Charlotte Gwinnett of Wistaston Court, 1863

I, Charlotte Gwinnett, of Wistaston Court in the county of Hereford, widow, declare this to be my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills by me heretofore made.

I give and bequeath

  • to Lady Constance Villiers my diamond head ornament
  • to my niece Mrs Mary Jane Wakefield my diamond earrings
  • to my niece Mrs Ursula Davies my best silver breadbasket my bracelet with amethyst clasp and all the linen marked U.D. in the catalogue
  • to my niece Miss Blanch Unett my turquoise and diamond ring
  • to Elizabeth, wife of George Unett, Esquire, my gold and turquoise neck chain and my bracelet with turquoise ornament
  • to George Gwinnett Unett their son my best silver tureen
  • to my sister Letitia Unett my pair of silver chased sauce boats
  • to Harriet, wife of Colonel Mundy, my best diamond ring, fourteen china plates painted by myself and an old fashioned tea caddy with silver cannisters
  • to Miss Frances Cotterell my diamond and emerald ring
  • to Emily, daughter of Charles Blount, of Usk, solicitor, my best silver coffee pot and stand, my best silver cream jug, my large silver waiter and my small diamond brooch
  • to Arthur Finch of Grays Inn, solicitor, my silver gilt tankard
  • to Mrs Finch my diamond hoop ring
  • to Hobart Tyler, Esquire, the large silver Tredegar Prize Cup 1826
  • to John Gardner Freeman Esquire my silver tea kettle and stand
  • to Mr Nicholas Sivell Wynn my Great Western Railway share free of legacy duty
  • to Mr Charles Lingen of Hereford, surgeon, two hundred volumes of books of which I have given him a catalogue
  • to his son John Taylor Linger the share to which I am entitled as one of the next of kin of my late sister Jane Unett in the personal estate of which she died possessed, the interest of which share I have given to my sister Letitia during her life subject to which life interest I make this bequest
  • to my servants John Starmer and Sarah Starmer his wife the several articles specified in the catalogue signed by me
  • to the said John Starmer the sum of one hundred pounds and to the said Sarah Starmer the sum of five hundred pounds and all the money which I may have in the Hereford Savings Bank at the time of my decease and all my wearing apparel; the legacies and bequests to the said John Starmer and Sarah Starmer to be free from legacy duty
  • to my servant Edward Denovan if living with me at my decease the sum of nineteen guineas

I also give to my niece Mrs Ursula Davies a pair of silver oval waiters in addition to the articles above bequeathed to her.

I give and devise unto Charles James Lingen eldest son of the said Charles Lingen his heirs and assigns, all that piece or parcel of arable land part of Overways field situate in the parish of Marden in the county of Hereford containing two acres or thereabouts and distinguished by the number 575a in the plan annexed to a certain deed of partition bearing the date 26th day of December 1854.

I give and bequeath to the said Charles Lingen his executors and administrators an annuity of forty pounds payable during the joint lives of my brother William Unett and Elizabeth Selina his wife and the life of the survivor of them and to be issuing out of and charged upon the Wistaston Court Estate with usual powers of distress and entry upon and perception of the rents and profits thereof for securing the punctual payment of the said annuity the same to be considered as accruing from day to day but to be payable half yearly, the first payment to be made at the end of six months after my decease.

Upon trust to be paid the said annuity to the said Elizabeth Selina Unett during her life for her sole and separate use independently of and without being subject to the debts, contract or engagements of her said husband and upon her single receipt for the same and if the said William Unett shall survive his said wife, upon trust to pay and apply the said annuity for his benefit during his life in such manner as he and they shall in his and their absolute discretion think fit.

And I give and bequeath to the said Sarah Starmer an annuity of twenty pounds for her life to be issuing out of and charged and payable and secured in the same manner as the above mentioned annuity of forty pounds and to be in addition to the legacies and bequests to her hereinbefore contained.  And subject to and charged with the said annuities and the mortgages affecting the same or any part thereof.

I give and devise all that my mansion and estate called Wistaston Court situate in the parishes of Marden and Sutton Saint Michael in the county of Hereford  and all the residue of my real estate to the use of Vincent Tyler Esquire, youngest son of the late Admiral Sir George Tyler for his life without impeachment of …. and after his decease, to the use of the first and every other son of the said Vincent Tyler successively and the heirs of his and their body and respective bodies issuing and in default of such issue to the use of all and every the daughter and daughters of the said Vincent Tyler to be equally divided between or amongst them if more than one and the heirs of her or their respective body or bodies issuing with cross remainders between them in tail and in default of such issue to the use of the said Hobart Tyler his heirs and assigns for ever.

And I give and bequeath all furniture effects and personal estate not hereuntofore bequeathed unto the said Vincent Tyler absolutely.

And I appoint the said Vincent Tyler executor of this my will and I devise to him and his heirs all estates vested in me by way of mortgage or upon any trusts to hold upon the trusts and subject to the equity of redemption subsisting in the same.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the seventh day of August one thousand eight hundred and sixty three.

Charlotte Gwinnett

Signed by the said Testatrix as and for her last will and testament in the presence of us who at her request in her presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses:  Charles Blount, Solicitor, Usk;  Henry Bengough, Marden

On the 5th day of September 1863 the will of Charlotte Gwinnett late of Wistaston Court in the parish of Marden in the county of Hereford, widow, was proved by oath of St. Vincent (in the will written Vincent Tyler) of Wistaston Court aforesaid, Esquire, the sole executor named in the said will.  He having been first sworn duly to administer.

Effects under £1500.  Testatrix died 13th August 1863.