This post consists of an extracted version of the Will of Joseph Saddington, farmer and grazier of Great Bowden, Leicestershire. Joseph was possibly the son of John Saddington and Susanna Clark, baptised on 29 October 1761 at Great Bowden, but as yet there is no definite proof of this. Nor is it known whether he married, but certainly there are no children or grandchildren mentioned in the Will.
Joseph's Will can be found on microfiche at Leicestershire and Rutland Record Office. The microfiche series is called Probate Records Wills & Inventories. Joseph's Will is on Fiche 64 and 65 of 88 for 1843 and the reference is PR/T/1843/124. The Will was far too long to transcribe in full, so I have extracted all references to individuals.
Joseph described himself in his Will as a farmer and grazier of Great Bowden. This indicates that there was a recognised difference between the two occupations. It is unclear what sort of farming Joseph did, but the term 'grazier' is defined as 'one who grazes cattle or sheep for market'. Whether Joseph raised the animals himself, or whether he bought them in and just fattened them up, it is impossible to say.
Starting at the beginning of his Will, Joseph left his 'wearing apparell and cloaths' to John Day, the son of Henry Day of Great Bowden, currier. His household goods were left to Hannah Day, the wife of Henry Day.
Joseph's cousin, John Sharman, a lunatic, was 'to be accommodated'.
John Cort of Great Bowden, grocer and cordwainer, was left 19 guineas.
John West of Great Bowden, baker, Thomas Mansfield of Great Bowden, cattle dealer, and William Russell of Great Bowden, innkeeper, were appointed as Joseph's Trustees and were to receive 19 guineas each for their trouble.
Joseph's own messuage (the house that he lived in, its outbuildings and surrounding land) was to be held in trust for the natural life of Joseph's cousin, John Sharman, lunatic, 'who resides with the testator'. The Trustees were to appoint a suitable person to care for John Sharman.
Upon John Sharman's death, the messuage was to pass to William Russell, one of the Trustees, but £50 each was to be paid to William's brothers, John and Thomas Russell of Great Bowden, higglers.
The messuage occupied at the time of Joseph's death by Thomas Hobie was left to Joseph's housekeeper, Sarah Patrick, for her natural life as long as she remained single and unmarried. When she died, it was to pass to John Hart, the son of Edward Hart of Laughton Lodge.
Two other messuages in Great Bowden, occupied by William Williamson and William Seal, were also left to John Hart, but he had to pay £29 to the Trustees within 12 months of Joseph's death.
Sarah Patrick was also to receive £10 per annum for the rest of her life.
Two further messuages in Great Bowden, occupied by Henry Day and John Plant, and the 6 acres of land adjoining them were left to Hannah Day for her life, and then were to be divided between the children of Henry and Hannah Day.
The Will then mentioned an Indenture of Settlement relating to a messuage etc in Marston Trussell, Northamptonshire, which was to be held in trust for John Sharman the lunatic. The parties to the Indenture were John Sharman and Elizabeth his wife, Joseph Saddington, William Higgs and Thomas Geordon(?). The Will states that Joseph Saddington was the nephew of John Sharman the elder.
Then came the monetary bequests.
£100 to Matthew Ravens of Wilbarston, Northamptonshire, horse dealer
£100 to Edward Ravens of Hallaton, Leicestershire, yeoman
£50 to Elizabeth Coleman, wife of Benjamin Coleman the Elder of Foxton, Leicestershire, grazier
£50 to Sarah Edens, wife of John Edens of Medburne, Leicestershire, gardener
These last three were described as the brother and sisters of Matthew Ravens.
£50 to Daniel West of Great Bowden, baker
£50 to Mary West of Great Bowden, spinster
£50 to Joseph Saddington, son of Hannah Saddington of Market Harborough, widow
£50 to Sarah Saddington
£50 to Mary Saddington
These last two were described as daughters of Hannah Saddington.
£200 to Benjamin Coleman the Younger of Marston Trussell, butcher
£50 to Thomas Coleman of Foxton, miller
19 Guineas to Mary Seal, wife of Thomas Seal of Great Bowden, baker
19 Guineas to Elizabeth Wymant of Great Bowden, widow
The witnesses to the Will were John Plant of Great Bowden, framework knitter, Charles Carter of Great Bowden, grocer, and Robert Lowe, Clerk to Mr Adams, Attorney of Market Harborough.
Joseph Saddington died on 20 January 1843 and was buried in Great Bowden Churchyard on 23 January 1843, apparently aged 81 years. His gravestone is visible in the Churchyard today.
As yet I do not know what relationships existed between Joseph Saddington and his beneficiaries, other than John Sharman, who was certainly living with his cousin and the housekeeper, Sarah Patrick, at the time of the 1841 census. If anyone has any information or suggestions regarding the people mentioned in this post, please do not hesitate to contact me.
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