Whitgift Aylmer

Gertrude Brewer

Whitgift (1714-), Catherine

PROB 11/871/1 - precis.

Whitgift Aylmer of St John, Jamaica, Esquire.

To my brother Samuel Aylmer all my land at Mountain River with all the houses thereon built in St John excepting the plantain walk and 60 acres of woodland adjoining to the said plantain walk. Nevertheless in case my brother should find the said plantain walk and the 60 acres adjoining it more convenient for his use, then my brother, as soon as he should make a plantain walk bearing plantains in any other part of the said plantation of 30 acres of land and shall convey the same together with 60 acres of land adoining it to the same persons and in the same manner as my Guanboa Estate is thereinafter devised then I give and devise the plantation walk and the 60 acres of land above excepted out of the devise to my said brother and his heirs forever. [In other words, if Samuel Aylmer wants the plantain walk and 60 acres of woodland, he will have to create another plantain walk with 60 adjoining acres elsewhere, to exchange for it.]

To my sisters Mary and Catherine Aylmer, £500 Jamaican currency each to be paid within 2 years of my death, and in the meantime £50 Jamaican currency to each of them, each year until the £500 legacy be paid. These legacies to be paid out of the profits of my estate at Guanaboa in St John.

To my beloved wife in her widowhood or her abode in Jamaica, my negro woman Bess formerly belonging to Timothy Dodd and her son Frank and daughters Whannera[?] and Laurea[?]. In case of her remarriage or absence from Jamaica, these people to have their freedom.

To my wife, my negro women Phillis and Santa for ever. Billy, son of Phillis, to have his freedom from the time of my decease.

To my wife, two runs or parcels of land at Luidas in St John, one called Mowden Hall and the other granted by his present Majesty King George to Charles Price Esquire and by him conveyed to be together with all the slaves and stock thereon, in mateship with John Halstead of St John Esquire. Should she be inclined to dispose of the said two parcels of land then my wife to give the preference of these to John Halsted.

All my land in St George adjoining to Port Antoina Gully to my nephew Whitgift Aylmer, son of my brother Samuel Aylmer. Also to him £500 Jamaican currency at age 21, payable out of my estate at Guanboa in St John.

To my wife the moity of my sugar work and plantation at Guianaboa during the term of her natural life, subject to the half part of the legacies hereby bequeathed. Also to her for life the plantain walk and 60 acres of land at Mountain River.

The bequests to my brother Samuel and sisters Mary and Catherine are on the condition that each of them and their heirs shall release to my heirs all devises and bequests that they may have or claim by virtue of the will of my father Whitgift Aylmer, late of St John decased.

All rest and residue to my only daughter Catherine Aylmer. My wife to be guardian of my daughter during her minority, with power should my wife go to England to lease out my daughter's estate for my daughter's use and benefit.

My wife, Dr John Charnock of St John, Mr Francis Melling of St Catherine and Mr John Salmon of St John to be executors.

Signed 13/06/1719.

Sworn in Jamaica 26/10/1720 by Henry Bedingfield, witness.

Codicil dated 08/08/1720. I have not disposed of the ginger out of the ground of my land at Mountain River, though the land I have bequeathed to my brother Samuel Aylmer. The ginger now planted in the ground to go to my wife and daughter towards the satisfaction of my debts and legacies, rather than to my brother Samuel Aylmer.

Codicil sworn in Jamaica 26/10/1720 by Dr Richard Castell, witness.

Administration granted to 01/12/1761 to the Right Honourable Catherine Bourke commonly called Lady Viscountess Mayo (wife of John Bourke, Lord Viscount Mayo), the natural and lawful daughter of the said deceased and residuary legatee, she having first been sworn duly to administer for that Gertrude Aylmer widow, relict of the said deceased, John Charnock, doctor of physic, Francis Melling and John Salmon, executors named in the will have died without having taken upon them the executrion of the said will and codicil, at least in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.