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Will of Nathan Woodroofe, 1840

Abstract of will

I Nathan Woodroofe of Old Brentford ... Collector of Excise being of sound mind ...

I give ... the whole of my property whatsoever to be equally divided between my wife, my son William and my daughter Elizabeth in equal proportions excepting ... all the effects in my dwelling house which I direct to be sold by public auction and the clear profit to be equally divided between my said wife and daughter ...

appoint Henry RICHARDS of Old Brentford ... Surgeon Matthew GIBSON of the same place Gentleman and John BROWNE of North Brixton ... Gentleman Executors ...

I direct my portrait to be given to my wife

Dated 19 April 1840

Witnesses: Mary Ann WILDE Brentford, Mary TIMMS Isleworth, Robt Thos FLETCHER Solr Brentford

Proved at London 15 May 1840 ... by the oaths of Henry RICHARDS & Matthew GIBSON, tow of the Executors

The testator

The life of Nathan Woodroofe has been researched in some depth - read more.

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The executor & witnesses

Henry RICHARDS the surgeon lived next door to Woodroofe: they lived at 295 and 296 High Street respectively in 1840.

Matthew GIBSON was the name of the clerk at Sir Felix Booth's brewery and he also left a PCC will, proved in 1849. He used the same solicitor as Woodroofe. The tithe map shows Booth's brewery was across the High Street from where Woodroofe lived.

Mary Ann WILDE: could be the lady of this name who was living in the Salutation Almshouses in 1871, then a widow, age 74, who was a needlewoman. There is more about local almswomen here.

How to see this will in full

A copy of the original will can be downloaded from The National Archives Documents (TNA) Online service (charges usually apply but it is free as at November 2020), or TNA offer a watermarked version that can be viewed for free.

Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills can also be viewed and downloaded from Ancestry (£). It is also possible to view wills online by visiting TNA at Kew (check opening hours) and they offer a printing facility.

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Published December 2022