I WILLIAM HIRONS of the Manor House Chacombe in the County of Northampton Farmer hereby revoke all former Wills and Codicils and declare this to be my last Will and Testament
I direct that all my just debts and funeral and testamentary expenses shall be paid and satisfied as soon as may be after my decease
I appoint my dear wife MARY ANN during her life and widowhood and my Brother in Law WILLIAM LINNELL of Leamington in the County of Warwick Gentleman to be Trustees and Executrix and Executor of this my Will and I devise to them all trust and mortgage estates which may be vested in me as Trustee or Mortgagee at the time of my decease subject nevertheless to the several trustes and equities affecting the same respectively
I give and bequeath unto my said wife all my household goods and furniture plate linen china glass books and chattels of every description for her own use absolutely
I also give and bequeath unto my said wife absolutely for her own use the Policy of Insurance on my life for Five hundred pounds effected by me with the "Standard Life Assurance Company" in the year One thousand eight hundred and eighty four and which Policy is numbered eighty one thousand six hundred and seventy two and all money bonuses and additions secured by or to be received in respect of the said Policy
I give and bequeath all the residue of my personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever unto my said wife and the said WILLIAM LINNELL their Executors administrators and assigns Upon trust to carry on the business of the Farm which I now carry on or which I may carry on at the time of my decease during the life and widowhood of my said wife (but with full power for my said wife to give up the occupation of the said Farm at any time that she may think proper) with full power to cultivate and manage the same as my Trustees shall think fit and to sell all or any part of the stock and produce of the Farm and to purchase cattle and other articles to replace those which shall be sold from time to time as aforesaid as shall be deemed expedient
And I direct that the dwellinghouse which I shall occupy at my decease or such other house as my Trustees shall deem expedient shall be kept up at the expense of my residuary estate for the residue of my said wife during her life and widowhood and of my unmarried children so long as the said business is continued the profits thereof shall be applied for the maintenance of my wife during her life and widowhood And upon the decease or marriage again of my said wife then I direct the Trustees or Trustee for the time being of my Will to divide my said residuary personal estate and effects unto and equally between all my children for their own use and benefit absolutely Provided always that if my Trustees or Trustee for the time being or if my said wife alone either with or without the concurrence of her Co-trustees shall find it disadvantageous or deem it unadvisable to carry on my said Farm it shall be lawful for them or her to give up the said farm and to discontinue the business of a farm And I direct that upon such determination of my said business as aforesaid my said Trustees or Trustee for the time being shall sell and convert into money all my said farming stock and effects and shall thereout pay all debts and expenses owing and incurred from and on account of the same and shall stand possessed of the proceeds arising from such sale Upon trust after paying all expenses attending the same to invest the residue in their or his names or name in the Public Stocks or Funds or upon Government or real securities in England and to stand possessed thereof Upon the same trusts for the benefit of my said wife and children as re hereinbefore declared concerning my residuary personal estate And I declare that the receipts in writing of my said Trustees for any trust moneys or trust property payable to them by virtue of the trusts of my Will shall discharge the persons or person paying or transferring the same from all responsibility for the application thereof or the propriety or regularity of the payment or transfer thereof or of any transaction relating or leading thereto
I declare that each trustee shall be answerable only for losses arising from his or her own default and that she they and he may retain or allow to her their or his Co-trustee all expenses incidental to the performance of the trusts of my Will
I declare that if my said Trustees or either of them or any Trustees or Trustee to be appointed under this clause shall die or go abroad or shall decline or become incompetent to act as Trustees or Trustee of my Will it shall be lawful for the trustees or trustee of my Will for the time being competent to act whether disclaiming or declining further to act or not or if none for my Executors or administrators for the time being or any or either of them of his her or their own proper authority by any deed or other proper instrument in writing to appoint any person or persons to be Trustees or Trustee in the place of the Trustees or Trustee disclaiming dying going or about to go abroad or declining or becoming incompetent to act as aforesaid
And I further declare that the clauses hereinbefore contained so far as they concern my Trustees hereinbefore named shall extend and be applied to the Trustees or Trustee for the time being of my Will
In witness whereof I the said WILLIAM HIRONS have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of September One thousand eight hundred and ninety three – WILLIAM HIRONS
Signed published and declared by the said WILLIAM HIRONS the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us both being present at the same time who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses - JNO. BARTON – Prosper Villa Banbury - MARY COLEMAN – Spinster Banbury
On the 31st day of July 1894 Probate of this Will was granted at Northampton to MARY ANN HIRONS and WILLIAM LINNELL the Executors