CHRISTOPHERS, John
Will dated 30 August 1850, proved 30 November 1850

PCC, PROB 11/2122, folios 19r ? 20r

Transcribed by:
Colin Moretti
colin@morettifamily.com

This is the last Will and Testament of me John Christophers of Gloucester House Brunswick Place 
in the Town of Southampton Esquire I give to my much esteemed brother in law James Pollard now 
of Bath my Gold watch and my Gold shirt studs for the Breast and Sleeves and also my silver 
reading glass? said Gold watch to revert after the death of my said brother in law to my dear wife of 
whom I request to have my watch formed into a time piece for her sitting room And I desire that my 
old and faithful Servant Elizabeth Bacon (usually known in my family as ?Betsy? be retained and 
kept by some one or more of my family that she may end her days in quiet and comfort And I will 
and direct that all such part of my personal Estate as shall be outstanding unreceived or uninvested 
at the time of my decease be collated and reduced into money by my executrix and executors 
hereinafter named and that my funeral and testamentary expenses and the costs and charges of 
proving this my will and also all debts and demands owing by me personally or chargeable on my 
estate be paid and satisfied out of my personal property alone it not being my intention that my real 
Estate or any part thereof should be in any manner charged or chargeable therewith And after 
payment thereof  I do hereby direct that the clear surplus of my personal Estate and Effects not then 
invested be so invested at the direction of my executrix and executors hereinafter named And I do 
hereby give devise and bequeath all the dividends interest and annual proceeds of All my Personal 
Estate and effects (after the payments aforesaid) to my dear wife Mary Elizabeth Christophers for 
and during the term of her natural life and after her decease I direct that the principal of all my 
personal Estate and Effects be equally divided between and amongst all and every my children 
hereinafter named share and share alike And as to all and every my real estates situated in the 
County of Cornwall or elsewhere in Great Britain I do hereby give devise and bequeath the same 
unto my said dear wife Mary Elizabeth Christophers To hold the same and every part and parcel 
thereof with the appurtenances unto the said Mary Elizabeth Christophers and her assigns for and 
during the term of her natural life And from and after her decease I do hereby give devise and 
bequeath the same equally unto between and amongst my nine children namely John Crowch 
Christophers Richard Rawe Christophers Frederick George Christophers Frances Ursula Hicks the 
widow of John Hicks Esquire deceased Mary Elizabeth now the wife of Edmund Crowley Esquire 
Theresa Molineux now the wife of John Leigh Esquire Agnes Mary now the wife of Charles Joseph 
Pagliano Esquire Clara Mary Placida Christophers Spinster and Isabella Mary Jane Christophers 
Spinster and their several and respective heirs and assigns for ever as tenants in common and not as 
joint tenants And I do hereby will order and direct that the estates and interests of each of my said 
daughters so hereby given and bequeathed to them respectively are absolutely free and discharged 
of all interference by any present of future husband to whom they are now respectively married or 
shall hereafter intermarry with and shall in no wise be affected by or liable to the act engagements 
intermeddling or control of any such husband or husbands it being my intention that such provisions 
for my said daughters whether real or personal property shall be for their own sole and separate use 
respectively And that their and each of their acts deeds receipts and conveyances alone without 
joining their respective husbands therein shall be from time to time good valid and sufficient to all 
intents and purposes notwithstanding the their respective covertures And I further will and declare 
that in the vent of the death of either or both of my two youngest children under the age of twenty 
one years and unmarried then that the share or in shares of her or them so dying of both my real and 
personal Estate shall vest (in like manner as their original shares in the survivors of my said nine 
children hereinbefore named and also equally divided amongst such survivors  And I also will order 
and direct that in the event of any one or more of my said children having already had or hereafter 
having any advance of money or other property from me in shares respectively under this my will 
And if their or either of their shares respectively of my personal estate be insufficient to cover the 
amount of such advances the excess beyond the amount of the share or shares of my personal Estate 
shall be and the same is hereby shared? on each such individuals share of my real estate so 
respectively given to my children as aforesaid And I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my 
said wife Mary Elizabeth Christophers my said son John Crowch Christophers and my dear friend 
George James Knapp of the City of Bath Esquire (who is the sole surviving child of my Revered 
friend the late John Knapp who was out of the Guardian of my said Wife Executrix and Executors 
of this my Will And in the event of my said executrix and executors or the survivors or survivor of 
them considering it expedient and proper that the whole or any part of my freehold property situate 
in the Town of Southampton aforesaid should be sold or disposed of either with or without any 
parts or part of my leasehold estates there situate and as it may be very beneficial to do so I do 
therefore hereby (notwithstanding the general bequests hereinbefore contained) give devise and 
bequeath the freehold parts of my property at Southampton aforesaid to them and the survivors and 
survivor of them for such purpose And do direct and declare that their receipts for the purchase 
money as well for such freehold as the leasehold and other their acts deeds conveyances and 
assurances shall be sufficient discharges for such purchase money and give a good valid and 
effectual unknown to any purchaser or purchasers thereof respectively without joining therein my 
heir at law or any other person or persons whomsoever And hereby revoking all former Wills by me 
at any time made I do declare this present paper writing to be and contain my last Will and 
Testament In witness thereof I the said John Christophers Testator have set and subscribed my 
name at the foot or end thereof in my own proper handwriting this thirtieth day of August in the 
Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty ? John Christophers Signed by the said 
Testator John Christophers and declared by him to be his last Will and testament in the presence of 
us who were both present with him at the same time and in his presence and at his request and in the 
presence of each other of us have hereto subscribed our names the witnesses attesting the same. 
Anthy A Watts Solr Cornhill London Eliza Bastable now residing with Mr Christophers family at 
Southampton.

Proved at London 30th Novr 1850 before the worshipful Thomas Spinks Doctor of Laws and 
Surrogate by the Oaths of Mary Elizabeth Christophers widow the Relict John Crowch Christophers 
the son and George James Knapp the executors to whom Admon was granted having been first 
sworn duly to administer