Yeovil People
William & Edward Forbes
Gentlemen and proprietors of the Angel Inn
Edward Forbes was born in Yeovil and baptised at St John's church on 30 July 1700. He was the son of William Forbes, the owner of the Angel Inn, standing in Hendford and facing High Street. He also owned lands at Lyde - probably Great Lyde Farm - all of which he left to his son Edward (see below). William also had a son John (d1744) and daughters Betty and Ann, who was married to Edward Jarman.
William Forbes died in Yeovil in 1726.
In 1761 Edward Forbes, then proprietor of the Angel Inn, was noted as the proud owner of a celebrated 'museum' in the kitchen of the inn (for full description see here). Included among Mr Forbes' curiosities was a panel now housed in the Community Heritage Access Centre at Lufton. It is of painted and gilded gesso on oak boards.
It appears that Edward never married and, in turn, left his personal and real estates (see below) to his nephew Bani John Forbes, the son of Edward's brother John and his wife Elizabeth.
Edward Forbes died in Yeovil in 1771.
Gallery
A section of an 1810 image showing High Street from the Borough with the Angel Inn at centre. The inn was owned in turn by William Forbes, then his son Edward Forbes and then by Edward's nephew Bani John Forbes .
1724 Will of William Forbes
In the Name of God Amen
I William Forbes
of Yeovill in
the County of
Somerset Gent
being in good
health of Body
and of a sound
and disposing
Mind and Memory
thanks be
therefore given
to Almighty God
for the same do
make this my
last Will and
Testament in
Manner and Form
following that
is to say
Imprimis I give
devise and
bequeath all my
Lands Tenements
and
Hereditaments
whatsoever and
wheresoever
within the
County of
Somerset Kingdom
of England
whereof or
wherein I have
any Estate of
Inheritance in
Fee simple
either in
possession or
Reversion unto
my Son Edward
Forbes his Heirs
and Assigns for
ever subject to
the Charges
hereinafter
particularly
mentioned Item I
give unto my Son
John Forbes one
Annuity of Ten
Pounds per Annum
payable at two
half yearly
payments during
his life
chargeable upon
and issuing out
of the House
adjoining to the
Angel Inne
in Yeovill
aforesaid and in
case my said Son
John shall dye
and shall happen
to leave any
Issue Male of
his Body
lawfully
begotten such
Issue Male shall
during their
respective Lives
as they shall be
in Seniority of
Age and one
after the other
enjoy the said
Annuity Item I
give unto my
Daughter Betty
Forbes one
Annuity or
yearly Tent
Charge of twenty
pounds per annum
payable at two
half yearly
payments during
her natural Life
chargeable upon
and issuing out
of my Lands at
Lyde and [Caroles?]
Pitt but in Case
my said Daughter
Betty shall
marry then I
give her the Sum
of Four hundred
pounds to be
payd her at One
hundred pounds
per Annum from
the Time of her
Marriage until
the whole is
pays and that
from such her
Marriage the
said Annuity
shall cease Item
I give one
Annuity or
yearly Rent
Charge of Five
Pounds per Annum
payable at two
half yearly
payments unto my
Daughter Ann
Jarman during
the term of her
natural Life
chargeable upon
and issuing out
of my House
commonly called
or knowne by the
Name of the
Angel Inn in
Yeovill
aforesaid which
said Annuity is
not to commence
till after the
death of Edward
Jarman her
present Husband
item I give to
the Charity
School of
Yeovill
aforesaid for
ever the yearly
Sum of Ten
Shillings and to
such poor people
of the parish of
Yeovill as have
not relief from
the said Parish
I give ten
Shillings yearly
forever to be
distributed in
Bread yearly In
Christmas Day
and its my
desire and
meaning that in
Case any or
either of the
aforesaid
Annuityes or
Rent Charges
herein before by
me given shall
be behind and
unpayd by the
Space of three
Months next
after any or
either of the
said Days and
Times of payment
whereon the same
ought to be payd
as aforesaid
being lawfully
demanded and not
payd then it
shall and may be
lawful to and
for the said
several and
respective
Annuitants
herein before
named to take
Distress in and
upon the
aforesaid
several and
respective
Premises charged
with the several
and respective
Annuityes and
for want of
Distress to
sufer thereupon
and the same
premises To hold
possess and
enjoy until the
said Annuityes
and all
[Messuages?]
