Source: TNA, PROB 11/2153
Also, if you are a male Pike/Pyke (or you know one) who may be willing to do a genealogical DNA test, then please check out the Pike DNA Project for which I am a volunteer coordinator. There are several Pike/Pyke families that are not yet represented in the project, and for whom participants are wanted.
This is the last Will and Testament of me Robert Pike of Lyford in the County of Berks Yeoman made the twenty fourth day of May one thousand eight hundred and forty one I direct all my just debts and funeral and testamentary expences to be paid by my executrix and executors hereinafter named I give and devise unto my Son Robert Pike Thomas Floyd of Fulford in the said County of Berks Gentleman and William Alder of Windsor Farm in the Parish of Charlton in the said County of Berks Yeoman All my leasehold mea- dow land situate in the parish of Goosey in the said County of Berks called S?ydeham with the Sheep Commons on Goosey Green and appur- tenances thereto belonging To hold to them the said Robert Pike Thomas Floyd and William Alder their executors administrators and assigns Upon the trusts and for the intents and purposes hereinafter expressed concerning the same (that is to say) Upon trust that they or the survivors or survivor of them do and shall pay unto or permit and suffer my daughter Mary Pike if she shall recover from the mortal afflication which she is now unfortunately labouring under to receive and take the rents issues and profits of the same for and during the term of her natural life for her own sole and separate use and benefit independent of any husband she may marry and so that the same shall not be in any manner subject to his debts controul or engage- ments But if my said daughter Mary Pike shall not recover her mind then Upon trust that they or the survivors or survivor of them do and shall apply the said rents issues and profits for the care and maintenance of my said daughter Mary Pike for and during the term of her natural life in such way as they shall think fit and from and after the decease of my said daughter Mary Pike Upon trust that they the said Robert Pike Thomas Floyd and William Alder or the survivors or survivor of them their or his executors administra- tors or assigns shall and do make Sale and dispose of the said land commons and premises by public auction or private contract and together or in parcels in such way as they or he shall judge most proper and beneficial And shall and do out of the monies to arise by or from such Sale in the first place retain and deduct all such respective costs charges and expences as they or the survivors or sur- vivor of them shall respectively be put unto in or about the execu tion of the trusts hereby in them reposed and all other incidental expences touching or concerning the disposing of the same And upon trust to pay and divide the residue of the said monies and I hereby give and bequeath the same and the rents and profits of the said land commons and premises until the sale is completed unto and between the children equally or the child if only one of my said daughter Mary Pike but if she shall be without leaving any child or children Then as to two equal third parts of the residue of the said monies and the rents and profits of the said land commons and premises until the Sale is completed In trust for my Sons Robert Pike and John Pike equally share and share alike And if either of them shall die without leaving any child or children to take his share In trust for the survivor of my said Sons absolutely And as to the remaining third part of the said monies and the rents and profits of the said land commons and premises until the sale is completed In trust for my two daughters Ann Pike and Eliza Pike equally share and share alike And if either of them shall die without leaving any child or children to take her share In trust to divide such share between her Brothers and surviving Sister equally share and share alike Provided always and I hereby authorize the said Robert Pike Thomas Floyd and William Alder or the survivors or survivor of them their or his executors administrators and assigns to sell the said land commons and premises in manner aforesaid at any time during the lifetime of my said daughter Mary Pike if they or he shall think fit And in case any such Sale shall take place in her lifetime then I direct them or him to place out the money to arise from such Sale at interest in their or his names or name on Government or real securities and to pay the dividends or interest thereof to my said daughter Mary Pike for her sole and separate use or else apply the same for her care and maintenance in the same manner as the rents and profits of the said land commons and premises are hereinbefore directed to be paid to her or applied for her care and maintenance Provided also that in case my said daughter Mary Pike shall recover her mind and marry it is my will that the said Robert Pike Thomas Floyd and William Alder or the survivors or survivor of them their or his executors admin- istrators or assigns shall immediately after such marriage (if thereto required by my said daughter Mary Pike) exercise the power for Sale of the said land commons and premises hereby vested in them and out of the money arising from such Sale pay unto my said daugh ter Mary