This is the last Will and Testament of me Hannah Carder of Purleigh in the County of Essex Widow, I appoint my Nephew John Ruggles of Great Potham in the said County Farmer and my Niece Elizabeth Fairhead Wife of William Fairhead of Great Braxted in the said County Butcher Executor and Executrix of this my Will.

And I direct authorize and impower my said Executor and Executrix as soon as conveniently may be after my decease to sell All that my Copyhold Messuage situate at Purleigh aforesaid now divided into two tenements in the respective occupations of myself and Mrs Allaker

And also All that my Copyhold Tenement situate at Purleigh aforesaid and now in the occupation of William Carter And all other my Copyhold Estates of which I may be the possessor at the time of my decease together to be sold by Public Auction or Private Contract for such price or prices and subject to such special or other conditions as may be by them termed expedient with full power to lay in any lot or lots at any Auction and to rescind or vary any Contract for sale without being liable for any consequential loss and also to execute such instruments and assurances and give such receipts and discharges as may be requisite for effecting and completing such sale or sales .

And I bequeath all my Personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever (subject to the payment of my just debts funeral and testamentary expences) unto the said John Ruggles and Elizabeth Fairhead their executors and administrators Upon trust to sell dispose of convert into money collect and get in the same and receive the money arising therefrom with full authority to compound debts give receipts execute releases and do and concur in all acts and arrangements for realizing my said personal estate and effects or settling my affairs according to their discretion

And I direct that my said Trustees shall stand possessed of the money to arise from the sale of my said Copyhold Estates and from my said Personal Estate Upon trust as soon as conveniently may be after my decease to pay the following legacies or sums of money namely to my Nephew the said John Ruggles the sum of Twenty pounds and to my niece Mary Ruggles of Great Potham aforesaid Spinster the sum of Twenty Pounds

And I direct that if either the said John Ruggles or the said Mary Ruggles should die in my lifetime the legacy hereinbefore given to him or her so dying shall belong and by paid to the Survivor

And upon further trust to pay the further legacies herein namely to my niece the said Elizabeth Fairhead the sum of Fifty Pounds to my nephew John Web of Springfield in the said County of Essex Carter the sum of fifteen pounds to my niece Susannah the Wife of  Taylor of East Baron in the County of Herts the sum of Thirty Pounds to my niece Sarah the Wife of James Webb of Tolleshunt D’arcy in the same County Laborer the sum of fifteen Pounds to my niece Elizabeth the Wife of James Weaver of Goldhanger in the said County Laborer the sum of fifteen Pounds to my Sister in Law Rebecca Wife of John Drain of Woodham Walter Laborer the sum of Twenty Pounds to my Sister in Law Elizabeth Linnet Wife of John Linnet of Woodham Walter Laborer the sum of Twenty pounds to my brother in Law Thomas Carder of Munden in the said County Laborer the sum of seven Pounds to my Sister in Law Hannah Carder of Purleigh aforesaid Widow the sum of Seven Pounds to my Nephew Joseph Carder the son of the said Thomas Carder the sum of Ten Pounds.

 And in case any of the said last mentioned intended Legatees should die in my lifetime leaving a husband or wife living at my decease I give one moiety of the share which each such Legatees would have taken if he or she had survived me unto such husband or widow respectively as the case may be and direct that the other moiety of such sums shall sink into and form part of my residuary personal estate.

And Upon trust to pay to Ellen Freeman Ann Freeman and Hannah Freeman the Daughters of Stephen Freeman of Pitsea in the said County of Essex Builder the sum of Five Pounds each as and when they shall respectively attain the age of Twenty one Years but in case either of them the said Ellen Freeman Ann Freeman and Hannah Freeman should die in my lifetime or before she or they attain the said age of twenty one years then I direct that the share or shares of her or them so dying should go and be paid to the Survivor or Survivors of them the said Ellen Freeman Ann Freeman and Hannah Freeman if more than one share and share alike and if only one then the whole of the said sum of Fifteen Pounds shall be paid to such Survivor

And upon further trust as soon as conveniently may be after my decease to pay my Niece Mary Drain the Daughter of Rebecca and John Drain the legacy or sum of Five Pounds

And I direct that after making the aforesaid payments all the rest residue and remainder of my Estate shall be paid over by my Trustees to the said John Ruggles to whom I bequeath the same. And I also devise and bequeath unto the said John Ruggles all the rest residue and remainder of my real and personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever And I direct that the Legacies hereinbefore bequeathed to such of the females who at the time of my decease shall be under coverture shall be aped to them for their separate use and independently of their husbands and their receipts respectively shall be an effectual discharge to my Executors for their said legacies.

 And I direct the provisions and powers hereinbefore contained with respect to my said Trustees and Executors the said John Ruggles and Elizabeth Fairhead shall in the event of both of them not proving this my Will applicable to and the powers exercised by such one of them be as shall prove the same. And I direct that the respective Trustees for the time being of this my Will shall be responsible only for so much money as shall actually come to their hands and that they shall not be answerable for involuntary losses or the acts or defaults of each other.

And I impower my Trustees to retain and allow to each other their costs and expences incurred in the execution of the trusts of this my Will or in relation thereto And I direct that the receipts of my said Trustees or other the Trustee or Trustees for the time being of this my Will shall be good and sufficient discharges to all persons paying them any purchase or other moneys for such sum or sums as shall be therein acknowledged to have been received and shall exonerate such Person or Persons from all liability to see to the application thereof In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand the Seventh day of December One thousand eight hundred and forty nine Hannah Carder</></>

(Attestation Clause)

G W Digby Solr Maldon

Ann Allaker

(Codicil 7 December 1849 gives five pound legacy to Joseph Carder son of John Carder and Hannah)

Proved 15 February 1850

Will Transcribed and supplied to this site by Ros Dunning