The Document Chest

1848 Will of William Morling Bethell

Surgeon and Gentleman

 

William Morling Bethell, Gentleman of Yeovil, was the son of George Bethell and his wife Agnes of Holborn, London. He was born on 28 April 1772 and baptised at St Andrew's church, Holborn, on 7 June 1772.

He had moved to Yeovil by about 1810 and lived in Hendford. Pigot's Directory of both 1824 and 1830 listed 'William Morling Bethell, Surgeon of Hendford'. For over thirty years William was a renowned surgeon although by the time of the 1841 census he was listed as of independent means. He was listed living alone in Hendford but with a female servant and a male servant.

He died on 9 January 1848 and was buried in St John's churchyard on 15 January 1848. He was aged 75.

 

Gallery

 

The record of the 7 June 1777 baptism of William Morling Bethell from the parish register of St Andrew, Holborn, London.

 

The record of the 15 January 1848 burial  of William Morling Bethell from St John's parish register.

 

Will of William Morling Bethell, 1848

 

This is the last Will and Testament of me William Morling Bethell of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Gentleman In the first place I hereby revoke all former Wills and Codicils by me heretofore made and I do declare this alone to be my last Will and Testament I give and bequeath unto Robert Tucker of Yeovil aforesaid Gentleman and George Bethell Watson of Stanway Street Oxford Street in the Parish of Saint Marylebone in the County of Middlesex Painter their executors and administrators the sum of three thousand pounds three per centum consolidated Bank Annuities now standing in my name in the Books of the Governor and Company of the bank of England Upon the trusts and for the aids interests and purposes hereinafter expressed, that is to say, Upon trust that they my said trustees or the survivor of them his executors and administrators do and shall with all convenient speed after my decease sell out and dispose of the said three thousand pounds capital stock in the three per centum consolidated Bank annuities or so much thereof as may be necessary for the purposes of this my Will and pay and divide the produce and proceeds arising from such sale or transfer in the parts shares and proportions and in manner hereinafter mentioned, that is to say, As to two equal ninth parts or shares thereof In trust to pay the interest dividends and annual produce thereof unto my nephew Henry George Whitmash and my niece Elizabeth Whitmash son and daughter of Henry Whitmash late of Yeovil aforesaid Banker deceased for the term of their natural lives and for the life of the longest liver of them And from and after the death of the survivor of them the said Henry George Whitmash and Elizabeth Whitmash In trust to pay assign and transfer the said two equal ninth parts or shares unto and equally between my nieces Ann Whitmash and Agnes Bethell Whitmash also children of the said Henry Whitmash their executors and administrators as tenants in common But if the said Ann Whitmash and Agnes Bethell Whitmash or either of them should happen to depart this life in the lifetime of the said Henry George Whitmash and Elizabeth Whitmash or the survivor of them and without having lawful issue Then in trust to pay and transfer the said two ninth parts or shares after the death of the survivor of them the said Henry George Whitmash and Elizabeth Whitmash unto and amongst my nephew Edward William Whitmash and my nieces Maria Templeman wife of Thomas Templeman of Lopen in the said County of Somerset Sailcloth manufacturer and Mary Phelps wife of Henry Bryant Phelps of Yeovil aforesaid Glove Manufacturer and their respective executors and administrators in equal shares and proportions as tenants in common And as to five other undivided ninth parts or shares In trust to pay and transfer the same unto and equally amongst my said nephew Edward William Whitmash and my said nieces the said Maria Templeman Ann Whitmash Agnes Bethell Whitmash and Mary Phelps and their respective executors and administrators as tenants in common And as to one other undivided ninth part or share In trust to principles interest dividends and annual produce thereof unto my Great niece Sarah Ann Tucker daughter of the said Robert Tucker until she shall attain the age of twenty one years or day of marriage which shall first happen and when either of those events shall have happened Then in trust to pay and assign the said one undivided ninth part or share unto the said Sarah Ann Tucker her executors and administrators for her or their own use and benefit And as to the remaining one undivided ninth part or share In trust to pay the interest dividends and annual produce thereof unto and equally between my Great nieces Edith Whitmash Elizabeth Whitmash and Joanna Whitmash daughters of John Whitmash late of Taunton in the said County of Somerset Gentleman deceased and their respective executors and administrators as tenants in common And I do hereby declare it to be my Will and meaning that the share or shares of my said three last named Great nieces of and in the said trust monies shall become payable when and as they shall respectively attain the age or respective ages of twenty one years od day or respective days of marriage which shall first happen All the Residue and Remainder of my money securities for moneys stocks funds (not hereinbefore otherwise by me given and disposed of) and all dividends and interest due in respect of the same at the time of my decease books debts household goods and furniture books plate linen and all other my personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind soever I give and bequeath unto the said Robert Tucker and George Bethell Watson their executors and administrators Upon trust that they my said trustees and the survivor of them his executors and administrators do and shall with all convenient speed after my death sell and dispose of all and singular my