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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: sanmiles84 on Sunday 17 May 09 11:57 BST (UK)
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Hello,
I recently bought three wills from the National Archives for my GGG Grandfathers. Only problem is that I cannot read them. I have tried re-typing the wills word by word but just get a paragrah of never ending "unknown word goes here".
As they are too big to attach here I will have to attach them one by one (on a seperate post each). If anyone has any time at all, could you kindly please decipher the old style of handwriting for me?
Thanks,
Sandra
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The second will attached is for another Grandfather named Thomas Laugharne.
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Hi Sandra
Here is my attempt at the beginning/preamble of the first Will:
I Thomas Laugharne Lieutenant in the Navy being in Bodily health and of sound and
(?) minde and memory and considering the perils and dangers of the Seas and other uncertainties of this Transitory Life do for avoiding controversies after my demise make publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner following (that is to say):
I'll have another stab at it later, but I have no doubt that someone will have posted more quite soon!
Regards,
Greensleeves
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A bit more of Will One:
First I commend my soul to God that gave it and my Body I commit to the Earth or Sea as it shall please God to order And as for and concerning all my Worldly Estate I give bequeath and dispose thereof as followeth (that is to say)
to Ann Laugharne my lawful wife All wages sum and sums of money lands Tenaments, Goods Chattels and Estate whatsoever as shall be any ways due owing or belonging unto me at the time of my decease I do give devize and bequeath the same unto the said Ann Laugharne my said Wife
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Right, last part of Will One:
And I do hereby nominate and appoint the said Ann Laugharne my sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former and other Wills by me (there is something added above the line which I can't read here) at any time heretofore made And I so ordaine and ratify these presents to stand and be for and as my only Last Will and Testament In Witness whereof to this my said Will I have set my hand and seal the twenty third day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven in the seventeenth year of the Reign of His Majesty King George
over Great Britain Signed Thomas Laugharne
(Seal) Signed sealed published and ?_ _ _ _ in the presence of Geo Scott, Mary Scott
Regards
Greensleeves
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Dear Greensleaves.
Thank you very much for your help, It is greatly appreciated. Hopefully someone might be able to help me with the second will also.
There is a third will but it is just over 500kb (which is the limit for attachments on this forum). If anyone is happy for me to email a copy please let me know?
Thank you again for all your help,
Have a lovely day.
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I Thomas Laugharne Lieutenant in the Navy being in Bodily health and of sound and
disposing
minde and memory and considering the perils and dangers of the Seas and other uncertainties of this Transitory Life do for avoiding controversies after my demise make publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner following (that is to say):
Regards,
Greensleeves
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Also the bit in will one above the line
first word is
Testaments
The last part is
Signed sealed published and declared in the presence of Geo Scott, Mary Scott
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Wow, Thank you Stonechat! You have a great eye for detail :)
Would you mind helping me decipher the second will that I had attached? (Only if you can and want to)?
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Dear Greensleaves,
In will one you have deciphered for me up to the bit where it states "This will". Is this paragrah also part of the will? I can somewhat read the first line where it states "This will was proved at London"... If I am right i think that this is what it says? I was wondering if you could also help me decipther this also?
Does this mean that when he died they "proved" the will? Sorry, I am not exactly sure what this means?
Confused :)
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Hi
The probate clause reads as follows
This will was proved in London the tenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred an ninety seven before the Right Honorable Sir William Wynn Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oath of Ann Laugharne widow the relict of the deceased the sole Executrix named in the said Will to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased having be first sworn (by Commission duly to administer
MOst of the PCC wills are in this hand - secretary hand - it's nowhere near as bad as you think
compare the transcription to the will and you'll start to get it
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The second will reads
I Thomas Laugharne of the town of Laugharne in the County of Carmarthen being weak in body but being of a sound and disposeing mind and memory do make this my last will and Testament in manner following first and principally I resign my precious soul in the hands of the Creator hoping for mercy and remission of my sins though the allsufficient merits of my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ and my body I will have interred at the discretion of my Executrix hereafter mentioned and as for the wordly things that I am possessed of I give and bequeath them in manner following that is to say I give and bequeath unto my brother William Laugharne the sume of one and twenty shillings and unto my Nephews Thomas and John Laugharne and to my Neices Elizabeth Ravenscroft and Anne Laugharne the like sume of one and twenty shillings each in order to buy themselves Rings and for the rest and residue of all my Credits Goods and Chattles whatsoever and wheresoever I give and bequeath them to my entirely beloved sister Ann Laugharne whom I do hereby constitute and appoint sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament in witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal this 30th day of March in the year of our Lord God one thousand seven hundred and thirty Tho Laugharne signed sealed and delivered in the presence of Thos Philips the mark of Jane Lewis
Probatum fuit hujusmodi Testamentum apud London coram venerabili et Egregio viro Johanne Bettesworth Legum Doctore Curia prerogative Cantuariensis Magistro ani? Custode sire? Commisarris legitimo constitute octavo die mensis Marty anno Domini Millesimo septuigentesimo tricesimo Curamente Anna Laugharne Executricis unice in dicto Testamento nominat Cui Commissa fuit administratio omniom et singularum bonorum att jurium et Creditorum dicti defuncti de bono et fideliter administrando eadem ad sancta Dei Evangelia vigore Commissionis ut jurat
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Dear Stonechat,
Thank you very much for your help.
Just to confirm that:Hi
The probate clause reads as follows
This will was proved in London the tenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred an ninety seven before the Right Honorable Sir William Wynn Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oath of Ann Laugharne widow the relict of the deceased the sole Executrix named in the said Will to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased having be first sworn (by Commission duly to administer
MOst of the PCC wills are in this hand - secretary hand - it's nowhere near as bad as you think
compare the transcription to the will and you'll start to get it
Is this from the frst will that states "This will was proved" in big letters?
And I was just wondering for the second will that you have deciphered for me if there is a way to translate the welsh? Also, what does PCC mean?
Sorry to be a pain....
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Yes that was the first
And it's Latin not Welsh
PCC is the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
The Latin means roughly the same as the Probate Clause for the first
Bob
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Thank you everyone for your help.
Much appreciated.
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Ok, I have finally managed to get the third will under 500kb to attach it to this forum. Please can you help me with one last will?
Regards,
Sandra
Will for Thomas Mendus page 1
Moderator comment: image removed.