In the Name of God Amen
I, Winifride Thorpe, of the Parish of Desbrough in the County of Northampton, being of sound and disposing
mind and memory, do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament in manner and form following
£20 is nearly £3,000 in 2005 values
I give and bequeath unto my Second Son Andrew Thorpe the Sum of 20 Pounds
£100 is about £14,850
And I also give unto my Son Thomas Thorpe the Sum of One Hundred Pounds of Lawful Money of Great
Britain
£150 is about £22,300
And I also give unto my Youngest Son Ferdinando Thorpe the Sum of One Hundred and Fifty Pounds of the
same Money
And I give unto each of my Daughters who shall be living at the time of my decease the Sum of One hundred and
Fifty Pounds a piece
And I devise and bequeath my Household Goods and Furniture to be divided between my daughters who shall
be living at the time of my decease
40s is about £300
And I likewise give Forty shillings to be distributed among the poor of the Parish of Desborough after
payment of my just debts, legacies and Funeral Expenses
And I do hereby Nominate my Eldest Son Cosmas my Sole Executor and give my Son Cosmas Thorpe what there
is over and above
In Witness whereof I, the said Winifride Thorpe, have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this 9 day of July
1766.
Appeared Personally William Buckby Senior and
John Aprice of Desborough in the County of Northampton,
both of the same Parish and County, being severally sworn on the Holy Evangelists to depose the Truth, made
Oath as follows that they know and were well acquainted with Winifride Thorpe, late of Desborough in the
County of Northampton, Widow, deceased, and with her manner and character of Handwriting and Subscription,
having seen her write and subscribe her name, and now viewing and carefully perusing the paper writing
hereunto annexed purporting to be and contain her Last Will and Testament beginning thus "In the Name of
God Amen I Winifride Thorpe of the parish of Desbrough in the County of Northampton being of sound and
disposing mind etc etc etc |—| and ending thus "In witness whereof I the said Winifride Thorpe have
hereunto set my hand and seal this 9 Day of July 1766 |—| (6) Lors[?] Sagille[?]
They those deponents do
severally say that they verily and in their considered[?] believe the whole [???] and Contents of the said
paper writing as well the hand-writing therein to be all the Proper Handwriting of the said deceased
William Buckby John Aprice March 12 1774
The said above written William Buckby and John Aprice were duly
Sworn to the Truth of this Affidavit before me Thos Barnett Commissioner |—| In the presence |—|
Wm Buckby Junr
Probate
This Will was proved at London the nineteenth Day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand seven
hundred and seventy four before the Right Worshipful Sir George Hay, Knight, Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or
Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oath of Cosman, otherwise
Cosmas, Thorpe the Son of the deceased and Sole Executor named in the said will to whom Administration was
granted of all and singular the Goods, Chattles and Credits of the said deceased He having been first sworn
by Commission duly to administer.
Notes:-
Winifred survived her husband by nearly eight years, writing her own will about six weeks after her
husband's death.
Money values have been calculated from the information in
Inflation: the
value of the pound 1750-2005 (House of Commons Library Research Paper 06/09)
The original will has no punctuation or separate
paragraphs. As this makes it hard to read I have
inserted some punctuation and broken the text into separate clauses.
"[?]" following a word means that the word on the original document is unclear and the
transcription may be incorrect.
" [???] " means that a whole word was illegible and could not be guessed at.
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