Theme: Where There's a Will | Images: Click on many to enlarge
The first Will document relating to an ancestor that I ever saw in its entirety (discounting any will indexes, summations, extracts and hearsay as to content) was for Henry Proctor RICHARDSON, "late gamekeeper of 47 Cedar Street Derby in the County of Derby” in England. He was my maternal great-great-grandfather. The probate was granted on 24 March 1905 at Derby to executors Frederick LEWIS and Herbert MORGAN.
The main body of the 1905 will of Henry Proctor RICHARDSON - short and sweet.
I admit that my initial excitement upon finding this will was somewhat short-lived, as it turned out to be a handwritten “true copy” on a single page, very short on details. Henry signed with his mark so he probably could not read or write. He bequeathed equal shares of the remainder of his personal estate (after expenses and debts) to his five unnamed daughters. The names, occupations and addresses of both executors were listed though. But that’s all. The associated probate document was also a single sheet, which duplicated much of the same information found in the will and added his death information (died on 12 March 1905 at his home address) and the value of the estate (£161 0s 0d). But in spite of their brevity, these documents do contain some valuable information and help to substantiate some details obtained from other documents and family sources. And of course we know much more than this about Henry Proctor's life ...
Henry, who may have been known by his middle name Proctor, was born in Brede, Sussex, England on 24 Feb 1825, one of nine children born to Henry Proctor RICHARDSON Sr and Ann PACKHAM. During his early years, times were hard for farmers. England’s economy was certain affected by the potato blight and famine in Ireland and Scotland in the 1840s, and there was a long drought in England between 1854 to1860 (and likely in earlier periods), that affected the quality and quantity of their crops. And with the added trauma of the death of Henry Sr in 1850 when Henry Jr was 25, the family seems to have disbursed, traveling and emigrating to various parts of the world.
A couple of years ago I wrote about this Richardson migration question based on a story my grandmother told. Did this Henry really travel to Australia or perhaps New Zealand with his brother Edmund? I’m still looking for answers and confirmation of Henry Proctor Richardson’s travels. As names such as Henry were repeated frequently in this family in each generation, it has been difficult to be sure which Henry had which adventure. Since this previous post, a new theory has surfaced. I now think it probable that, as a lad of 16 or 17, this Henry set sail aboard the “Lord Auckland” in Sep 1841 as an “assisted” passenger, arriving in Wellington, New Zealand in February 1842 and continued on to Nelson NZ.. He was listed only as a Henry Richardson in the New Zealand early passenger lists, a farm labourer, emigrant, single and age 16. The age matches my Henry. This information corresponds nicely with the 1841/42 emigration account records for the Parish of Brede, Sussex, which lists a Henry Richardson, age 17, who was subsidized by the parish for expenses of £5 3s 9d to move to New Zealand.
Although Henry appears to have traveled alone (unlike in my grandmother's story), there was another Richardson family from Brede - James and Mary Ann and their two children - who also received emigration assistance that year, and who traveled aboard the “Mary Ann” that same month also bound for Nelson NZ. Coincidence? Or were they related? I don't yet know. But this James (son of Thomas RICHARDSON and Mercy FURNER) did have a younger brother also named Henry who was born in 1821, so he would have been 20 rather than 16 or 17 in 1841. It seems that this slightly older Henry also ended up in New Zealand, dying in Wellington in 1898, but I am told he married in Kent England in 1851. This likely occurred before he emigrated unless he made two different trips to New Zealand. So he was probably not the one to journey to New Zealand in 1841/42. I'd still like to find their connection, if any, to my Henry. If anyone has further information on this RICHARDSON / FURNER family, please let me know.
A couple of years ago I wrote about this Richardson migration question based on a story my grandmother told. Did this Henry really travel to Australia or perhaps New Zealand with his brother Edmund? I’m still looking for answers and confirmation of Henry Proctor Richardson’s travels. As names such as Henry were repeated frequently in this family in each generation, it has been difficult to be sure which Henry had which adventure. Since this previous post, a new theory has surfaced. I now think it probable that, as a lad of 16 or 17, this Henry set sail aboard the “Lord Auckland” in Sep 1841 as an “assisted” passenger, arriving in Wellington, New Zealand in February 1842 and continued on to Nelson NZ.. He was listed only as a Henry Richardson in the New Zealand early passenger lists, a farm labourer, emigrant, single and age 16. The age matches my Henry. This information corresponds nicely with the 1841/42 emigration account records for the Parish of Brede, Sussex, which lists a Henry Richardson, age 17, who was subsidized by the parish for expenses of £5 3s 9d to move to New Zealand.
