Abraham Robarts

  General Notes:

In the Name of God Amen

I Abraham Robarts of the hamlet of Ratcliffe in the parish of Stepney in the county of Middlesex dealer in coals being in good health of body and of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following (that is to say) by the first part I principally I recommend my soul to Almighty God in the firm belief that and assurance of its resurrection through the merits of my dear redeemer Jesus Christ and my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my dear wife and at such place where she intends lying herself when dead so that the said burial does not exceed fifty pounds and so order all my just debts and funeral charges to be paid and satisfied as soon as conveniently may be after my decease and in case any part of my binding contract to Thomas Ellis shall remain unsatisfied at my death then my mind and will is that the same shall be made good and paid out of my personal estate and rents and profits of my Copyhold Estate thereafter named that shall be due at my decease.

Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Elizabeth Robarts all my household furniture, plate, linen, woollen and chinaware of what kind or nature so ever.

Item I give and bequeath all diamonds and jewels with their appurtenances by her usually worn commonly, called her own jewels and paraphernalia .

Item I give and bequeath to my executers hereafter named the sum of twelve hundred pounds of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid out by them immediately after my decease in Government or other good sureties and out of the interest, dividends and profits thereof to pay unto my honoured Mother the annual sum of Thirty Five pounds, clear of all charges, taxes and deductions whatsoever by quarterly payments during the term of her natural life, the firstly quarterly payment or sum of eight pounds fifteen shillings to begin and be paid the first usual quarter for payment of Rent after my decease or in case the said twelve hundred pounds cannot be immediately laid out after my decease then to pay the said annuity out of my personal estate until the same can be laid out as aforesaid and from and after the decease of my said mother, Mary Robarts, thou upon trust to pay out of the interest dividends and profits of the said twelve hundred pounds so to be laid as aforesaid the yearly sum of Twenty Four pounds unto my sisters Mary Robarts and Elizabeth Robarts by quarterly payment in manners aforesaid during their joint lives and upon the death of either of them to pay unto the survivor of them only the yearly sum of fourteen pounds only by quarterly payments as aforesaid and from and immediately after the decease of the survivor of my said two Sisters then upon trust to pay the whole Interest, Dividends and profits of the said twelve hundred pounds unto my said wife Elizabeth Robarts during the term of her natural life by quarterly payments as aforesaid and from and immediately after the decease of the survivors of them, my said Mother, Sisters and Wife then upon trust to pay and divide the said twelve hundred pounds together with what interest shall remain due thereon to and amongst my three sons Samuel Wildey Robarts, Abraham Robarts and George Robarts in such manner and in such proportions as my said Wife shall in and by her last will and testament in writing duly executed in the presence of two or more credible witnesses direct and appoint and for want of such direction and appointment then to pay and divide the said twelve hundred pounds equally to and amongst my said three sons or such of them as shall be living at my said Wife's decease share and share alike at their attaining their respective ages of twenty one years

