1760-1765. Thames Watermen & Lightermen 1688-2010 records (Findmypast) includes the binding of a Joseph HARRIS to John SHARPE of Brentford 13 Mar 1777 and his gaining Free status 1 Jul 1784. The timing is a fit to the estimated birth year and occupation.

The witnesses & executor

John James CLARK: presume part of the CLARK family of Brentford. The name John James CLARK is found in later records on this site. Alternatively this could be John JAMES clerk.

Of the three executors, it was the grandson Joseph HARRIS who appeared at London to obtain grant of probate. Presumably he is the 'Josh Harris' age 23 recorded in the 1841 census at Smith Hill.

How to see this will in full

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Published January2020