Will of Francis Wilson, 23^rd Oct 1797

The will of Francis Wilson of Badsey has recently come to light in the attic of Malvern House, Badsey. The reason why it should have been found at Malvern House was because Joseph Jones, one of the executors of the will and a beneficiary, lived there (Malvern House remained in the Jones family until 1996). Mark and Lotta Lewis, the current owners of Malvern House, have kindly loaned the will.

Francis Wilson (1775-1798) was the third of eight children of Edward and Mary Wilson, of The Manor, Badsey. Edward, the first-born son, had died as a baby; a second son, John, was born in 1774; Francis in 1775; and then Mary in 1777. Four more children were born, but all died in infancy, thus just leaving John, Francis and Mary. Mary, their mother, died in November 1791, aged 38, shortly after the birth of her last child, Edward. Edward, their father, remarried, and had four more children before dying in April 1797 at the age of 49. One assumes that Francis knew he was dying, as he died less than four months after making his will, in February 1798. The family seems to have been doomed, as just five months later, his brother, John died. It was left to baby Edward, born in 1793, as a result of his father’s second marriage, to inherit The Manor.

Salient points of the will

Will of Francis Wilson of Badsey, near Evesham, Worcs, yeoman. Made the following bequests:

• To his brother, John Wilson, and his sister, Mary Wilson, his undivided third part of the house, farm and premises at Honeybourne, Glos, in the occupation of Luke Neath, and which was particularly mentioned and described in and by a settlement made previous to the marriage of his parents
• To his uncle, Francis Wilson of Worcester, £100
• To his uncle Francis’s son, Edward Wilson, £50
• To Francis Wilson Day [this was Francis’ cousin], son of Mary Day [this was Francis’ aunt] of the parish of St Nicholas, Worcester, £100, on reaching the age of 21 (or if he died before then, the money to go to his mother)
• To Joseph Jones of Badsey, yeoman, £20
• To William Ballard of Badsey, yeoman, £40
• Remainder of his estate to his brother and sister, John and Mary Wilson

Executors: William Ballard and Joseph Jones of Badsey

Witnesses: Mary Vaughn, Humphrey Hundley, W B Baker

Extracted by Lushington Heseltine & Bayford, Proctors Doctors Commons

Notes compiled by Maureen Spinks.