This is the last will and testament of me Sir Walter James of Freshford House in the County of Somerset ,Baronet I direct all my just debts and my funeral and testamentary expenses to be paid as soon as conveniently may be after my decease I give and bequeath to my daughter Lady Byng the wife of Sir John Byng the sum of £8,000 Sterling to and for the sole use and at her own absolute disposal and to Walter Laugslow of the City of Bath, Esquire the sum of £500 Sterling which Legacies I direct to be paid within 12 months after my decease I give and bequeath to my Grandson Walter James, Son of my dear and deceased Son John James all my paintings and pictures and also my plate Silver, Books, Wines Liquors and household furniture absolutely for his own proper use I give and bequeath to my good and faithful Servant Lewis Cleroult one annuity or annual sum of £100 to be paid to him during his natural life by two over half yearly payments to be made at the end 6 months after my decease I also give to him all my clothes, together with my watches and Seals. I give and bequeath to my equally good and deserving Servant William Sargeant a life annuity or annual sum of £100 to be paid to him during his natural life by even yearly payments ,the first payment to be made at the end of 6 months after my decease I give and bequeath to Mrs Walter who was my Lady's woman and who ever served her with great fidelity and attention the sum of £200 Sterling which I direct to be paid to her within 12 months after my decease I also bequeath to her an annuity or annual sum of £30 to be paid to her during her life by two even half yearly payments the first of each payments to be made at the end of 6 months after my decease. I give and bequeath unto Lord Marquis Camden, the said John Byng and my son in law John Trower, Esquire the sum of £8,000 in trust to invest the same upon Government or war securities in England and from this to alter vary and transpose such securities as my said trustees and all in advisable and upon further Trust to pay the interest and dividends there of and when the same shall become due and payable unto my said Son in Law John Trower or to permit and suffer this to receive the same for and during the term of his natural life to and for his own use benefit and from and after the decease upon further Trust to pay and divide assign and transfer the said sum of £8,000 or the funds and securities upon which the same shall have been invested equally between such of the issue of the said marriage of the said John Trower and my daughter (namely Walter Trower Spencer Trower, Caroline Trower, Georgina Trower and Francis Trower as shall living at the death of their father shall alike if more than one and if but one then to such only surviving child his or her executors, administrators and assigns and to be paid and payable to them, him or her respectively at such age or ages time or times and subject to the like trust for the accumulation thereof for their, his or her benefit as therein after expressed in respect of the children of my daughter shall happen to die in the lifetime of their said father then I direct that the said last mentioned sum of £8,000 shall suit unto and every part of my residuary Estate . I also give and bequeath unto the said Lord Marquis Camden, Sir John Byng and John Trower the further purchase of like Government of real Securities in order that the same may accumulate until my said Grandson Walter James shall arrive at the age of 21 years when I direct that my said trustees and the survivor of them and the executors and administrators of such survivor shall stand possessed thereof in Trust to pay the interest and dividends of all the said principal monies, funds and securities and of the accumulations thereof as the same shall become due and payable unto my said Grand son Walter James for and during the term of his natural life and at his decease upon further trust to pay assign and transfer the said principle monies and accumulations and the Stocks, Funds and securities in or upon which the same shall have been invested unto and to the use of his first son lawfully to be begotten and to the … of the body of the said first son.. And for default of such issue to there use of the second sons of my said grandson Walter James lawfully to be begotten severally successively and in remainder one after another as they shall severally be in priority of birth and the heirs make of the bodies and body of all and every such son and sons and the heirs make of this and their body and bodies being always preferred and to take before the younger of the said heir and the heirs make of this and their body and bodies issuing and for and in default of such issue to the use of all and every the daughter and daughters of the said Walter James equally to be divided between them share and share alike in equal sharers and proportions and if there shall be but one such daughter then to such one daughter and I hereby direct that if under the Trusts aforesaid a Son or… a son of my said Grandson Walter James shall become entitled to the said principal monies, funds and Securities the same with such accumulations as aforesaid shall be paid to him on his attaining on the age of 21 years and that if the same shall vest in a daughter or daughters of the said Walter James the said trust monies and accumulations and securities or the respective proper shares thereof shall be paid to such daughters or daughters at their age or respective ages of 21 years or days of marriage which shall first happen unless such respective ..of payment shall happen in the lifetime of the said Walter James in which such payment or respective payments shall be postponed until and shall be made immediately after his decease provided nevertheless that if the party in without the same trust monies and premises shall vest in Interest upon such decease of my said Grandson shall if or shall be under the said age of 21 years and if a female or females