Item I give and bequeath unto my aforesaid Wife Elizabeth Robarts during the term of her natural life all the rents, issues and profits of my copyhold estate situate and being at or near Stepney Causeway held of the Manor of Stebenheath otherwise Stepney in the county of Middlesex and which I have surrendered to the use of my will which shall become due and payable after my decease in lieu and consideration of my marriage contract with her which she has agreed to take and accept off in full [?] and satisfaction of such contract and after [?] but not otherwise and from and after her decease I give, devise and bequeath the said copyhold estate unto my said son Samuel Wildey Robarts his heirs and assign forever subject nevertheless and chargeable with the payment of twelve hundred pounds a piece of lawful money of Great Britain to each of his two brothers Abraham Robarts and George Robarts or the yearly sum of forty five pounds to each of his said brothers payable quarterly clear of all taxes and deductions whatsoever during their joint lives at the option of the said Abraham and George Robarts and upon the death of either of his said brothers Abraham Robarts or George Robarts then I do hereby charge the said copyhold premises with the payment of one thousand eight hundred pounds unto the survivor of them the said Abraham and George Robarts or with the yearly payment of sixty four pounds ten shillings payable quarterly during the life of such survivor clear of all taxes and deductions whatsoever at the option of such survivor and in case of the death of my said son Samuel Wildey Robarts in the life time of his said Mother then I give devise and bequeath the said copyhold estate unto my said son Abraham Robarts his heirs and assign forever subject nevertheless and chargeable with the payment of twelve hundred pounds unto my son George Robarts or with the yearly payment of sixty four pounds ten shillings clear of all taxes as aforesaid unto my said son George Robarts during the term of his natural life at the option of the said George Robarts and in case of the death of my son Samuel Wildey Robarts and Abraham Robarts in the life time of their said Mother then I do herby give devise and bequeath the said copyhold estate after my Wife's decease unto my said son George Robarts his heirs and assign forever and in the case of the death of all my said sons in the life time of their said Mother I give devise and bequeath the said copyhold estate unto my nephew Anthony Malpas his heirs and assign forever subject nevertheless and chargeable with the payment of forty pounds yearly and every year clear of all taxes and deductions whatsoever by quarterly payments unto both my sisters Mary Robarts and Elizabeth Robarts during then term of their respective natural lives.

Item I give ands bequeath unto my said son Samuel Wildey Robarts at his arrival at the age of twenty one years the sum of seven hundred pounds of lawful money of Great Britain together with my gold headed cane, gold sleeve buttons and silver watch his Grandfather having made ample provision for him in preference to his brothers and the interest and profits of said seven hundred pounds in the mean time to be paid and applied towards his maintenance and education.

Item I give and bequeath unto my son Abraham Robarts the sum of one thousand five hundred pounds to be paid him at the age of twenty one years together with my Singlestone diamond ring and the interest and profits of said one thousand five hundred pounds in the mean time to be paid and applied towards his maintenance and education.

Item I give and bequeath unto my son George Robarts the like sum of one thousand five hundred pounds to be paid him at the age of twenty one years together with my gold watch and the interest and profits of said one thousand five hundred pounds in the mean time to be paid and applied towards his maintenance and education and my mind and will is that in case of the death of any or either of my said sons before he or they shall arrive at their respective ages of twenty one years then the said legacy and legacies hereby given of him or them so dying shall go to quo [?] paid out amongst the survivors and survivor of them my said sons share and share alike and the interest thereof in the mean time to be applied for the maintenance and education of such survivors or survivor.

Item I give devise and bequeath unto my said son Samuel Wildey Robarts and his heirs all that my mortgage of copyhold premises in Stonehouse Yard, Ratcliffe formerly made by Thomas (Ellis? DAR) to David Trinder and all sum and sums of money due and to grow due thereon as also my share and interest in the new ferry at Ratcliffe of which I am a proprietor.

Item Fifty pounds I give and bequeath unto my said mother Mary Robarts, my sisters Mary and Elizabeth Robarts, Brother in Law Anthony Malpas and Jane his wife each and every of them the sum of ten pounds for mourning and to my nephew Anthony Malpas the sum of five pounds for mourning.

Item I give and bequeath unto my friends George Dudley, Colin [?] Yoakley, Henry Sowther and James Ramsden esquires and Monsieurs Edward Roark and John Shakespear each and every of them a ring of a guinea value and unto the Reverend Mr Elourester [?] Ridley who I wish desire may attend my funeral a ring of the like value as also one guinea in money.

Item I give to each and every of my Executors hereinafter named and who shall take upon them the execution of this my will the sum of fifty pounds.

Item I give and bequeath unto my clerk Thomas ? if he shall live with me at the time of my decease the sum of twenty five pounds as an acknowledgement for his faithful service over and above his usual wages and the further sum of five pounds for mourning provided he assists my executors in the settling of my accounts and the getting in the debts and effects of my estate twelve months after my decease.

Item All the rest of the residue and remainder of my estate whether real, copyhold or personal of what kind or nature toever and wheresoever lying and being that I shall die possessed of interested in and jufifulled [?] unto I give devise and bequeath unto my said wife Elizabeth Robarts her heirs executors administrators and assigns forever.