household goods and furniture plate linen and all other the part and parts of my personal estate and effects as shall not consist of money and call in and require payment of all such parts thereof as shall consist of money either in the public funds or out on security at interest or otherwise And it is my will and desire that the said trustees shall be possessed of and hold the monies to arise and be gotten in and by the means aforesaid or otherwise under and by virtue of this my Will In trust in the first place to satisfy and discharge all such debts as shall be due and owing by me to any person or persons whomsoever at the time of my decease And in the next place to satisfy and discharge my funeral expenses and the expense of proving this my Will and after payment and satisfaction thereof In trust to pay and transfer one equal moiety or half part thereof unto my nephew the said George Bethell Watson for his sole use and benefit And as to the other equal moiety or half part thereof In trust to pay the dividends interest and annual produce thereof unto my niece Matilda Elizabeth Agnes Arnold the wife of Henry Arnold of the City of bath in the said County of Somerset Mercer and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life And from and after her decease In trust to [payment ?] for or assign such last mentioned moiety or half part or share of the said trust monies unto and amongst all and every the child or children of my said niece Matilda Elizabeth Agnes Arnold who shall be living at the time of her death in equal shares and proportions the share or shares of such child or children being a son or sons to become payable at his or their respective age of twenty one years or being a daughter or daughters at her or their age or respective ages of twenty one years or day or days of marriage which shall first happen And I declare that in case at any time or times hereafter any of my said nephews or nieces or great nieces or either of them from disease or infirmity or any other cause be incapable of giving discharge for their said legacies it shall be lawful for my said Executors or Executor for the time being to apply the same and the interest dividends or annual produce thereof in such manner for their or either of their benefit as they or he in their or his discretion shall think proper I give and bequeath unto my housekeeper Catherine Hutchings for and during the term of her natural life or widowhood one annuity or clear yearly sum of twenty pounds free of property tax and all other taxes and deductions whatsoever And I direct that the same shall be paid half yearly by the Executors of this my last Will and Testament and that the first half yearly payment thereof shall begin and be payable six months after my decease And I hereby direct that the said Annuity shall be charged upon and paid out of my residuary personal estate by the executors named in this my Will And from and after the decease or marriage of the said Catherine Hutchings I hereby direct that the said annuity shall sink into and again become part of my residuary personal estate and be disposed of according to the directions of this my said Will I also give and bequeath unto my servant Edwin Lewis Provided he shall be living in my service at the time of my decease all my wearing apparel of every sort and description Also a new suit of respectable mourning at the discretion of my said Executors And subject as aforesaid I also give and bequeath unto the said Edwin Lewis one year's wages in addition to any wages that may be due to him at the time of my death together with any gratuity that I may have been in the habit of adding to his wages at the end of every year And I direct that the legacy hereby given to the said Edwin Lewis shall be paid by my said Executors within three [blank space] after my decease free of any legacy duty or other deduction whatsoever Provided always and it is my Will and I do hereby direct that it shall be and may be lawful to and for the said Robert Tucker and George Bethell Watson and the survivor of them his executors and administrators by and out of the said last mentioned trust money to deduct and reimburse themselves and himself all such costs charges damages and expenses as they or the survivor of them his executors or administrators shall be put unto pay suffer or sustain for or by reason of any of the trusts hereby in them reposed in the management or execution thereof or for or by reason of any other matter or thing in anywise relating thereto And that neither of the said trustees or the survivor of them his executors or administrators shall be answerable or accountable for any more money than what he or they shall actually receive by virtue of the trusts aforesaid nor shall one of them be charged or rechargeable with or accountable for the receipt or receipts of the other of them but each for his own acts receipts and wilful defaults only nor shall they or either of them be answerable or accountable for the deficiency of any Banker Agent or any other person or persons whomsoever was shall or may be employed or entrusted by them or either of them in the management or disposition of all or any of the said trust monies but shall be acquitted and save [blameless ?] in respect of all such acts matters and things as shall be done by them respectively in pursuance hereof in the occupation or management of the trusts hereby in them reposed unless the same shall happen through their or his own wilful neglect or default And lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint the said Robert Tucker and George Bethell Watson Joint Executors of this my Will In witness whereof I the said William Morling Bethell to this my last Will and Testament contained in three sheets of paper affixed together have at the bottom of each sheet set may hand this eighteenth day of February

[the remainder, albeit there's not much left, is illegible]

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn