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Not Brentford
Will of Richard Douglas Coster, Brentford, gentleman, 1848
Abstract of will
I Richard Douglas Coster being of sound memory and understanding ... to be buried with my dear wife in Old Brentford ... I desire all my just debts and testamentary expenses to be fully paid ... worldly effects and property ... consisting of money in the funds, furniture, linen and plate ... my executors to sell and dispose ... and convert into cashI give unto my grandson William Coster £1000 the dividends of which to be applied to his education maintenance and support until he attains the age of 21 years
... unto my granddaughter Elizabeth Coster £1000 subject to the same conditions as her brother William Coster
... and in case either ... die before ... 21... the survivor shall enjoy the whole ... and in case both ... die ... their father or next nearest representative shall have and enjoy the ... £2000
The rest and residue ... I give and bequeath unto my son Richard Coster
... appoint Mr John THORNTON of New Brentford and Mr Samuel BAKER of Westminster to be my executors to each of whom I give £10 for their trouble
... 10 March 1845, signed Richard Douglas Coster
...Witnessed by Joseph HILL New Brentford; William BARNES New Brentford; William KNAPP
Codicil I do hereby give unto my grandson William Coster my gold watch and appendages ... 10 March 1845 signed Richard Douglas Coster
Witnessed by Joseph HILL New Brentford; William BARNES New Brentford; William KNAPP
Appeared personally William BARNES of New Brentford ... licensed victualler ... oath ... dated 21 Feb 1848
Proved ... with a codicil 9 June 1848 ... by the oaths of John THORNTON and Samuel BAKER the executors.
Notes
The site has a few references to people named Coster, the earliest, as at July 2016, being the tithe map which shows a Richard Coster occupied a house at around 322 High Street, Old Brentford in 1839/1840. Nearby were two William BARN(E)S, at (around) 313 and 315 - the latter shared with William LAYTON. The proximity of the two William BARNES suggests one may have been the witness to the will.In the 1841 census a Richard Coster, age 60, lighterman, was living at or near 263 High Street; it seems likely this was the same individual as left the will as his age is consistent with that at death - see below - so he appears to have moved; a little further away were the two William BARN(E)S at around 313.
A will for Joseph BARNES in 1836 refers to his son William and appoints Joseph HILL as executor: Joseph HILL witnessed the will above. John THORNTON was a witness to Joseph BARNES's will and an executor of the Coster will above. Are these coincidences? I think not, instead they suggest a network of people who shared a similar status in the town and after retiring were 'gentlemen'.
The gravestone inscriptions from inside St George's church show Richard Douglas Coster was buried there - although the inscription was unclear there is a burial register entry for 10 Feb 1848, his age at death: 67. In his will he expressed a desire to be buried with his wife and presumably this is the Sarah Coster buried in the same grave nearly ten years earlier.
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.Top
Page published July 2016