Transcription by Elaine Barker April 2022

Abstract
Date of will 8 March 1781
Date of probate 15 April 1782
The Reverend Joseph Picknett wrote his last will and testament on 8th March 1781. He bequeaths his wife Sarah all the clothes that she brought to their marriage and several pieces of furniture along with bed linen and a tea set and tea chest. He leaves her the rents due from her two farms. He also leaves her a sum for mourning clothes.

He leaves money for the poor of his congregation and gives his sister-in-law and two nieces monetary bequests.

He leaves his son, Joseph Picknett, his Bank Stock, a gift of money, a gold mourning ring and silver shoe and knee buckles together with a silver watch and seal.

His granddaughter, Martha Catchpool, is to receive a gift of money, the interest of which is to be used to clothe her until she comes of age. He leave his son Samuel Picknett £120 with various conditions, a gold mourning ring, silver and knee buckles, his clothes and some bedding.

Picknett leaves a gold mourning ring to each of his three friends. John Wood of Inworth, John Wilkin Senior and John Hughs Senior of Inworth

He requests he be buried in his Meeting House [Great Wigborough] with his first wife and has already procured the grave stone which is in his parlour. He also requests a specific funeral text, Revelations 7:14.

Books and household goods are to be sold to pay funeral costs.

Picknett's executors are his son-in-law, John Catchpool and his son Samuel Picknett.

His witnesses are Edmund Andrews and John Andrews,

The Reverend Joseph Picknett
In the Name of God Amen
I Joseph Picknett of Great Wigborough in the County of
Essex Preacher of the Gospel of Christ Jesus my Lord do
with divine Permission make this my last will and
Testament in manner following /as being sensible of the

Page 2

near approaches of death through Weakness Pain
and other Infirmitys of Body therefore to avoid all controversie
after my decease I being at this time of Sound disposing
mind and memory thanks be to my Great Creator and
Redeemer for the same It[e]m I give and bequeath to my
dear wife Sarah all those her Cloaths or Wearing
Apparel which she may be possessed of at the time of my
decease whether Linen or woolen I also give her that
chest of drawers and box usually standing in my Bed
Chamber which She had before our Marriage with all
they contain I also give unto the said Sarah all that
rent and Money which may become due upon her
two Farms at the time of my decease namely that held
by her Son Moses Ardley upon Lease and the other held
by James Orsborn upon Lease also provided my
hereafter named Executors by not charged with any
arrears of debts Taxes or Quit Rents likewise due upon them
and likewise upon Condition that her son Benjamin Ardley
shall give a full discharge to my Executors respectively
any Note given by me for the repair of a Cottage
belonging to Wrights farm Seeing I never had any
benefit or advantage from that Estate but in case that
such a discharge be denyed and witheld then upon that
condition I will that my Executors or Executor do claim
and demand all the arrears of Rent due from either of the
said Estates at the time of my decease In order to destroy
the said claim or demand moreover in case of the
above discharge I give and bequeath to my wife Sarah
my second best Bed with a Bolster 2 pillows & Mattrass
3 Blanketts a Rug a pair of sheets and Pillowbaris
the bedstead and Curtains compleat I also give her my
tea chest and canister with two small Tea spoons a
Tea pot and Six Blue and White Tea cups and
Saucers and lastly I give unto my wife Sarah five Pounds
of lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid her upon
the day of my decease \for/ to buy her Mourning with all I
all which I give upon condition of the above discharge
Item I give and bequeath to my Poor Hearers five
Pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid
and distributed at my Funeral at the discretion of the
deacon and others only I will that not more than five
Shillings be given to one Person or Family Item I give
and bequeath to my Sister In Law Frances Picknett nurse
in the London Hospital five Guineas one month next after
my decease to be paid her at London without any Expense
or Charge I also give to her daughter Sarah Picknett
the said Sum of five Guineas to be paid in like manner
withe her Mothers only twelve months next after my
decease Item I give and bequeath to her other daughter
Susanna Picknett five Guineas twelve months next after
my decease to be paid her in London if required without
any expence but in case the Mother should die before