under such age and unmarried then it is my intention and also hereby direct that the said Trusts , Monies and Premises or respective shares thereof as aforesaid shall accumulate as aforesaid for his her or their benefit until such age or ages time or times of payment as aforesaid and in case my said Grandson Walter James shall die without leaving any child or children or their being such if all and every such son and sons shall die under the age of 21 years and all and every such daughter and daughters shall also die under that age and unmarried then upon trust that my said Trustees and the survivor of them and the executors and administrators of such survive shall and do stand possessed of and interested in such funds and securities upon further Trust to pay the Interest Dividends and Annual produce thereof as and upon the same shall become due and payable equally between my said Daughters ,Mrs Davis and Lady Byng during their natural lives and to the survivors of them during her natural life to and for their own separate use independent of their husbands and their respective receipts to be good and sufficient discharges for the same and from and immediately after the decease of the survivor of my said daughters upon further trust to pay and assign the said principal monies stocks funds and securities equally between and amongst all and every and such of my Grandchildren as shall be then living share and share alike at such age or ages time or times and subject to such Trust for the accumulation thereof or in raise the party becoming entitled shall if a male or Males be under age and if a female or females under age and unmarried as there before mentions and do hereby constitute and appoint the said Lord Marquis Camden, Sir John Byng and John Trower Executors of this my last Will and Testament and do bequeath to them the sum of £100 each for their trouble and as some compensation for carrying the Trusts thereof into execution and hereby revoking and annulling all former and other Wills by me at any time thereof made do declare this only to be my last will and testament and my will is and do hereby direct that my said trustees and executors shall each of them be answerable for his own acts and receipts only and do not the one for the other of them and that they shall be answerable for any loss or miscarriage by any Security or securities that may happen in my estate without their wilful default and also that they shall retain all their costs charges and expenses out of all the estate and efforts in them vested by this my will and the trusts therein contained . In witness whereof the said Sir Walter James the Testator have to this and the 6 proceeding sheets of paper set my hand and seal to this last sheet and my seal seal at the top where the said sheets are affixed together the first day of May in the year 1827. Walter James James , signed , sealed and published and declared by the said Sir Walter James James as and for this last will and testament in the presence of George Bythesea of Freshford, Clerk, Francis Maule, Lt. Colonel , Bath, John Maule, Solictor, Bath. I Sir Walter James James of Freshford , Baronet do make this Codicil to be taken as part of my Last Will and Testament as follows that is to say whereas I have by my will bequeathed that several annuities to my 3 Servants, Mrs Walters, L. Cleroult and William Serjeant. Now I hereby direct that the first payment of such annuities shall .. And be made within 10 days after my death. I give and bequeathe to Miss Jane Langton at present residing at Freshford House, the sum of £500 and Mrs. Lovers(?) who lately resided there the sum of £100 and I direct such several Legacies to be paid at the expiration of 12 months from my death In all other respects I confirm my said Will and declare this as a Codicil thereto In witness whereof I have to this Codicil to my Will set my hand and seal 27 th September, 1829. The Mark of Sir Walter James James , Signed and sealed, published and declared by the said Sir Walter James James as and for a Codicil to his last Will in the presence of us who in his presence at his request d in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witness thereto by the said Sir Walter James placing and making his Mark thereto Geo. Bythesea, Rector of Freshford, Edward Lutwycke Davies ( Clk) John Maule, Solicitor, Bath.
Freshford House Oct. 2nd, 1829
Apprehensive that my great and extensive distress will in all or prospective probability exist in this parish next coming Winter and as it at present appears doubtful whether or not the almighty will see fit to spare us to be in person his .. Almoner and the favoured alleviation of the calamity and misery of my poor parishioners. I most earnestly hope that in case of my decease occurring prior to this period my Executors will take the most effectual steps for the accomplishment of my ..purpose. I fear the distress will be more general than it was during the last Winter and consequently wish that the distribution should be more extensive and perfectly commensurate with the wants of my suffering fellow creatures. To this end I desire that the sum expended should not be less than £300 and that it should not exceed £400 the benefit of this relief to be devised from goods to be had as therefore at the Shop of Jonathan Watts. The whole to be under the partial superintendence of Lewis Cleroult and Mary Walter. The Mark of Walter James James. Signed in the presence of Edward Davies, Jane Langton, Mary Walter, Horatio Davis, Lewis Cleroult.
Proved at London with two Codicils 21st Nov. 1829 before the Judge of Oaths of the most Honourable John Jeffreys, Marquis Camden, Sir John Byng, Knight and John Trower, Esquire the Executors to whom admin. was granted having been first sworn the most Honourable John Jeffries Marquis Camden before the worshipful John Trewthard Pickard, doctor of Laws and Surrogate and the said Sir John Byng and John Trower Esquire. (by Commission, duly to administer.)