Pike the sum of five hundred pounds Sterling for her ab- solute use I give and bequeath the sum of hundred pounds stock in the reduced three and a half percent annuities unto the said Robert Pike Thomas Floyd and William Alder their executors administrators and assigns Upon the trusts following (that is to say) Upon trust that they or the survivors or survivor of them do and shall pay unto or permit and suffer my daughter Ann Pike to receive and take the interest dividends and annual produce of the said sum of five hundred pounds reduced three and a half per cent annuities for and during the term of her natural life for her own sole and separate use and benefit independent of any husband she may marry and so that the same shall not be in any manner subject to his debts controul or engagements and after the decease of my said daughter Ann Pike As to the said sum of five hundred pounds reduced three and a half per cent annuities and the interest dividends and annual produce thereof In trust for all or any one or more of the childrne of my said daughter Ann Pike for such interest or interests in such shares and in such manner as my said daugh ter Ann Pike whether covert or sole by her will or any Codicil thereto shall appoint And in default of appointment In trust for all the children equally or the child if only one of my said daughter Ann Pike But if she shall die without leaving any child or children In trust for such persons and in such manner as she my said daughter Ann Pike whether covert or sole by her will or any Codi- cil thereto shall appoint And in default of and so far as such last mentioned appointment shall not extend In trust for such person or persons as under the statute for the distribution of Intestates effects would have been entitled to the same as the next of kin of my said daughter Ann Pike in case she had died possessed thereof intestate and unmarried I give and bequeath unto my said daugh- ter Ann Pike the legacy or sum of five hundred pounds sterling ab solutely in addition to the Pianoforte and books which I gave to her some time since I give and bequeath the sum of five hundred pounds stock in the reduced three and a half per cent annuitiies unto the said Robert Pike Thomas Floyd and William Alder their exe cutors administrators and assigns Upon the trusts following (that is to say) Upon trust that they or the survivors or survivor of them do and shall pay unto or permit and suffer my daughter Eliza Pike to receive and take the interest dividends and annual produce of the said last mentioned sum of five hundred pounds reduced three and a half per cent annuities for and during the term of her natural life for her own sole and separate use and benefit independent of any husband she may marry and so that the same shall not be in any manner subject to his debts controul or engagements And after the decease of my said daughter Eliza Pike As to the said last mentioned sum of five hundred pounds reduced three and a half per cent annuities and the interest dividends and annual produce thereof In trust for all or any one or more of the children of my said daughter Eliza Pike for such interest or interests in such shares and in such manner as my said daughter Eliza Pike whether covert or sole by her will or any Codicil thereto shall appoint And in default of appointment In trust for all the children equally or the child if only one of my said daugh ter Eliza Pike But if she shall die without leaving any child or children In trust for such persons and in such manner as she my said daughter Eliza Pike whether covert or sole by her will or any Codicil thereto shall appoint And in default of and so far as such last mentioned appointment shall not extend In trust for such person or persons as under the statue for the distribution of Intestates effects would have been entitled to the same as the next of kin of my said daughter Eliza Pike in case she had died possessed thereof Intes- tate and unmarried I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Eliza Pike the legacy or sum of five hundred and fifty pounds ster ling absolutely I direct that the respective receipts of my said daugh ters Mary Ann and Eliza alone shall be good discharges for the said rents and profits interest dividends and annual produce hereby given to or in trust for them respectively notwithstanding any future cover ture I give and bequeath to my beloved Wife Mary Pike the legacy or sum of two hundred pounds sterling absolutely I give and bequeath the sum of one thousand pounds sterling unto my said Wife mary Pike and my Sons Robert Pike and John Pike their executors admin- istrators and assigns Upon the trusts following (that is to say) Upon trust to place out the same at interest in their names on Government or real securities and to pay unto or permit and suffer my said Wife to receive and take the dividends or interest thereof for and during the term of her natural life and after the decease of my said wife As to the said sum of one thousand pounds sterling and the divi dends or interest thereof In trust for my said Sons Robert Pike and John Pike equally share and share alike I give and bequeath to my said Wife Mary Pike and Sons Robert Pike and John Pike all my farming stock of every description to the intent that they may together carry on the occupation of