Although Henry appears to have traveled alone (unlike in my grandmother's story), there was another Richardson family from Brede - James and Mary Ann and their two children - who also received emigration assistance that year, and who traveled aboard the “Mary Ann” that same month also bound for Nelson NZ. Coincidence? Or were they related? I don't yet know. But this James (son of Thomas RICHARDSON and Mercy FURNER) did have a younger brother also named Henry who was born in 1821, so he would have been 20 rather than 16 or 17 in 1841. It seems that this slightly older Henry also ended up in New Zealand, dying in Wellington in 1898, but I am told he married in Kent England in 1851. This likely occurred before he emigrated unless he made two different trips to New Zealand. So he was probably not the one to journey to New Zealand in 1841/42. I'd still like to find their connection, if any, to my Henry. If anyone has further information on this RICHARDSON / FURNER family, please let me know.
Henry Proctor RICHARDSON worked on the Weston Hall Estate in Weston Longville, Norfolk, England
as a gamekeeper from approximately 1860 to about 1891. Photo of Weston Hall taken about 1946.
Courtesy of https://norfolk.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/PICNOR/BIBENQ?BRN=712439
as a gamekeeper from approximately 1860 to about 1891. Photo of Weston Hall taken about 1946.
Courtesy of https://norfolk.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/PICNOR/BIBENQ?BRN=712439
If my Henry was in fact the one to travel to New Zealand in 1841/42, he couldn’t have stayed there very long. By 1853 he was in Lambeth, London, England where he married Elizabeth HARRIS of Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire on 15 March 1853 in St Mary’s Chapel. Together they had 8 children, born between 1853 and 1870. Henry and Elizabeth must have quickly left Lambeth after their marriage because their oldest three children were born in Cranbrook, Kent: Mary Jane (1853- ), Henry Proctor III (1855-1894) and Francis Elizabeth “Fanny” (1857 - ). Henry Proctor and his family then moved to Weston Longville in Norfolk where he worked as a gamekeeper on the Weston Hall Estate, living in one of their cottages. His youngest five children were born there: Agnes (1860-1942), Sydney (1862-1951), Lewis James (1864- ), Alice (1866- ) and Annie (1870- ).
The names and birth dates of all these children, as well as details of their parents' marriage, were "taken from Register when home in England Feb 7, 1899” according to their granddaughter Nell (Richardson) Andrew, who wrote down the details as told to her by her father Sydney. The names and ages of their three sons and five daughters have also been found in the various census documents. The five girls equally inherited Henry Proctor Richardson's estate, but why not the boys?
Henry Proctor Sr’s oldest son was his namesake and sadly died in 1894 at the age of 39, predeceasing his father. Their second son Sydney Richardson was my great-grandfather who emigrated to Canada in about 1882. I don’t know why he wasn’t mentioned in his father’s will; perhaps he received his inheritance when he moved to Canada and needed help getting started in a new country. Henry's youngest son was named Lewis James, who in 1881 worked in Weston Hall as a young footman for the Custance family (also Henry Proctor's employer). By 1891 it is possible that Lewis was attending gunnery school in Essex, having joined the military. So far I haven’t found any further trace of him, nor a death record, so perhaps he also emigrated and received his share of the estate earlier.
The names and birth dates of all these children, as well as details of their parents' marriage, were "taken from Register when home in England Feb 7, 1899” according to their granddaughter Nell (Richardson) Andrew, who wrote down the details as told to her by her father Sydney. The names and ages of their three sons and five daughters have also been found in the various census documents. The five girls equally inherited Henry Proctor Richardson's estate, but why not the boys?
