I am pleased that I am able to post the next instalment as promised of the Rigmaiden story, in this case the
text of Thomas Rigmaiden’s will (1846-1803). I have transcribed the handwritten
document and attach it with this covering sheet.
This is to be the last blog in this format, that is to say mostly factual with research to back it up, as I
shall be putting together the information that I have collected over the years
and hope to issue it in book form, so should anybody want to use any of the information contained in this blog please acknowledge myself as the source as is usual with copyright material. The newsletters so far issued will form the basis of the first six chapters of the book.
Future posts will be more 'newsy' so if anyone has any stories that they would like to be included let me know. Meanwhile the gist of the will is this:
Thomas appointed two executors to
carry out the terms of his will, that is
his brother-in-law (his wife’s brother), John Jackson and his son-in-law James
Dickson (married to his eldest daughter, Margaret). It sounds as though he is
leaving his money and estate to the two afore mentioned but he later mentions
that the monies raised from the sale of his properties and other property
should be divided equally among his children when they marry or reach the age
of 21, with the proviso that £500 should be deducted from the amount for his
eldest daughter, Margaret, as she had that amount on her marriage in 1800 to
James Dickson.
He also refers to John Jackson and
James Dickson as guardians for his children who may be minors when he dies, and
in fact this applied to all of his children except for the two eldest Margaret
(married to James Dickson) and John (born 1872) – indeed his youngest daughter,
Lucy, was only seven when he died.
He asks that the two executors
invest the money for the minors in government securities or in mortgaged
properties, the interest from which should be used to for the education and
clothing of the children until they can inherit the capital.
He comments that he bought his
‘messuage with the garden behind’ in Liverpool from Richard Gerrard, Esquire,
and that is where he was living when he made the will.
He mentions that Edward Kitchin of
Worcester left him real estate and money which would go to him after the death
of a Lucy Pattrick, wife of James Pattrick of Orsett in Essex should she have
no children.
He also asks the executors to pay
his Aunt Elizabeth Weld (or Wild) an annual sum of £15 for the rest of her life
in six monthly instalments.
From some research on Ancestry I
have found that Lucy Pattrick was born Lucy Kitchin and therefore is a relative
of some sort of Edward Kitchen. She married James Pattrick on the 28th
April 1787 at St George’s, Hanover Square, Middlesex (London). They were
bachelor and spinster and lived in the same parish.
I also think that Lucy was the same
Lucy Kitchin that was baptised on the 10th May, 1758 at St Helen’s
in Worcester, her father named John and her mother, Mary.
An Edward Kitchin was baptised on
the 27th March 1748 in Blockley, Worcestershire whose father was
John and mother was Ann so it is possible that Lucy was Edward’s sister or
other relative.
I am not sure of the connection
between Edward Kitchen and Thomas Rigmaiden except that Thomas’s mother’s
maiden name was Kitchen so they could have been relatives of some sort – maybe
cousins but that is only conjecture and one should avoid making too many
unsupported guesses in family history!
From research it would seem that
Lucy Pattrick died in October 1837 in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, though I have
not obtained the death certificate, so it is probable that the remaining
children would have waited quite a while for that portion of their inheritance.
Whether John Jackson and James
Dickson dealt fairly with the children it will probably not be known, but it
can be said that the two younger daughters, Elizabeth and Lucy Rigmaiden, made
advantageous marriages to Benjamin Hutchins Edwards (to be a retired army
Major) and Henley Smith (a man of law and inheritor of an estate on the Isle of
Wight),respectively so it would seem that they were materially catered for at
least.
Unfortunately, not all the sons suffered
the same fate as these two sisters, as two of the brothers, Edward and Henry,
who became wine merchants became bankrupts, and the eldest son, John, though
supposedly a stockbroker, died a lunatic.
