This is the last Will and Testament of me William STAFF of Lawson Street in the Parish of St Mary Newington 
in the County of Surrey Ropemaker. I give to my dear wife Sarah STAFF all my household furniture, pictures, 
plate, linen, china, wearing apparel wines liquors and consumable household stores for her own absolute use and 
benefit and I also give to her the sum of one hundred pounds to be paid to her within one calendar month next 
after my decease. I appoint my said Wife and my son in law James STAFF and Francis NASH of Church Row 
Horslydown Warfinger Executors and Trustees of this my Will and I give to the said James STAFF and Francis 
NASH the sum of Nineteen Guineas a piece for the care and trouble they will have in the execution of this my 
Will. I give and bequeath to my said Wife and the said James STAFF and Francis NASH their executors 
administrators and assigns all those my leasehold messuages or tenements and premises situate in Great Bland 
Street, Upper Bland Street and Lawson Street in the said Parish of St Mary Newington comprised in the lease 
from John BLAND Esquire with the rights members fixtures andd appurtenances thereto belonging to hold to 
them for all my estate and interest therein upon trust to permit and suffer or authorize and empower my said 
wife to enjoy the same or recieve and take the rents and profits thereof during her natural life for her sole and 
separate use and benefit free from the debts con troul or engagements of any future husband she my said Wife 
during her life paying the ground rent and observing and performing the covenants in the lease under which the 
said premises are held by me and {I give and} from and after the decease of my said Wife I direct that all the 
said leasehold messuages or tenements and premises with the rights members {and ap} fixtures and 
appurtenances thereto belonging shall form part of my general residuary personal estate hereinafter disposed of 
and I give and bequeath all the resi due and remainder of my personal estate consisting of my lease hold 
premises in Canterbury Terrace and in Deverell Street or a elsewhere and all my share of the stock in trade and 
book debts belonging to the business carried on by me in partnership with my Son William Henry STAFF and 
all other property and effects disposable by me or which shall belong to me at the time of my decease unto my 
said trustees and executors upon the trusts and for the intents and purposes hereinafter declared concerning the 
same that is to say upon trust to sell my said residuary personal estate or so much thereof as shall be of a 
saleable nature together or in parcels by public auction or private contract and to get in the residue thereof and to 
dispose of the net monies to arise from such sale and conversion or to be so got in as aforesaid after payment 
thereout of my just debts and funeral and testamentary expences according to the trusts hereinafter declared 
concerning the same nevertheless I give to my said trustees or discretionary authorities postpone for such period 
as to them shall expedient the sale of all or any part of my said residuary personal estate and the getting in of 
any part thereof which shall consist of stocks funds or securities of any description whatever and also to let from 
year to year or for any term not exceeding twenty one years in possession and manage at their discretion the 
unsold leasehold estates comprised in this my Will or subject to the trusts hereof and I direct that subject to the 
trusts aforesaid my said trustees shall divide all the trust monies and other the produce of my said residuary 
personal estate amongst all my children in equal shares the shares of my daughters to be for their sole and 
separate use free from marital controul and I direct that during the minority of my youngest Son who is under 
the age of twenty one years his share shall be invested in the names of my trustees and executors on government 
or real securities with power to them to alter and vary such securities for any others of the kinds prescribed and 
that my said trustees and executors shall and may apply the income of such share for his maintenance and 
education during his minority and I direct that my trustees and executors shall have power at their discretion to 
settle my Partnership and other accounts and wind up my partnership and other affairs and in doing so to make 
such arrangement relative to debts or demands due or claimed to be due to or from my estate as they shall judge 
expedient with liberty to accept compositions or securities from and grant indulgencies to debtors and also to 
submit questions of account to arbitration. I direct that all persons taking the receipts of my said trustees on the 
payment or transfer to them of any money or effects belonging to my estate shall be thereby exonerated from all 
liability in respect {thereof} of the application thereof. I direct that my trustees my deduct and mutually allow to 
each other all disbursements and expenses incident to the execution of my Will and shall be responsible each for 
his or her own acts and defaults only and irresponsible for losses occurring without wilful neglect or default and 
shall be indemnified with or out of my trust property against all liabilities consequential on the execution of my 
Will. I direct that any or every vacancy in the trusteeship of my Will occasioned by disclaimer resignation death 
or incapacity shall be supplied as soon as may be by the appointment of a fit substitute such appointment to be 
made by my wife during her life and after her death by the continuing trustee or trustees if any or if none by my 
legal personal representative or representatives for the time being and on every such appointment my trust 
property shall be vested in the new trustees either alone or as the case may require jointly with the continuing or 
surviving trustee or trustees. I direct that the trusts and powers hereinbefore confided to my trustees herein 
named may be executed by the trustees or trustee for the time being of my Will and I appoint my Wife and after 
her death the trustee or trustees for the time being of my Will to be Guardian or Guardians of the person and 
fortune of my youngest Son during his minority and I revoke all former Wills by me made. In witness whereof I 
have hereunto set my hand this second day of June one thousand eight hundred and forty two - W.STAFF - 
Signed by the said Testator as his last Will and Testament in the presence of us present at the same time who at 
his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses - Michl 
COOPER 48 High Street Southwark Sol. - John Clutton SOUTHWARD Sol.  

Proved at London 28th October 1842 before the Worshipful Herbert Jenner Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by 
the Oaths of Sarah STAFF Widow the Relict and James STAFF two of the Executors to whom Administration 
was granted having been first sworn duly to administer power reserved of making the life grant to Francis 
NASH the other Executor when he shall apply for the same.