Transcript of the Will of William Middleton Stead 1818 - 1891
This is the last Will and Testament of me William Middleton Stead of Midhope Hall in the Chapelry of Bradfield in the Parish of Ecclesfield in the County of York Farmer I devise and bequeath all my real and personal estate whatsoever unto my son Arthur Richard Stead my daughter Martha Elizabeth Stead and William Dransfield of Penistone in the said County solicitor their heirs executors and administrators respectively according to the nature and tenure thereof upon trust that the said Arthur Richard Stead Martha Elizabeth Stead and William Dransfield or the survivors or survivor of them or the executors or administrators of such survivor all of which several persons and other the trustees or trustee for time being of this my Will are hereinafter called my trustees or trustee shall permit my dear wife Sarah Stead to have the use and enjoyment of all my property and to receive the income thereof during her life for her own absolute use and after her death my said trustees or trustee shall sell call in collect or otherwise convert into money such part of my estate as shall not consist of ready money and shall stand possessed of the proceeds of such sale calling in collection and conversion and the ready_of which I shall be possessed at my death upon trust is to [illegible, likely - "one half"] portion share thereof for my said son Arthur Richard Stead subject to the payment thereout of the sum of seventy pounds to my said daughter Martha Elizabeth Stead as to one third portion share thereof together with the sum of seventy pounds payable out of the share of my said son as aforesaid for my said daughter Martha Elizabeth Stead and as to the remaining one sixth portion or share thereof for my grandaughter Frances Marian Stead Provided always that my trustees or trustee may raise any part not exceeding one half part of the share or fortune of the said Frances Marian Stead and apply the same for her advancement And I appoint the said Arthur Richard Stead Martha Elizabeth Stead and WIlliam Dransfield Executors and Trustees of this my Will In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this third day of June one thousand eight hundred and ninety one
William Stead
Signed by the said testator William Middleton Stead as
and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us
present at the same time who at his request in his presence
and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed
our names as witnesses the word "seventy" having been first
substitute for the word "one hundred" in two places.
William Dransfield Solicitor Penistone
Josiah Grayson Pattern Maker Midhope
NOTE: Frances Marian Stead was the illegitimate daughter of William's youngest daughter Frances Ellen who died around the time of the child's birth in December 1884.
William Stead
Signed by the said testator William Middleton Stead as
and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us
present at the same time who at his request in his presence
and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed
our names as witnesses the word "seventy" having been first
substitute for the word "one hundred" in two places.
William Dransfield Solicitor Penistone
Josiah Grayson Pattern Maker Midhope
NOTE: Frances Marian Stead was the illegitimate daughter of William's youngest daughter Frances Ellen who died around the time of the child's birth in December 1884.
In transcribing family wills for this site I have maintained spelling and punctuation of the Wills or Probate Copies
