1755 - The Will of Catherine Waite

by Jon Malings

This Will is held privately.  The Deddington Parish Register shows that Catherine Wait was buried on June 27th 1755.   

We don't quite know how Catherine Waite became owner of the freehold of Winmour Cottage but it's quite likely that Elizabeth Langston's bequest of £120 played a part.  Catherine's Will is significant in that it pinpoints when the northern extension, or second tenement was built, again probably thanks to Elizabeth Langston's bequest.  The photograph below clearly shows where a window has been inserted in place of the doorway to the original tenement, just to the right of the current front door.  This work was done after 1900.  Examination of the roofline of Winmour clearly shows the different roof heights of the two tenements.

Transcript

Last Will and Testament of Cath. Waite of Deddington
Dated the fourteenth day of June 1755

In the name of  God amen I Catherine Waite of
Deddington in the County of Oxford Spinster being weak in body but of sound and disposing
mind memory and understanding (blessed be God) do make and ordain this my last Will and
Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) FIRST and Principally I resign
my Soul with the utmost humility into the Hands of Almighty God my Creator Humbly
Hopeing for a Blessed Immortality through the Merits and Mediation of my Blessed Saviour
and Redeemer Jesus Christ AND my body I desire may be decently buried at the discretion
of my Executor hereinafter named AND for such Temporal Estate Goods and Chattels as
The Lord in his great Goodness and Mercy hath intrusted me to be steward of I give devise
and dispose thereof as follows FIRST I WILL that all my just Debts and Funeral
Expences be Justly Paid Satisfied and Discharged  ALSO I give and devise unto my
Brother and Sister John & Ann Wyatt All that my messuage cottage or tenement with
all and every of its appurtenances (except a New Building Lately Erected upon the same)
for and during the term of their natural lives and the life of the longer liver of them, and   
from and after their Deceases I give and devise the same unto my nephew John Wyatt 
(son of the aforesaid John & Ann Wyatt) and to the Heirs of his Body Lawfully begotten,
or to be begotten and upon default of such Issue I give and devise the same unto my
Nephew Richard Wyatt, brother of the said John Wyatt and to his Heirs and Assigns for
ever Also I give and devise unto my Nephew John Wyatt son of my Brother
and Sister John & Ann Wyatt all that my tenement being a New Building lately Erected
In the Backside of the aforesaid messuage cottage or tenement) with its appurtenances
To hold to him and his Heirs lawfully begotten or to be begotten, and in default of such
Issue to my Nephew Richard Wyatt and his Heirs forever  Also I give and bequeath
all my household Goods of what Nature or Kind so ever (Linen excepted) unto my said
Nephew John Wyatt and his Heirs for ever.  Also I give and bequeath unto my Sister
Ann Wyatt All my Linen of what Nature or Kind soever, ALL THE REST AND RESIDUE
and remainder of my Estate Real and Personal, Goods, Chattels and things whatsoever
and wheresoever herein before not disposed of I Give Devise and Bequeath unto my said
Brother John Wyatt and his Heirs for ever AND I also Nominate Constitute and Appoint
My said brother John Wyatt Sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament, hereby
Revoking Disannuling and making void all other Wills Bequests and Legacies by me at any
Time heretobefore Made Bequeathed or Given AND do declare this only to be my Last
Will and Testament IN WITNESS Whereof I the said Catherine Waite the
Testatrix have to this my Last Will and Testament set my Hand and Seal the fourteenth
Day of June the Twenty Eight Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second
by the Grace of god of Great Brittain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and
so forth, and in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Five

Catherine Waite (her mark)
 
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Catherine Waite
the Testatrix as and for her Last Will and Testament, in the Presence
of us whose Names are hereunder written, who did each of us subscribe
our names as witnesses thereto, at her request and in her presence

Mary Hanwell
Eliz. Bowler
R? French