Some wills have been transcribed in full, whereas others are a paraphrased transcription. If they are paraphrased, they contain the names of all those mentioned in the will, with the gist of what they were (or were not!) bequeathed, but to find the full details, such as the names of property, requests as to how they were to be buried etc., please contact the relevant archive. The wills are either from the Essex Record Office (ERO), the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC), or the London Metropolitan Archives (LMA).
- Tendringe, Priscilla, daughter of Thomas Tendring of Boreham, 1639
- Thurston, Stephen, gentleman of Ardleigh, 1670
- Tiffin, Thomas, farmer of Layer-de-la-Haye, 1752
- Turner, George, yeoman of Pebmarsh, 1754
Tendringe, Priscilla, daughter of Thomas Tendring of Boreham, 1639
One of the daughters of Thomas Tendringe, late of Boreham, gent.
To mother Joan Tendring: several pieces of land in Boreham
To sister Ann Tendring: £20. To sister Mary Tendring: £20. To sister Frances Tendring: £20. To sister Cycilly Tendring: £20. To sister Joan Sullman: £5. To sister Susan Liveinge: £3.
To brother Mr. Thomas Tendring: one piece of gold worth 10 shillings. To brother Mr. John Tendring: £10
To cousin Thomas Tendring: 40 shillings
To the poor of Boreham: 20 shillings
Rest and residue to mother, Joan Tendring, the executrix
Witnesses: Thomas Tendring, Nichols Wright, Robert Tendring
Written: 7 July 1639, proved: 5th September 1639
ERO ref: D/AEW 20/284
Thurston, Stephen, gentleman of Ardleigh, 1670
The six children of my kinsman Edmund Rolph: Anna, Susan, Mary, Elizabeth, Martha, Edmund, £10 each when 21
The five children of my kinswoman Anne, wife of Thomas Cumbers of Peldon: Anna, Thomas, Mary, Sarah, Susan, £20 each when 21
The three daughters of George Weatherley: Anne, Sarah, Mary, £40 each. Under 21.
Anne Moncke, £40. Under 21.
Mary Milbank, daughter of my kinsman John Milbank
Kinsman John Tatem of Colchester, tanner, £200, on condition he pays Mr Owen Storeton? £10
Owns houses in Colchester St Giles.
Anna Milbank daughter of John Milbank, all my messuage etc in Bromley [Great Bromley?]
Kinsman Joseph Thurston: tankard
Son-in-law John Payne: plate worth £5
Executors John Milbank and John Tatem
Written 10 Jun 1665 (year faded), proved 25 Aug 1670
Notes: Hannah Thurston married John Paine at Ardleigh, 3 May 1654. This Stephen Thurston appears to be the same Stephen Thurston of Ardleigh, with a daughter Hannah, who is mentioned in the 1642 will of Anne Mannock of Ardleigh.
Tiffin, Thomas, farmer of Blind Knights, Layer-de-la-Haye, 1742
Item I give and bequeve to my son John Tiffin of Coln in Earles in the Countie of Essex all my Real Estate boath Free and Coppey Hold which are severialy Lying and being in the parrishes of Gestingthorpe, Hidingham Castel, Coln in Wakes, and Coln in Earles all which are in the Countie of Essex to him and his Heirs forever.
Item It is my Will and pleasure that as when promised to my now wife Martha who was the Widdow of Thomas Laisel late of this farme where in I now Live that in Consideration of what I Received with Her I gave her abond of two Hundred pounds which Bond I understand she Lodged in the Hands of her Brother in Law Isaac Worrel of Mersey Island Drudger and that he the said Isaac Worrell was drowned and it is supposed the bond for the said two hundred pounds lost with him not with standing which, it is my will and plesure that my Executor Doe pay to my said wife Martha a year and a day after my decease £200 the first givin full security to my Executor that he nor his Executors and administrators or asigne shall ever afterwards be Lyabal to pay the said bond in case it should come to Light and further if my said wife Martha desire to have any of the Household goods, that she may have the choise of what she plese allowing for them as they shall be appraised and in case she be minded to Live In a Little house of mine Lying in Wakes that she may paying thirtie shillings a year therfor
Item I give to my two grand children Samuel Tiffin & Elizabeth Tiffin who now live with me five pounds a piece when they come to the age of 21 to be paid item by my executor.
Item I Give to Samuel the father of those two children last mentioned £1 1sh to be paid him by my Executor a year and a day after my Deceas.
Item I give to my granddaughter Ann Hales wife of Samuel Hales Living in a farme called Gages in the parish of Maple Street [Maplestead?] in the Countie of Essex £30 to be paid her by my executor a year & a day after my Death
And Lastely I doe appoint my son John Tiffin of Coln in Earles to be whole and sole executor to this my last will and testament and to take my stock and pay my debts and fulfil all my will as is above specified.
Witnesses: William Heard x, Isaac Barrett, William Haward x
Written 7th November 1741. Proved at Earls Colne by John Tiffin, the son of Thomas Tiffin, sole executor, 8th October 1742
ERO ref: D/ACW 29/2/34
Transcriber’s notes
The testator’s marriage to Martha appears to have taken place at St Mary’s-at-the-Walls in Colchester on 19 July 1734. The register records the marriage of Thomas Tuffin of Earles Cowln, and Martha Lasin of Lair-de-la-Hay. They married by licence, but it hasn’t survived.
“Maple Street” seems to be “Maplestead”. There is a farm in Little Maplestead, Essex, called Gages, which is just a short distance north of Earls Colne.
Turner, George, yeoman of Pebmarsh, 1754
To be buried in churchyard of parish where I live at time of death, with no pomp and at as little expense as possible.
To my wife Rose Turner: all my freehold in Pebmarsh; all my personal estate; all my leases for land and premises (held under Lady Dowager Grimston, Joseph Sager and John Shrive).
If my wife remarries, she is to pay out of my estate £40 to each of my children still living
(children not named in will).
Executrix: my wife Rose Turner.
Witnesses: Jno. Chaplyn, Dan. Meed, Thomas Moore
Written: 2nd February 1764