Henry Proctor Sr’s oldest son was his namesake and sadly died in 1894 at the age of 39, predeceasing his father. Their second son Sydney Richardson was my great-grandfather who emigrated to Canada in about 1882. I don’t know why he wasn’t mentioned in his father’s will; perhaps he received his inheritance when he moved to Canada and needed help getting started in a new country. Henry's youngest son was named Lewis James, who in 1881 worked in Weston Hall as a young footman for the Custance family (also Henry Proctor's employer). By 1891 it is possible that Lewis was attending gunnery school in Essex, having joined the military. So far I haven’t found any further trace of him, nor a death record, so perhaps he also emigrated and received his share of the estate earlier.
By 1891, Henry Proctor was age 66 and still employed as head gamekeeper in Weston Longville where they lived with their youngest daughter and grandchild. Sometime before 1901 Henry and Elizabeth moved to Derby where several of his daughters lived and married.
As to the executors of his will, Frederick LEWIS, nurseryman, lived at 45 Cedar St Derby and was the husband of his eldest daughter Mary Jane. Known as Fred and Jane, they were living in Derby as early as 1881, and they raised their 7 children there. This may be why Henry decided to move to Derby with his wife after retirement. In 1901 they were living at 47 Cedar Street, almost next door to the the Lewis household. The other executor was Herbert MORGAN (or Worgan), foreman of 63 Sherwin Street in Derby. I have not yet determined his relationship; I’m pretty sure he wasn’t a son-in-law. As Sherwin Street is just one street over from Cedar Street (both being close to Markeaton Lake in Derby), they were practically neighbors and may not have been related.
Elizabeth likely died in 1902 in Derby and, as we have seen from the probate record, Henry Proctor Richardson died there in 1905. From his funeral flyer, handed down in the family as a keepsake, we know that he died 12 Mar 1905 at the age of 80. This is also confirmed by his death certificate. His will, although short and sweet, helped me to build a more complete story of Henry Proctor Richardson’s very interesting life.
As to the executors of his will, Frederick LEWIS, nurseryman, lived at 45 Cedar St Derby and was the husband of his eldest daughter Mary Jane. Known as Fred and Jane, they were living in Derby as early as 1881, and they raised their 7 children there. This may be why Henry decided to move to Derby with his wife after retirement. In 1901 they were living at 47 Cedar Street, almost next door to the the Lewis household. The other executor was Herbert MORGAN (or Worgan), foreman of 63 Sherwin Street in Derby. I have not yet determined his relationship; I’m pretty sure he wasn’t a son-in-law. As Sherwin Street is just one street over from Cedar Street (both being close to Markeaton Lake in Derby), they were practically neighbors and may not have been related.
Elizabeth likely died in 1902 in Derby and, as we have seen from the probate record, Henry Proctor Richardson died there in 1905. From his funeral flyer, handed down in the family as a keepsake, we know that he died 12 Mar 1905 at the age of 80. This is also confirmed by his death certificate. His will, although short and sweet, helped me to build a more complete story of Henry Proctor Richardson’s very interesting life.
I have posted additional information of my Richardson families elsewhere on my website:
Richardson Genealogy and Photos
Descendants of Richard Richardson & Ann Watts - 8 Generation Family Tree
Richardson Genealogy and Photos
Descendants of Richard Richardson & Ann Watts - 8 Generation Family Tree
References and Further Reading
Brede Sussex Genealogy - familysearch site
Village of Brede, Sussex, England
Weston Hall Estate, Weston Longville, Norfolk property photos, description - Rightmove real estate site
Early Settlers in New Zealand - Nelson Provincial Museum site
Passenger Listings for Vessels bound for New Zealand - Rootsweb site
Lists of passengers to Nelson NZ, 1841-1850
Brede Sussex Genealogy - familysearch site
Village of Brede, Sussex, England
Weston Hall Estate, Weston Longville, Norfolk property photos, description - Rightmove real estate site
Early Settlers in New Zealand - Nelson Provincial Museum site
Passenger Listings for Vessels bound for New Zealand - Rootsweb site
Lists of passengers to Nelson NZ, 1841-1850
"52 Ancestors" is a reference to the "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks" challenge I am participating in.
Reference the No Story Too Small blog by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow for more details.
It is giving me the much needed incentive to write and publish my family stories.
Reference the No Story Too Small blog by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow for more details.
It is giving me the much needed incentive to write and publish my family stories.
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