And I do hereby make, nominate, constitute and appoint my said Wife Elizabeth Robarts the said George Dudley of Bloomsbury Square in the county of Middlesex Esquire and my relation and friend Samuel Wilton of Aldergate [?] Street London Masier [?] Executrix and Executors as also trustees of this my last will and testament and my mind and will further is that my said executors and trustees or either of them shall not be charged or chargeable with any more moneys or other part of my said estate and effects than what they shall respectively and actually receive by overture [?] of this my will nor either of them accountable or answerable the one for the other or for the acts deed receipts or payments of the other of them but each for his own acts deed receipts and payments only neither shall either of them be answerable or accountable for any unavoidable delays[?] that may happen to any part of my said estate and that it shall and may be lawful for them in the first part by and out of the moneys which will come to their hands to deduct all such costs charges and expenses as they or either of them shall or may sustain expend or be put unto for or by reasons or means of their acting in the execution of this my will and I do hereby authorise and empower my said executors and trustees and the survivors and survivor of them to adjust and settle accounts with the several persons with whom I shall have any dealings at my death in such manner as they shall think fit and to make such compositions with such person or persons as shall be debtors to my estate at my decease or such abatement upon their debts as they shall think proper and necessary and to submit any matters in dispute relating to any claims or demands upon or out of my estate or any debt or debts chattels which shall be due owing or belonging to my estate at my decease to arbitration in the common and usual form and upon receipt of such composition money or moneys goods or chattels awarded to give such acquittauires or other discharges as they shall think fit and I do hereby revoke and make void all former and other will and wills by me at any time heretofore made in witness whereof I the said Abraham Robarts have ti this my last will and testament contained in five sheets of paper set my hand to the first four sheets and my hand and seal to the fifth and last sheet the thirty first day of October One thousand seven hundred and fifty seven (31.10.1757) and in the 31st year of the reign of King George the second Abram Robarts signed sealed published declared and delivered by the testator Abraham Robarts as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our names hereto at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other John Langmore, Bow Lane, John Northam, J Hall Newcombe clerk to Mr Langmore.

As I omitted at the time of making this my last will and testament in the which the memorandum is inclosed a small legacy to the charity school of the hamlet of Ratcliffe in the parish of Stepney also Stebenheath being the place of my nativity for the benefit of educating and breeding [?] up the children belonging to the aforementioned school I desire of my executors that they write [?} in my name give for the benefit of the school five pounds and hope they will construe this only legacy as part of my will.

Ratcliff Row 3rd 1757 NB this was wrote at the time of sealing up and writing my will.

Mem that Abraham Robarts of Stepney Gent, did possess four thousand pounds 4 percent annuities and by his last will and testament dated 31 Octob 1757 with a codicil, having constituted & appointed his wife Elizabeth Robarts* George Dudley Esq. and Samuel Wilton who has renounced the execution thereof joint executors and having made no mention of these annuities therefore they are at the disposal of Elizabeth Robarts* Widow and George Dudley Esq. the acting executors

Probated at Doctors Commons 31st Octob 1761, Registered 31 January 1762.

* Elizabeth Robarts is deceased as appears by her last will and testament dated 6th April 1768 & probate dated at Doctors Commons 17th November 1768 therefore these annuities are at the disposal of the following & acting executor George Dudley Esq.

Reg'd 7th December 1768.

In 2002, £9090 0s 0d from 1830 is worth:
£566,246.46using the retail price index
£709,665.24using the GDP deflator
£6,007,868.17 using average earnings
£7,922,979.31using per capita GDP
£19,697,494.69using the GDP

  Noted events in his life were:

• He worked as a Mariner in 1744. both Samuel Wildey's and Abraham's birth certificates note his occupation as mariner

Abraham married Elizabeth Wildey, daughter of Samuel Wildey and Lydia, on 18 Oct 1739 in The Somerset House Chapel, Strand. (Elizabeth Wildey was born 1705 ? in Stepney, Middlesex,¹² died in Nov 1768 and was buried in Saint Dunstan, Stepney.)