578. Robert PLUME of Wivenhoe, Wheelwright, 1845. D/ACW 44/3/7

In the Name of God Amen
I Robert Plume of the parish of Wivenhoe Essex
Wheelwright Being of sound mind memory
understanding and calling to mind the uncertainty
of this Transitory life & that it is appointed for
all once to Die but considering the uncertainty of
the time thereof Do therefore make & ordain this my
Last  Will & Testament in manner following that
Is to say First and Principally I commend
my Soul to Almighty God & my body to the Earth
to be decently buried my coffin to be made of one inch
& half Oak Plank & all my Funeral expenses to be
paid out of the Money allowed from the Benefit Club
of which I am at present a Member
And as to my temporal effects I give & bequeath in
manner following (that is to say) I give & bequeath
to my Wife Ruth Plume all the household furniture
to be disposed of at her discretion that she may not
be disinherited by her children of such part of them
as may be needful for her own use
My Will also is that the dwelling house at present
Inhabited by me with the fixtures thereof Working
Tools & Stock in Trade shall be sold & all my Lawful
debts paid & that after this is done whatever Monies
arising from such a sale as balance in hand & all
debts that may be recovered may become the Sole Property
of my Beloved Wife Ruth Plume as long as she

continues a Widow & no longer but should she think proper to
enter into Marriage contract again My Will is that the
Property be equally divided between my three Children
Namely John Plume Mariah & Eliza
I also Will & Order that the Cottage now inhabited
by my son John Plume as a Taylors Shop shall not
be sold as long as my Beloved wife Ruth Plume liveth
& that she be put in quiet possession of the same at
my decease & continue so during her natural Life &
after that the said Cottage be sold & the Money equally
divided between my three Children John Plume Mariah
& Eliza – – – And I do hereby appoint my Beloved
Wife Ruth Plume & the Revd James Hyde joint Executors
of this my Will In trust for the purposes above mentioned
& I do hereby revoke all former & other Wills heretofore
by me made or caused to be made .  Hereby declaring this to be
my last Will & Testament.  In Witness whereof I have
hereunto set my hand & seal the sixteenth day of January
In the First Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George
the Fourth by the Grace of God of Great Britain France &
Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c & in the year of
our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred & Twenty One

Signed, Sealed, Published & Declared
by the said Testator as & for His Last Will
& Testament In the presence of us &
we subscribed our Names as Witnesses
by his Desire & in his Presence

Witnesses
Abrm Wright
Joseph Fookes
James Hyde

Robert Plume
Robt Plume

On the 18^th Day of March 1845 before th Issued forth a
Commission to Maria Stokes & Eliza Smith the natural
& lawful only Children next of kin & surviving
Legatees named in the last Will & testament of Robert
Plume being first late of the Parish of wivenhoe in the
County of Essex Wheelwright deceased to administer the
Goods Chattels & Credits of the said deceased with his
said Will annexed according to the tenor & effect thereof
they being first sworn duly to adminr The Exors therein
named having died without proving the said Will

The 15th day of March 1845
Maria Fookes and Eliza Smith the administratrixes
with the within will annexed were sworn
to the truth of this Will and to the true
performance thereof and that to the best
of their knowledge and belief the Goods Chattels
and Credits of the deceased do not amount
to the sum of fifty pounds

Before me
Samuel Carr Surrogate

The Testator died in
the Parish of Wivenhoe
25 November 1826

The 15th day of March 1845
On which day appeared personally Maria
Fookes the wife of Joseph Fookes and Eliza
Smith the wife of Abraham Smith and alleged
that Robert Plume late of the parish of
Wivenhoe in the County of Essex Wheelwright
departed this life on or about the fifth day
of November One thousand eight hundred and
twenty six having first duly made and executed
his last Will and Testament in writing hereunto
annexed whereby he appointed his widow Ruth
Plume and the Reverend James Hyde joint
Executors thereof both of whom have since departed
this life without having proved the said Will
That they the appearers are the natural and
lawful only children next of kin Surviving Legatees named
in the said Will wherefore they prayed Letters
of Administration with the said Will annexed
of all and singular the Goods Chattels and
Credits of the deceased to be granted and committed
to them on giving good and sufficient Security
for the same.

Let Administration with the
said Will annexed pass as
prayed the said Maria
Fookes and Eliza Smith being
first sworn faithfully to perform
the said Will and duly to
administer and to the truth
of the premises and that to the
best of their knowledge and.
belief the whole of the Goods.
Chattels and Credits of the deceased
are under the value of fifty
Pounds
Before me
Samuel Carr
Surrogate
Maria Fookes
Eliza Smith