thereof together
with all such
Costs and
Charges as they
[word illegible]
or either of
them shall be at
or be put unto
shall be fully
payd and
satisfied Item
all the Rest and
Residue of my
personal Estate
Goods and
Chatiles not
herein before by
me given I give
devise and
bequeath unto my
said Son Edward
whom I make full
whole and sole
Executor of this
my Will hereby
revoking all
former Wills by
me made and
declaring this
only to be my
last Will IN
Witness whereof
I have hereunto
set my Hand and
Seal this First
Day of December
Anno Domini one
thousand seven
hundred and
twenty four
W Forbes
Signed Sealed
published and
declared by the
waid William
Forbes to be his
last Will and
Testament in the
presence of us
who have on his
Request and in
his presence
subscribed our
Names as
Witnesses hereto
Will Waddon
Edwd
Hayward
Jam
Hooper
Transcribed
by Bob Osborn
1769 Will of Edward Forbes
This is the last Will and Testam[en]t
of me Edward
Forbes of Yeovil
in the County of
Somerset
Gentleman First
I Commend my
Soul to God
through Christ
and my Body to
the Earthed to
be decently
buried at the
discretion of my
Nephew and
Executor
hereinafter
named I give and
devise my
Messuage or
Dwelling House
in Yeovil
aforesaid called
the Angel Inn
with the
Outhouses
Stables Court
Yards and
Gardens to the
same Messuage or
Dwelling House
belonging unto
my Nephew Bani
John Forbes and
his assigns for
and during the
term of his
natural Life and
from and after
his decease I
Give and devise
the same Estate
and premises
unto Edward
Forbes the
Eldest Son of
the said Bani
John Forbes to
hold to him his
Heirs and
Assigns forever
And I do hereby
Will and Direct
that immediately
after my decease
a true and
perfect
Inventory or
particular be
made and taken
by my Executor
hereafter named
of all my
Household Goods
Utensils
Furniture Plate
China Collection
of Rarieties and
Curiosities in
or belonging to
my said House
called the Angel
Inn and Signed
by the Executor
and the persons
who shall
Inventory the
same And that
one Copy thereof
be Filed in the
Court whereof
Probate shall be
made of this my
said Will and
another be kept
by my Executor
herein after
named And my
will is that All
such Household
Goods Utensils
Furniture Plate
China Collection
of Rarieties and
Curiosities
shall be used
and Enjoyed (but
not to be Sold
and disposed
off) by the
respective
Persons to whom
the Freehold and
Inheritance of
the said House
shall for the
time being
belong or
Appertain To the
intent that the
same Household
Goods Utensils
Furniture Plate
China Collection
of Rarieties and
Curiosities may
be in the Nature
of Heir Looms
and go along
with the said
House as far as
the Rules of Law
and Equity will
permitt Also I
give and devise
my Messuage or
Dwelling House
adjoining unto
the Angel Inn
with all
and Singular the
Appurtenances
there unto
belonging late
in the
possession of
Mrs Jane Foulkes
unto my Nephew
Bani John Forbes
and his assigns
for and during
the term of his
natural Life and
from and after
his decease I
give and devise
the same unto
Mary his now
Wife if She
survives her
said Husband for
and during the
Term of her
natural Life in
Case she shall
so long Continue
a Widow and
unmarried and
from and after
their several
deceases or
other
[Survivor?]
