We have recently released a revised edition of our publication Lords of the Manor of Bradshaw, which contains a correction to the genealogy of the Bradshaw family in the seventeenth century. Some of the wills which were used as sources for this revised edition are transcribed in full below.
Will of John Bradshaw of Bradshaw, Esquire, 1666
In the name of God Amen I John Bradshaw of Bradshaw in the County of Lancaster Esquire Being at the Present of Sound Mynde and under Standinge But Considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the tyme thereof do Constitute and make this my Last Will and Testament in Manner followinge That is to to say Concerninge the goods and Chattells and personall Estate where with god it hath pleased god to blesse mee It is my will and minde (after my debts and Funerall Expences paid and discharged) That the same be divided into three equall parts The first part where of I give and bequeath unto Jane my wiffe Item I give and Bequeath unto my Sister Elizabeth Bradshaw Twentie nobles And unto my Sister Anne Bernard Twentie nobles, All and every the Rest Residue And Remand of my said goods and Chattells I give and dispose in Manner and to and for the uses here after menconed That is to say foure parts thereof (in five parts to be divided) unto Henry Bradshaw Hugh Bradshaw Edmond Bradshaw and William Bradshaw my younger sonnes Equally amongest them And the fifth part there of (in five parts to be Divided as aforesaid) unto and amongest all the Children of Thomas Bradshaw another of my Late younger sonnes deceased which shall be liveinge at the tyme of my death Excepting the Eldest Sonne and heire of the said Thomas And in case of the infancie of all or any of the said Children then Such proporcon and parte appteyning to Such Infant or Infantes unto Elizabeth Bradshaw widdow their Mother she first give security unto my Executor here after named to dispose there of to and for the use and Benefit and preferment of such child or Children then Infant or Infants And of this my Last will and Testament I ordayne and make Alexander Norres of Tonge Gentleman Executor hopeing he will faithfully Execute the same as my Trust is in him reposed In witnes whereof I have here unto putt my hand and seale the Eight day of Aprill Anno Regui Regis Caroli Sidi Aughst Domino Septimo Anno Dno 1665
(Signed) J. Bradshaw
Witnesses hereof
John StarkieJohn Wood
Rob????? Norres
John Bromeley
Probate granted: Alexander Norris 20 June 1666
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| Will of John Bradshaw of Bradshaw, Esquire. Written 1665. Probate granted 1666. |
Will of John Bradshaw of Bradshaw, Esquire, 1667
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. I, John Bradshaw of Bradshawe in the County of Lancaster Esquire, being att this present somewhat Infirme of Body but of sound memory and understanding praysed be God And considering the certainty of death doe make this my last Will and Testament in maner foloweing. That is to saie, first I commend my Soule into the merciful handes of Almighty God my maker hopeinge for Salvation through the merritt and mediation of Jesus Christ my Redeemer. And my Body to Christian and decent Burial. And concerneinge all my Lands, tenements and hereditaments in Bradshaw aforesaid which att severall tymes and by severall assurances I have conveyed in Mortgage or upon severall conditions as well unto George Chetham late of Turton, Esquire, deceased in his Iyfe tyme. So unto James Chetham, Esquire, his sonne and heire I doe hereby demyse, give and grannte the same and every parte thereof And all my Interest, Estate, Title, Liberty and power of Redemption and the disposition thereof so farre as I can or may unto Margaret my beloved Wyfe and her heires for ever. And for and concerneinge my Goodes and ChattelIs, It is my Will and mynd, (after my debts paid), that the same be divided into three equal parts. The first part whereof I give unto the said Margaret my wyfe, the second parte I give and bequeath unto Thomas Robert Roger James Margaret Eleanor Dorrathie Anne Katherin Elizabeth and Jane Bradshaw my younger children equally to be divided amongst them. The third part hereof (after funeralle discharged) I give unto my said younger Children equally amongst them. And of this my last Will I ordeyne and make the said Margaret my loving wyfe sole executrix. In witness whereof I have hereunto putt my hande and seale the nyneteenth day of October 1666.