the farm I now rent at Worcester College or any other farm they may choose to take during so long as my wife likes to continue in the business one third of the profits whereof I direct that she shall received and I hereby give the same to her for her own absolute use and the remaining two thirds of such profits I direct shall be divided and I hereby give the same unto my said Sons Robert Pike and John Pike equally share and share alike and when my said Wife shall retire from the said business or at her decease whichever event shall first happen I give and bequeath all the said Farming stock unto my said Sons Robert Pike and John Pike equally share and share alike for their absolute use and benefit I give devise and bequeath all the rest and residue of my real and personal estate unto my said Sons Robert Pike and John Pike their heirs executors administrators and assigns equally as tenants in common and not as joint tenants I appoint my said Wife Mary Pike and Sons Robert Pike and John Pike Executrix and Executors of this my will Provided always and my will is and I hereby direct that the receipt or receipts of the said Robert Pike Thomas Floyed and William Alder or the survivors or survivor of them their or his executors administrators or assigns shall be a good and sufficient discharge or good and sufficient discharges to any purchaser or purchasers to whom the said lands commons and premises shall by virtue of this my will be sold and that such purchaser or purchasers shall not ?????????????????????? able or accountable for or be boudnd or obliged to ??????????????? application of his or their purchase monies or any part thereof or be in any manner accountable for the misapplication or nonapplication thereof And further that the several trustees named in this my will shall not be answerable or accountable for the acts deeds receipts and disbursements of the others or other of them but ????????????? only for his or her own acts deeds receipts and disbursements nor for any involuntary loss or damage of or to the aforesaid trust monies and premises which may happen without their wilful neglect or default and I direct that it shall be lawful for my said trustees to deduct and retain to themselves herself and himself respectively all such loss costs charges damages and expences as ???? or ????? them may sustain or be put unto in the execution of the trusts of this my will or any matter or thing relating thereto and lastly I revoke all former and other wills by me at any time heretofore made and declare this only to be my last will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day and year first above written Robert Pike Signed and declared by the above named Testator as and for his last will and Testament in the presence of us present at the same time who in his presence and in the pre sence of each other have hereunto set our names as witnesses thereto Dan: Godfrey Solr Abingdon Richd Wells Clerk to Messrs Morland & Godfrey Solrs Abingdon [See Codicil after Affidavit] In the Prerogative Court of Canterbury In the Goods of Robert Pike deceased Appeared personally Robert Pike of Lyford in the County of Berks Farmer the Son and one of the executors named in the last will and Testament with a Codicil thereto or Robert Pike late of Lyford in the County of Berks Yeoman deceased comprized in five sheets of brief paper and now hereunto annexed and made oath that he is one of the subscribed Witnesses to the said Codicil bear ing date the second day of December in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty eight written on the back of the fifth sheet of the said Will and he further made oath that on the second day of December aforesaid the said Testator duly executed the said Codicil by signing his name at the foot or end thereof in the joint presence of him this deponent and of Pharaoh Pike the other subscribed witness thereto whereupon they this deponent and the said Pharaoh Pike set and subscribed their names as Witnesses thereto (the word "between" having been first interlined between the seventh and eighth lines of the said Codicil in manner and form as now appears) in the presence of the said deceased Robert Pike On the third day of April in the year 1852 the said Robert Pike was duly sworn to the truth of this affidavit by virtue of the annexed commission before me William Williams Commissioner My daughter Ann having intermarried with Mr Thomas Floyd of Fulford ont he twenty ??? day of October 1843 & having receiv'd the sum of one thousand pounds has no further claim on my property but must be ????der'd as having receiv'd a full consideration for the money expressd in my will as before mentioned My Son Robert having this day been in possession of property to the amount of twelve hundred pounds in stock ????? must in the division of my property between them after my decease receive twelve hundred pounds less than my Son John ??? other parts of my will I wish to remain unalter'd Robert Pike Senr Witnesses } Robert Pike Junr Lyford Decr 2nd 1848 Pharaoh Pike Proved at London (with a Codicil) 4th May 1852 before the Judge by the oaths of Mary Pike Widow the Relict and Robert Pike and John Pike the Sons the executors to whom admon was granted having been first sworn by Commission duly to administer
Last Modified: Sunday, 19-Apr-2020 12:27:42 NDT