Page 3

that then I will that her daughters or daughter may
have the said Mother's Legacie as before named and their
own Legacie twelve months after my decease I give and
bequeath to my son Joseph immediately upon my decease
all my bank Stock with all the Interest due upon it
commonly called one hundred Pounds which I purchased
May 2nd 1777 of Mr Thomas Smith for 81:50 - 4 Per Cent
[illegible] Item I give and bequeath to my son Joseph
the Sum of thirty Pounds of Lawful Money of Great
Britain to be Paid him at 10 pounds a Year with
Interest of five Per Cent for Each in Pounds from the
time of my decease untill the whole 30 Pounds be Paid
which I will shall be Paid in three years next after my
decease moreover I give to my Son Joseph One Mourning
Gold Ring and one set of my Silver Shoe and Knee Buckles
together with my Silver Watch and Seal Item I give and
bequeath to my Grand daughter Martha Picknett or
Catchpool the Sum of thirty Pound to be Paid her by her
Father Mr John Catchpool at the Age of twenty one
Years the Interest thereof at the Rate of five Per Cent to
be Applyed Yearly to buy \her/ necessary cloathing till She
come of Age but in case of her death then I will that
the said thirty Pounds be given to any other of my
daughters child or children In like manner Share and
Share alike but in case there be no living child of my
daughters then will that the said thirty Pounds be
equally divided between my Surviving children Sons or
daughter Share and Share alike Item I give and bequeath
to my Son Samuel the Sum of One Hundred and twenty
Pounds of lawful money of Great Britain to him and his
Heirs and Assigns which moneys I leave to be by paid him
by my Son in Law Mr John Catchpool of Colchester for
which I have his Bond for two hundred Pounds payable
to me and or my Heirs and Assigns which Bond I
commit to my Son Samuel for the Security of his Hundred
and twenty Pounds and Interest for the same after the
Rate of five Per Sent till his whole Sum be paid
nevertheless I order that my son Samuel shall not demand
of his Principal money more than ten Pounds a Year
besides Interest until his Brother in Law be Able or Willing
to pay him the whole Except in this case that is Brother
in Law Mr John Catchpool should die or fail in business
then in Either of those cases It may become right & lawful
for my Son Samuel to demand the whole both of his
Principal and Interest money Item I give and bequeath
to my Son Samuel one of my Gold Mourning Rings and
one Pair of Silver Shoe and Knee Buckles he to choose first
before his Brother moreover I give all my Wearing
Apparel both Linen and Woolen Sheets and Pillowbars
to be Equally divided between my two Sons and my
Son in law Mr John Catchpool Except those already
given to my Wife Item I give and bequeath a Hansom

Page 4

Good Gold Mourning ring to each of my three Good
friends if they will Please to Accept of such a Small
token of my Acknowledgement of favours received by them
Viz. One to Mr John Wood of Brookhouse Inworth to Mr
John Wilkin Sen[ior] and Mr John Hughs Sen[ior] of Inworth
moreover I request to buried In the Meeting House with
with my former Wife and to have a Stone Laid over the
Grave I think that I have Provided and is in my parlor
may do my Funeral text you will find In Revela[tions] 7:14
all the rest and residue of my Household Goods and
Books I would have Appraised and Sold at Least so
many of them as may be necessarily Spared In order to
raise money to pay my just debts my Funeral Expences
the Probit of this my last Will and Testament and
Legacies herein named after which I give and \illegible/ bequeath
all the rest and residue of my Personal Estate and debts
due to me whatsoever and wheresoever to my Son in Law
Mr John Catchpool doctor Bishops Receipt I give to my
daughter and her Heirs forever and lastly I appoint my
Son Samuel and my Son in Law Mr John Catchpool of
Colchester joynt Executors of this my last Will and Testament
together with my Good Friend Mr John Wilkin Sen[ior] of
Tolleshunt Knights whom I appoint Supervisor to this my
last Will and Testament to the intent that all things
relative hereunto be rightly disposed of to the Purposes of
my Will In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand
and Affixed my Seal this Eight day of March in the Year
of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty one
Joseph Picknett Signed Sealed Published and declared
by the said Testator Joseph Picknett as and for his last
Will and Testament in the Presence of us who in his presence
and at his request and in the Presence of each other subscribed
our names as Witnesses thereto Edm[und] Andrews J[oh]n Andrews

This Will was proved at London the fifteenth
day of April in the Year of Our Lord one thousand Seven
hundred and Eighty two before the Worshipful Andrew
Coltee ducarel doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the right
worshipful Peter Calvert doctor of Laws Master Keeper
commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
lawfully constituted by the Oath of John Catchpool one
of the Executors named in the said will to whom
Administration was granted of all and Singular the Goods
Chattels and Credits of the deceased he having been first
Sworn duly to Administer Power reserved of making the
said[?] grant to Samuel Picknett the Son of the deceased and
the other Executor named in the said Will when he
shall apply for the same /.

Read More
Joseph Picknett Dissenting Minister Great Wigborough Congregational Chapel 1762-1780

MARG - Mersea Archive Research Group
Go to list of transcribed documents