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| Will of John Bradshaw of Bradshaw, Esquire. Written 1666. Probate granted 1667. |
Will of John Bradshaw of Bradshaw, Esquire, 1694
In the name of God Amen the fifteenth day of March in ye year of our Lord God Our thousand six hundred ninety three, and in the sixth year of the Reign of our Soveraigne Lord & Lady William & Mary by ye grace of God King & Queen of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of ye faith &c. I John Bradshaw of Bradshaw in ye parish of Boulton & County of Lancaster Esqr. finding my selfe infirme in body, but of good & perfect memory and haveing a disposeing faculty (thanks be to God) Doe make this my last Will & Testament in manner and form following WHEREAS I the sd John Bradshaw have heretofore by severall Indentures of Lease & Release the one bearing date on or about ye fifteenth ye other ye sixteenth day of May last past granted & released conveyed & Assured unto my trustee and well beloved Friends Henry Wrigley of Langley, Thomas Bradshaw of Haslingden and John Jenkinson of Fealsworth all in ye County of Lancs. Gentlemen and to their heires ALL that my manour of Lordshipp of Bradshaw with all Rights members & apptnces and all yt my Capitall messuage or mansion house comonly called & knowne by ye name of Bradshaw Hall and ye demesne & demesne lands, meadows, pastures, feedings and hereditamts thereunto belonging or therewith usually occupyed & enjoyed And alsoe all other my messuages, lands, tenemts & hereditamts whatsoever situate lyeing & being within ye Townshipps of Bradshaw, Harwood & Tottington or elsewhere in ye County of Lancs with their and every of their apptnces TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the sd manour of Lordshipp & capitall & other messuages, lands, tenemts & hereditamts therein particularly menconed, unto, ye sd Henry Wrigley, Thomas Bradshaw & John Jenkinson and their heirs to ye severall uses intents and purposes Nevertheless subject to ye severall & Respective trusts and with & under ye severall provisoes & condicons in ye sd Recited Indenture mancioned expressed & declared and to noe other use intent or purpose whatsoever The particulars of all which sd uses & trusts doe fully and plainly appear in and by ye sd Recited Indenture Relacon being thereunto had & made In which recited indenture there is Nevertheless contained & comprised one clause or sentence to ye tenour & Effect following viz: That my sd Trustees Henry Wrigley Thomas Bradshaw & John Jenkinson and ye survivors & survivor of them & his heires shall & may either by way of lease, Mortgage or sale of all or any part of ye messuages or lands comprised in ye ds Indenture Levy & raise such farther & other sume & sumes of money as I ye said John Bradshaw shall & doe by my last will & Testamt give and bequeath unto any person or psons whatsoever I doe therefore give & bequeath unto my Daughter Susan Lomax one hundred pounds and to my brother Roger Bradshaw twenty pounds to be paid them within one year after my decease. And doe pursuant to ye power before menconed to be by me reserved, in & by ye sd recited Indenture hereby authorize and fully Impower order & appoint my sd Trustees aforenamed to Levy & raise out of ye premises soe to them conveyed as aforesd, either by way of Lease, mortgage, or sale of ye same, or otherwise, as they in their discrestion shall think most fitt & & meet the severall & respective sumes of one hundred pounds & twenty pound, and therewith satisfy & pay ye severall legacies herein by me given & bequeathed unto ye sd Susan Lomax and Roger Bradshaw in maner as aforesd And whereas there is a provisoe in ye sd Recited Indenture that it shall and may be lawfull for me ye sd John Bradshaw, at any time dureing my life, by any writeing or writeings signed & sealed by me in the presence of two or more credible witnesses to Revoke or alter all or any of ye trusts in ye sd Indenture Lymitted & appointed And to Lymit any other or new Trust for or touching ye premises or any part thereof And whereas in & by ye said Deed I have Lymitted appointed ye sume of two hundred pounds to be levyed & raised for a portion for my daughter Elianor in case she marry with ye consent of her Mother. And I ye sd John Bradshaw being now fully mynded & resolved to alter & change ye sume thereby appointed to be raised for a porcon for her in case she marry & take Husband Peter Heywood of Manchester - Notwithstanding she getts & obtains ye consent of her sd mother I doe therefore by these presents and by force? and accoding to ye provisoe and lyberty thereby given, declare & order That if my sd daughter Elianor shall at any tyme hereafter marry and take to Husband ye sd Peter Heywood, That then and in such case my Trustees before named shall onely levy & raise out of sd Estate ye sume of one hundred pounds & noe more for a porcon for my sd daughter Elianor and all & evry other sume & sumes Lymitted and appointed to be raised for a porcon for ye sd Elianor in & by the sd in part recited Indenture shall lease determine become void & never be paid any thing contained in ye sd Indenture to ye contrary Notwithstanding AND it is my will and mind and I doe hereby order & declare that it shall and may be Lawfull to & for my sd Trustees Henry Wrigley, Thomas Bradshaw & John Jenkinson and ye survivors & survivor of them & his heirs to receive, retaine & deduct to themselves out of ye rents issues & profits of ye messuages & lands soe conveyed & assured to them as aforesd or out of such money as shall be raised by them by Lease, mortgage or sale of ye premises or any part thereof All & every such sume & sumes of money