determination of
the said Mary
Forbes Estate in
the Premises by
a Second
Marriage I Give
and devise the
same Estate and
Premises unto
the said Edward
Forbes Son of my
said Nephew Bani
John Forbes To
hold unto him
his Heirs and
assigns for ever
Also I Give and
devise unto my
Nephew Bani John
Forbes all my
Estate and Lands
called Lyde
Situate and
Lying and being
in Yeovil
aforesaid for
and during the
term of his
natural Life and
from and after
his decease I
give and devise
the same Estate
and Premises
unto John Forbes
Son of the said
Nephew Bani John
Forbes To hold
to him his Heirs
and assigns for
ever I also Give
and devise unto
my said Nephew
Bani John Forbes
my House and
Malthouse now
occupied by Mr
John Kitson for
and during the
Term of his
natural Life and
from and after
his decease I
give and devise
the same
Premises with
all and singular
their Appurt[enance]s
unto the said
John Forbes Son
of the said Bani
John Forbes To
hold unto him
his Heirs and
assigns for ever
Also I Give and
devise unto my
said Nephew Bani
John Forbes my
Estate and lands
called Gospit
[Note - probably
Goldspit in the
Milford area]
for and during
the Term of his
natural Life and
from and after
his decease I
give and devise
the same Estate
unto Ann Forbes
daughter of the
said Bani John
Forbes for and
during the Term
of her natural
Life and from
and after her
decease I give
and devise the
same unto the
Heirs of her
Body Lawfully to
be begotten and
in default of
such Issue I
give and devise
the same unto
the said Edward
Forbes Son of
the said Bani
John Forbes To
hold to him his
Heirs and
assigns for ever
Also I Give and
devise unto my
Nephew Bani John
Forbes all my
personal Estate
which shall be
Found due and
owing unto me at
the time of my
decease on
Securities of
any kind or in
the Publick
Funds or
Companys In
Trust for all
and every the
younger Child
and Children not
herein and
hereby provided
For of my said
Nephew Bani John
Forbes by Mary
his now Wife
begotten or to
be begotten
Share and Share
alike when they
and Each and
every of them
shall attain
their respective
age of twenty
one Years and I
do hereby will
and direct that
the Interest and
Produce of the
Trust Moneys by
me hereby given
shall be placed
out in some or
one of the
Publick Funds or
on good
Securities from
time to time by
the said Bani
John Forbes his
Executors or Adm[inistrat]ors
when the same
shall ammount
Unto the Sum of
one hundred
pounds and be
divided amongst
the younger
Children of my
said of my said
of my said
Nephew Bani John
Forbes in like
manner as the
Principal Moneys
before
bequeathed Also
I Give and
devise all and
singular other
my Real Estates
in Yeovil or
Elsewhere not
before given and
disposed off by
this my will
unto my Nephew
Bani John Forbes
assigns for and
during the term
of his natural
Life and from
and after his
decease I give
and devise the
same unto the
said Edward
Forbes
his Son
To hold to him
his Heirs and
assigns for ever
And all the Rest
Residue and
Remainder of my
Personal Estate
not hereinbefore
disposed off I
do give unto my
said Nephew Bani
John Forbes And
do make him Sole
Executor of this
my Last Will and
Testament hereby
revoking all
former Wills by
me at any time
heretofore made
In Witness
whereof I the
said Edward
Forbes have to
this my Last
Will and
Testament
containing three
sheets of paper
to each Sheet
set my hand and
Seal this Ninth
day of February
in the year of
our Lord One
Thousand Seven
Hundred and
Sixty Nine
E Forbes
Signed Sealed
Published and
declared by the
said Testator as
and for his last
Will and
Testament in the
presence of us
who at the
request of the
said testator
have attested
the same in the
presence of the
said Testator
and of each
other
Benj. Barry
Edwd
Burton
John
Allambridge
This Will was proved at London the
twenty eighth
day of June in
the year of our
Lord One
thousand seven
hundred and
seventy one
before the Right
Worshipful
George Hay
Doctor of Laws
Master Keeper of
Commissary of
the Prerogative
Court of
Canterbury
Lawfully
constituted by
the Oath of Bani
John Forbes the
Nephew of the
deceased and
Sole Executor
named in the
said Will to
whom adm[inistrati]on
was granted of
all and singular
the Goods
Chattels and
Credits of the
said deceased he
having been
First sworn by
Commission duly
to administer
Transcribed by Bob Osborn