Here is a transcript of the will:
This is the last will and testament of me Thomas Rigmaiden
of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster Gentleman which I make and publish this
twenty first day of March one thousand eight hundred and three. I direct that
all my just debts and funeral expenses and the charges of probate of this my
will be first duly paid out of my personal estate. I give, devise and bequeath
unto my brother-in-law the said John Jackson of Liverpool aforesaid Brazier and
my son-in-law James Dickson and the survivor of them and the heirs executors
administrators and assigns of the survivor all that my freehold messuage with
the garden behind the same, and the lot of land some time since purchased by me
from Richard Gerard Esquire all situate in Liverpool aforesaid and now in my
own occupation – and also all and every the freehold leasehold and copyhold
messuages tenements lands and heriditaments situate in the City of Worcester or
elsewhere and all the other real estate whatsoever and wheresoever late the
estate of Edward Kitchin of the said City of Worcester and by him devised and
bequeathed to me and my heirs and assigns after the death of Lucy Pattrick wife
of James Pattrick of Orsett in the County of Essex Yeoman and in failure of
issue of the body of the said Lucy Pattrick by her said husband; and also all
other my freehold leasehold and copyhold
estates wheresoever situate; whether in possession, reversion or remainder .
And also all and singular my goods chattels money and effects of what nature
kind or quality soever, and all such sum or sums of money as I shall or may be entitled to under or by virtue of
the will of the said Edward Kitchin after the death and in failure of issue or
aforesaid – according to the nature and quality thereof respectively upon Trust
as soon as conveniently may be after my decease to sell and dispose of my said
freehold premises in Liverpool either by public sale or by private treaty for
the best price which my said trustees can obtain for the same and to collect
get in and convert into money all my outstanding debts personal estate and
effects whatsoever by sale of such parts thereof as are in their nature
saleable in such manner as they shall think fit . And when my revisionary
property shall aforesaid shall come into possession by the happening of the
contingency to which the same is subject – to sell dispose of and convert the
same into money in the same manner as I have herein directed respecting my
property in possession. And the monies to arise from the sales aforesaid to pay
and divide unto and amongst all and every my child and children living at my
death in equal shares and proportions (the sum of five hundred pounds being
nevertheless deducted from the share of my daughter Dickson, she having
received that sum on her marriage). The shares of such of my said children as
shall be under twenty one or unmarried to be paid them upon their
attaining that age or marriage
respectively whichever event shall first happen. Provided always and it my will
that the shares of such of my children as shall be minors or unmarried at my
decease shall be laid out and invested
by and in the power of my said trustees in government securities or on
mortgage of real estates, and the interest or dividends thereof or so much
thereof as shall be requisite shall be by them paid and applied in the
maintenance education and clothing of such minor or minors and any surplus
interest or dividends if any there shall remain shall be again laid out and
invested as often as my said trustees
shall see fit and convenient, to accumulate the Capital of such minor or
minors and it is my will that in case any of my children shall die under the
said age and unmarried , the share of him or her so dying, shall be equally
paid and divided amongst the survivors if more than one, and if but one then to
such only survivor wholly. And I hereby will and declare that the receipt or receipts of my said
trustees on the survivor of them or the heirs executors or administrators of
the survivor shall be a good and sufficient discharge to the purchaser or
respective purchasers of all or any part of my said real and personal estates
and after the purchase money paid and such receipt or receipts so signed, the purchaser or purchasers shall
not be obliged to see to the application of the monies therein expressed to be
received nor be in anywise accountable for the non application or
misapplication thereof , but that he and they and the premises herewith
purchased shall therefore stand entirely freed and discharged therefrom. And I
further declare , that my said trustees shall
not be answerable or accountable for any loss or damage that shall
happen to my estate or effects in anywise, so as the same do not happen by or
through their wilful neglect or default – nor shall either be answerable for
the acts of the other , but each for his own only and that it shall be lawful for them to
reimburse themselves all costs, charges and expenses as they may incur or be
put to in the execution of the trusts of this my will – and lastly I hereby
nominate and appoint the said John Jackson and James Dickson executors of this
will and guardians of such of my
children as shall be under age when I die – and I give to each of my said
executors ten pounds as a compensation for their trouble in the creation of
this my will and hereby revoke all former wills
by me, at any time heretofore made – and I recommend and empower my
trustees to pay to my Aunt Elizabeth Weld
{Wild?] fifteen guineas yearly during her life by half yearly payments
In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and
affixed my seal, the day and year first before written
Signed sealed published and declared [Signed}
By the testator as and for his last will Thos
Rigmaiden
And testament in his presence, at his request,
and in the presence of each other
[Signed] Mary Maine
Jane
Taylor
T
Halsall
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