costs, charges Damages & expenses whatsoever which they or any of them shall be put unto, pay disburse, sustaine or expend by reason of any suit, or suits that shall be comenced or persecuted against them or any of them by my son John Bradshaw for touching or concerning the premises or by reason or means of ye trust reposed in them by ye sd recited Indenture, or in ye management & execution thereof And I doe hereby devise all my messuages lands tenemts & hereditaments whatsoever within ye Kingdom of England unto ye before named Henry Wrigley, Thomas Bradshaw & John Jenkinson and their heires to such uses intents and purposes and subject to such Trusts as are specifyd & contained in ye above in part recited Indenture and in this my Last Will & Testament and to now other use intent or purpose whatsoever And I make & ordane my wife sole Executrix of this my last Will & Testamt and doe hereby Revoke all former wills & Testamts by me in any wise heretofore made or declared. IN WITNESSE whereof I ye sd John Bradshaw have hereunto sett my hand & seale the day & year first above written:-
Will of Susannah Bradshaw of Bolton-le-Moors, widow, 1701
In the name of God Amen I Susanna Bradshaw of Bolton in le Moores in the County of Lancs Widdowe and Relict of John Bradshawe late of Bradshawe Esq. deceased doe make this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme followinge First it is my Will and mind that my body after my decease shall be decently buried att such place and in such manner as my executrix herein after named shall in her discretion think most fitt And then that all such debts as I shall happen to owe to any person or persons att the time of my decease and alsoe all my funerall expenses shall bee full satisfyed, paid and discharged And whereas I did heretofore enter into a Bond or Covenant with my sonne John Bradshawe to give unto him one hundred Pounds But by our severall agreement the same was to bee soe lodged and secured in the hands of Trustees for that purpose to bee named as that the intrest thereof was to bee constantly paid to mee dureinge my life and that the said one hundred Pounds principall moneys after my decease was to goe and to bee paid unto my said sonne John Bradshawe in case hee had any issue of his body lawfully begotten But if hee hapned to dye without issue of his body lawfully begotten that then the said one hundred Pounds Principall money was to bee paid unto such person and persons as I should by my last Will and Testament Give and Bequeath the same I doo therefore hereby declare it to bee my Will and mind that if my sonne John Bradshawe shall hereafter happen to dye without Issue of his body lawfully begotten that the the said one hundred Pounds shall bee paid unto my tooe daughters Susanna Duerden and Mary Bradshawe equally betwixt them And accordingly I give and bequeath all the benefit of the said one hundred Pounds unto my said daughters Susanna and Mary equally to bee divided betwixt them And it is my Will and mind that my said Executrix shall in the first place pay one hundred Pounds unto my son in lawe Robert Duerden Pursuant to my Covenants made with him att his marriage of my daughter Susanna And then I doe Give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Heape wife of John Heape of Burchenbour in the Parish of Ouldham Fourscore Pounds And to my daughter Mary I give and devise twoe hundred pounds And alsoe I give and beqeath unto her my best bed and all the furniture in the nest Chamber and all my linnen and Silver Plate and the Coach Chaire that usually stands in the Parlour of the house where I now live And to my daughter Eleanor wife of Mr Starkie of London I devise tenne pounds And unto my daughter Anne wife of Peter Heywood I alsoe give Tenne Poundes And to my Grand children Mary and Elizabeth Lomax to each of them I give one Ginnea a peice And I give and bequeath unto my Grandaughter Alice Chadwick twenty Pounds when shee attaines to one and twenty yeares of age or is preferred in marriage which shall first happen But if shee happen to dye before shee attaine to the age of one and twenty or bee married then I give and bequeath the said Twenty Pounds unto my said daughter Elizabeth Heap And I give and bequeath unto my Sonne Henry Wrigley and his wife each of them a Guinea to buy each of them a mourninge Ringe And all the rest and residue of my estate whatsoever I give devise and bequeath the same unto my said daughter Mary Bradshawe And I doe hereby nominate, constitute and ordaine my said daughter Mary Bradshawe Sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament And I doe appoint James Lomax of Brooke bottom with Tottington in the County of Lancs yeoman Overseer thereof And I doe desire that hee will see the same faithfully performed And I doe hereby revoake all former wills by mee att any rime heretofore made IN WITNESSE whereof I the said Susanna Bradshawe have hereunto sett my hand and seale the sixteenth day of November Anno RR Willi tertij Angl duodecimo Anna Don Willimo Septingentesio [1700]
Other Wills
These wills of related families may also be of interest to anybody researching this family:-
- Elizabeth Jenkinson of Woodhouses in Ashton-under-Lyne, 1672
- Henry Lomax junior of Breightmet, yeoman, 1693
- Henry Lomax of Breightmet, yeoman, 1706
Monumental Inscription at St. Peter, Bolton
Here resteth the body of Henry the son of Henry Lomax of Breightmet, Senior, Married Susanna the daughter of John Bradshaw of Bradshaw Esquire, who departed this life the 8th day of January An. Dom. 1692, leaving behind him the said wife and 2 daughters Mary the wife of James Crompton of Breightmet, Chapman, here interred 6th December 1735.
